14 | JULY 6 • 2023 

BEAUTIFYING THE AREA
“The cemetery is located in an interesting place, because it’s a sort 
of forgotten part of Detroit, on the east side,
” Goldman said. “That’s 
an issue for people wanting to visit who are scared of the neighbor-
hood.
”
Part of the problem was the uninhabited short Marjorie street, 
immediately south of the cemetery, which over the years had 
turned into an illegal dumping ground. 
“It had trash, boats, stolen cars, debris from contractors when 
they’re doing a remodel, a forest had popped up in the middle of it, 
it was a mess,
” Goldman said. 
Three years ago, Goldman personally purchased the nine lots on 
Marjorie Street that backed up to the cemetery and worked to clean 
up the space. He put in a huge garden, planting sunflowers and 
vegetables.
Goldman contacted The Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit urban 
forestry program that plants trees, which came out with volunteers 
and planted 34 Michigan native trees around the garden. 
“Now it’s this cool place that helps bring some dignity back to the 
surrounding area of the cemetery,
” Goldman said.
The beautiful new shady spot has become an asset to the 
cemetery and helped turn that entire otherwise rundown area 
around. 
“You have to visit, especially when all the flowers are in 
bloom!” enthused Zaron. “It’s amazing, the work that David’s 
done.”

FEDERATION STEPS IN
There are always new issues cropping up. Currently, it’s an infesta-
tion of woodchucks that have been crawling under the headstones. 
Zaron has been putting out traps, taking the captured woodchucks 
in her truck and releasing them in a wooded area far from the cem-
etery.
“She’s already caught 10 this year … Ann’s amazing, she’s a 
one-woman dynamo,
” marveled Goldman. 

As of last year, Goldman is hopeful that the Jewish Federation 
will be helpful with the cemetery’s tremendous upkeep effort long-
term. 
“It’s the community that needs to help the cemeteries in need,
” 
Goldman said. “
After we spoke, the Federation formed a committee 
of various professionals and lay leaders … They recently started an 
assessment to find out what all the local Jewish cemeteries needed 
now and what they might need in the future, and how much money 
would need to be raised to help.
”
In the meantime, the Federation has already offered support with 
the grass cutting. 
Ralph Zuckman, the now retired previous executive direc-
tor of the Clover Hill Park Cemetery in Birmingham, who 
helped establish the Jewish Cemeteries Association of North 
America and the Greater Detroit Jewish Cemeteries 
Association, is also involved. 
According to Zuckman, this is a common issue. 
“What happened to B’nai David is not just 
symptomatic of the Detroit area, but it’s a problem 
nationwide where Jewish communities move away,” 
Zuckman said. “
All Jewish cemeteries need to be 
taken care of and secure in their future; it’s simply 
kavod hamet (honoring the dead).” 

For further information or to find out how to help, check out the Friends of B’nai 

David Cemetery on Facebook. 

Ralph 
Zuckman

David Goldman 
will unlock 
the gates by 
appointment 
for families who 
want to visit.

Efforts to beautify the graves continue.

OUR COMMUNITY

Sunflowers add 
beauty to the 
surroundings.

continued from page 13

