Jewish Graves of Salt Lake City Cemetery Tour

Explore the deep roots of Salt Lake City’s Jewish community through the stories, symbols, and people found in two historic Jewish cemeteries in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. The tour will explore the cemetery sections associated with the B’nai Israel and Montefiore congregations, Jewish burial traditions and cultural symbols, the importance of Jewish businesses to the economy of Utah, and the lives of both prominent and lesser-known Jewish Utahns.

Among the stories featured is that of Herbert Auerbach, the son of department store tycoon Samuel Auerbach, whose family arrived in Utah before the completion of the transcontinental railroad and whose life reflected the longstanding connections between Salt Lake City’s Jewish community and the broader community.

Together, these graves and the stories behind them offer a window into the religious, cultural, commercial, political, and social history of Salt Lake City and the diverse communities that have shaped it.

Ken Cannon is…