Jewish Cemetery Mainz (“Judensand”) – A place for memory

Mainz had the oldest jewish community of the SchUM-cities. And this was its cemetery, known as the “Judensand”. Unlike in Worms or Speyer, Mainz hardly has any jewish architecture from the Middle Ages left. But one important place of memory remains: the Jewish Cemetery (Judensand) on Mombacher Street. It highlights the importance of the jewish community in Magenza (Mainz).

A Place for Memory

Like the Jewish Cemetery Worms, the Jewish Cemetery Mainz is a place to remember the dead. Despite many changes, it is still situated whithin its original boundaries. After 1438 many tombstones from this cemetery were reused as building material in Mainz. They were rediscovered in excavations or during construction work. About 170 of those tombstones were reassembled in a memorial cemetery, which became a part of this cemetery in 1926. Together with memorial stones these rediscovered tombstones commemorate many important medieval scholars from Mainz: Like Jehudah ben Schneor, Gershom ben Jehuda and Meschullam ben Kalonymos the Great. What they wrote is still relevant today. Their teachings are a vital part of Ashkenazic Judaism. Listen here to learn more about one of those scholars, Gerschom ben Jehuda.