10/19/2026
Sunday, we gathered at the Breslau Jewish Cemetery in Lindenhurst to celebrate 150 years since the establishment of Long Island's oldest Jewish burial ground and the unveiling of a New York State historical marker recognizing its significance.
The story begins in 1874, when a small group of Jewish immigrants gathered in Breslau, now Lindenhurst, to establish Long Island's first Jewish congregation. In October 1876, land was purchased for a Jewish burial ground, creating what remains the oldest Jewish cemetery on Long Island.
And this remarkable history is directly connected to Congregation Beth Ohr.
The cemetery was originally overseen by the Breslau Hebrew Cemetery Association and later by the Lindenhurst Hebrew Congregation. When Lindenhurst Hebrew Congregation merged with Congregation Beth El of Massapequa in 2006, responsibility for the cemetery passed to Beth El. In 2016, Beth El merged with the Bellmore Jewish Center to form Congregation Beth Ohr, and with that merger came the sacred responsibility of caring for this historic cemetery.
Although the names of our congregations have changed and our communities have come together, our responsibility to those who came before us has remained.
In Jewish tradition, Zachor, remember, is more than a commandment to recall the past. It is a sacred obligation to preserve the stories, honor the lives, and carry forward the legacy of previous generations.
The dedication of this historical marker reminds us that Jewish history on Long Island did not begin with our own congregations. We are part of a much longer story, one that stretches back generations and continues through the Jewish communities we build today.
It was a privilege to join Brad Kolodny, President of the Jewish Historical Society of Long Island, Mayor Michael Lavorata of Lindenhurst, and members of the community in celebrating this milestone and ensuring that this important chapter of Long Island's Jewish history is never forgotten.
