Names and addresses of local funeral homes: C.J. Lucas, 27 North Vine St., (570)339-4110; Ray Rothermel, 120 South Market St., (570)339-4960; and Joseph Stutz (formerly Higgins), 40 South Market St, (570)339-4300. Local monument maker: Fantini Monument 7th & Oak St. Mount Carmel, Pa 17851 (570) 339-2175
Tifereth Israel Cemetery. Current town population: 7,189 (1990 Census), expecting 2000 census to be approximately 6,300. Current Jewish population: seven. Cemetery is located on Cemetery Road, Mount Carmel Township, PA 17851 on the road from Locust Summit to Mount Carmel.managed by the Jewish Community Foundation of Central Pennsylvania. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The Jewish Community Foundation of Central Pennsylvania. 3301 North Front Street, Harrisburg, Pa 17110. The contact person is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 717.236.9555 ext 3202. [January 2017]
To open a gravesite: Tom Smith at (570)373-1414 or (570)373-3131. Other towns/villages that use/d this cemetery are Ashland, Kupmont, Shamokin, Pottsville, and Frackville. The congregation that used this cemetery was now defunct Tifereth Israel Synagogue, Mount Carmel, PA. Flower Policy: not permitted. The cemetery is land-marked and has a caretaker. The cemetery was established 16 Jan 1908 and is active. The Jewish community that uses this cemetery is Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform.
The suburban, hillside location is separate but near other cemeteries. Marking the site is sign in English reads "Tifereth Israel." The cemetery is reached by turning directly off route 2023, a public road within 1/2 mile from Mount Carmel. Access is open to all. The gate is unlocked. Current size is .51 acres (22,500 sq. ft.) Date of oldest gravestone: 1912. 100-500 gravestones are in cemetery in original location, none toppled or broken. The marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and slate tombstones and memorial markers are flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones, and horizontally set stones. Inscriptions are in English and Hebrew.
The present owner of the cemetery property is the local Jewish community. Adjacent properties to the cemetery are other cemeteries. The cemetery is visited occasionally by private visitors and was never vandalized. Past maintenance: construction of fence foundation, re-erection of stones, clearing of vegetation, fixing of wall, fixing of gate by regular caretaker paid by the cemetery. No structures. Weather erosion is a slight threat. Vegetation and water drainage in the cemetery are not problems. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. completed this survey on 1 Sep 1999 using deeds, old newspaper articles, and cemetery records. [UPDATE September 2007]
[UPDATE] History, cemetery map, list of gravesites, and directions to Tfereth Israel cemetery [January 2017]