Remembering

My friend CatnipKitty periodically blips pictures of the different aspects of our beloved hometown Elizabeth, so today I thought I'd join her.

E'town is still a thriving seaport, with many lovely homes built in the 1800's, where inventors, actors, actresses, writers, politicians, statesmen, athletes, industrialists, live(d) due to the proximity to NYC. There is so much history surrounding our town that I can't even begin to tell it all. It's best to google for more information if you're so inclined.

My father's Irish parents are buried in Mt. Olivet cemetary, and I often visit to attend to their gravesite or just hang out and commune with the dearly departed. I find comfort in knowing that love is eternal. Anyway, across the street is a Jewish cemetary along with a small one room brick building whose cornerstone states "Concrecation B'nai Israel 1916." It caught my eye because 1916 was the year of my dad's birth.

The building is in a terrible state of neglect, the owners long gone, and I can only surmise that it was once used for prayer congregation. One can't help but remember the oppression of the Jewish people during the time of the Holocaust.

The three arched windows look out over the Catholic cemetary and the "King of Beers" Budweiser Brewery which opened in 1951.

The entire area is a study in juxtaposition, something I'll probably be exploring in the future if I don't get too depressed over all the changes.