Kerkeraad Der Nederlands Portugees Israelitische Gemeente in Suriname
PO Box 1834
(Klipsenstr. 2-10)
Paramaribo,
Tel. 597 471 313, Fax. 597 471 154.

• Cemetery: "Findings of the work of the expedition team indicate that the cemetery may have existed prior to the 1667 exchanged of Suriname from the English to the Dutch and that the cemetery was active for over two hundred years. Many of the deceased were rabbis, their wives, and hazans. Epitaphs indicate that women held leadership roles, including that of plantation master and hazan (who most probably led the women in prayer). One epitaph describes an individual plantation owner as "virtuous and honorable" and states that he died subsequent to beating his "rebellious Black slaves." Imagery expressive of identity of the deceased includes mohel, mother, Levite, Cohen, youth and Spanish noble Imagery expressive of the ideologies of the community includes messianic hope. Tombs with Hebrew and Portuguese (or Spanish) languages epitaphs are not translations of each other. Rachel Frankel and Aviva Ben-Ur hope to publish the findings and documentation as a complete archive. Prior this expedition, two inventories have been attempted by others, but none has been published.
  Source: http://www.cvexp.org/newsltr/surinm99.htm
• Jodensavanne's second Jewish cemetery is located a few miles north of Casipora Cemetery. It was established subsequent and adjacent to the community's second synagogue built in 1685. The community's first synagogue is believed to have existed within close proximity of Casipora Cemetery. Despite the establishment of the second cemetery, some families and individuals continued to use Casipora Cemetery. Source: http://www.cvexp.org/newsltr/surinm99.htm
  http://www.isjm.org/Projects/Suriname.htm

• Jewish cemetery: In November 1998, the International Society for Jewish Monuments began an emergency effort to save the oldest Ashkenazi cemetery in Suriname, founded in the early 18th century. The site has about 400 large gravestones. The cemetery is overgrown and in disrepair with half used as an illegal sand quarry with holes as large as swimming pools." Securing the site and clear overgrowth that hides illegal activities from public view was their plan. A systematic documentation of the site was planned. Gravestones date at least from 1727.' ISJM worked with the Suriname Jewish community and architect Rachel Frankel to develop a Master Plan for the protection and preservation of all of the historic Jewish sites in the country. ISJM asks for tax-deductible contributions of any amount. Checks, to be made out to ISJM, should include the message 'Suriname cemetery' and be mailed to 123 Clarke Street, Syracuse, NY, 13210. "Suriname Jewish Cemetery in Danger: ISJM Begins Fund-Raising, Documentation". ISJM Jewish Heritage Report. Volume II, no 3-4, Spring-Summer, 1998. http://www.isjm.org/jhr/IInos3-4/news.htm#suriname [March 2002]