Singer Matt Mount Sinai Chapel Mausoleums Monuments FINAL 1

Memory and History Take Form: Architecture and Design at Mt. Sinai Cemetery

By Matthew Singer

I. Mortuary Chapel of Mt. Sinai Cemetery II. Mausoleums III. Headstones

I. Mortuary Chapel of Mt. Sinai Cemetery

Entrance to the Mortuary Chapel, facing Bridge Street

The Mortuary Chapel of Mt. Sinai Cemetery was designed by the celebrated, influential Philadelphia architect Frank Furness in 1891 and was completed in 1892. Furness—best known today for his designs for the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Fisher Fine Arts Library at the University of Pennsylvania—was the preferred architect of Philadelphia’s Jewish communal leaders in the final third of the nineteenth century.

Furness’ involvement with the Jewish community began in 1868 with the design of Congregation Rodeph Shalom’s first commissioned synagogue, a spectacular combination of Moorish, Byzantine, and Gothic elements in multicolored stone and brick. Other notable Furness commissions for the Jewish community included the Jewish Hospital, the Home for Jewish Orphans, and the Home for the Aged and Infirm Israelites. The Mt. Sinai Board members who commissioned the Mortuary Chapel had also been deeply involved with these other organizations and were therefore well aware of his work.

Frank Furness (1839–1912), in the 1880s Courtesy of George Wood Furness

While the Mortuary Chapel is a far more modest building than those referenced above, it nevertheless affords an interesting example of the Furness aesthetic that informed so much of his work through the years. From the outside, the Chapel has a high, hipped roof with many projecting bays, all covered with red tiles. Its exterior walls, although today muted with time, were initially given graphic interest by Furness in his characteristic manner: they feature horizontal bands of grey stone and red terracotta, much of it rough-cut or otherwise highly textured for maximum effect for the senses of sight and sound, making the most of the play of light and shadow as the sun passes across the sky over a day’s course. As in many other Furness buildings, the Mortuary Chapel’s many windows are topped with horseshoe arches, but—in a dramatic approach that is unlike earlier examples at Rodeph Shalom and other Furness buildings—are cut back into the deep exterior walls of the Chapel.

Detail of southwest façade of Mt. Sinai Chapel and Mortuary, showing horseshoe-arch windows and doorway, rusticated stonework, and brackets beneath the overhanging eaves

Passing into the interior, the steeply pitched ceiling inside the main hall of the chapel itself is supported by exposed, prominent, detailed arched trusses that echo the horseshoe shapes of the Chapel’s windows. Arched interior trusses were a prominent part of several other Furness buildings, notably Rodeph Shalom.

Interior view looking toward rear of Chapel, illustrating trusses

It is important to note that this “Mortuary Chapel” was not only meant to provide a place for people to mourn their dead. It also served as a working mortuary – and this function informs its design as well. (Interestingly, Furness had, in 1885, completed a mortuary for the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, and was presumably well acquainted with the requirements for such an edifice). The building includes a delivery bay and a space underneath to prepare the dead for burial as well as a vault to store them.

In fact, Mt. Sinai regarded its Chapel and Mortuary as a “state of the art” facility. In a world that had just recently begun to understand and widely adopt the practices of antisepsis, the mortuary walls were – like only the most modern of that era’s hospitals – covered in gleaming white tile. In an increasingly competitive environment for Jewish burials, these “modern” features were used in order to increase the cemetery’s appeal. For example, around the turn of the 20th century, the cemetery regularly ran advertising in the Jewish Exponent that featured an illustration of the Chapel and Mortuary and notes that “The advantage and facilities offered by the Mt. Sinai Cemetery Association to their lot holders are superior to any provided by other cemeteries.”

Advertisement that regularly appeared in the Jewish Exponent around the turn of the 20th century

II. Mausoleums

The mausoleums of Mt. Sinai—more than twenty in all, arrayed along the cemetery’s south perimeter side in a dignified concourse—express both the continuity of family and community connections and the evolution of architectural styles. Classical, Eclectic High Victorian, Egyptian Revival, and Modernist aesthetics are represented in these gem-like structures. Many feature stained-glass windows from prominent design firms. Often depicting idyllic landscapes, these translucent works of art present images of peaceful beauty when viewed from the outside, while casting shifting shards of color in the otherwise muted interiors.

Many of the most distinguished and well-known Jewish families are laid to rest here: Loebs, Fleishers, Marks, Publickers, Rothschilds, Markels, and Paleys, to name a few. Their mausoleums reflect both their financial worth and their importance in the Philadelphia Jewish community. They also provide a window on the fashions and architectural design preferences across the years. Below, we provide photographs and commentary on some of the more notable mausoleums at Mt. Sinai.

The small mausoleum of Edward Loeb dates to c. 1864. Its decoration and sloping walls distinguish it as Egyptian Revival, which—given the elaborate tombs built by the ancient Egyptians for their dead—was a style considered well- suited for funerary structures in the 19th century.

With its Corinthian columns and the arch over its doorway, the mausoleum of Simon B. Fleisher is a beautifully executed example of Neoclassicism. It dates to 1897.

Built c. 1921, the mausoleum of Louis Mark could be described as “Egyptian Art-Deco.” As with the earlier mausoleum of Edward Loeb, the Egyptian style may have been chosen because of its association with things funereal. In addition, “Egyptomania” was a craze in the 1920s and influenced Art Deco architecture and design. Art Deco design developed in France after World War I and soon spread throughout the world, remaining popular into the 1940s. It is modern, in that it is streamlined and geometric, but also highly decorative, incorporating bold shapes, strong colors, and luxurious materials.

With its rusticated stonework, and squat columns, and sense of weightiness, the mausoleum of Edward L. Rothschild echoes the architectural style of Frank Furness’s early work. However, the Rothschild mausoleum dates to c. 1925, long after Furness died.

The mausoleum of the Paley family, dating to c. 1963, combines streamlined, highly symmetrical modernism with equally restrained and balanced Neoclassicism. This can be seen in the mausoleum’s pediment-like roofline and its door, which is framed by prominent molding, flanked by inset panels, and topped with a decorative motif of crossed fronds that look like wings.

Built c. 1951, the Publicker mausoleum references the modernism of the earlier 20th century. In keeping with the Art Deco and Art Moderne styles, its straight edges are offset by the carved, curving, floral designs set within squares that surround the door.

Adolph Markel’s mausoleum reflects the aesthetic sensibilities of Art Moderne, a style that evolved from and is very similar to Art Deco, but— reflecting the influence of the simple, functional, but beautiful product design made possible in the “Machine Age”—is a bit more streamlined. The inscription across the top reads: “BEHIND THE DIM UNKNOWN STANDETH GOD WITHIN THE SHADOW KEEPING WATCH ABOVE HIS OWN.”

Markel View 2: Jewish iconography is relatively uncommon on the exteriors of the mausoleums at Mt. Sinai. The menorahs and decalogues (the twin tablets of the Ten Commandments) on the metal door of the Markel mausoleum are exceptions.

III. Headstones and Monuments

The headstones and monuments at Mt. Sinai provide graphic illustration of the customs and traditions involved in burying and memorializing the dead, both within the Jewish community and across the larger American culture. They also testify to the ongoing assimilation of Jews into American life, and their adoption of new practices and mourning symbols.

The earliest grave-markers at Mt. Sinai are simple shapes—thin marble slabs with curved tops— inscribed primarily in Hebrew. As Jews began to further assimilate into American society, adopting shapes and decorative motifs preferred by prosperous, non-Jewish Americans of the time, earlier plain marble slabs were replaced by obelisks and other monumental forms built from granite, which is more durable than marble.

Many of these late-19th-century headstones reflect the elaborate “culture of mourning” that developed in the United States in the wake of the enormous loss of life suffered by the country during the Civil War. Draped cloth, urns, wreaths, bouquets—all borrowed from the broader, Christian culture—were carved and cast into the composition of these later monuments and markers, bringing symbolic meaning and an aesthetic quality. Although some Hebrew was retained, the inscriptions were largely in English.

On the following pages, we provide some examples of some of the more notable gravestones and monuments.

“A loyal wife, a self-sacrificing mother”— so reads the German epitaph on the tombstone of Henriette Heller, dating to c. 1874. With its combination of Hebrew, German, and English inscriptions, the headstone speaks of the immigrants’ process of acculturation. But it also speaks of their journey and their roots: like the grave markers of many other immigrants in the cemetery, the inscription also includes the birthplace.

The tombstone of Carl Sulzbach is modest but charming. Dating to 1878, it is inscribed in English and Hebrew.

Symbols referencing specifically Jewish traditions were important components of many headstones. For example, Yudel (Julius) Morwitz was a Levite, a descendant of the Israelite tribe that assisted the caste of priests (“kohanim”) in ancient Israel. Among the responsibilities of the Levites was washing the hands of the priests. Therefore, a depiction of a pitcher and bowl became a common marker for Levite graves. This one dates to 1866.

This headstone is distinguished by its inscription, shape, and symbolism. The paired arches evoke the union of husband and wife as well the Decalogue—the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Carved within the oval inset in the center of the headstone are clasped hands, symbolizing matrimony. To the right of the hands is the word “iysh,” which is the Hebrew word for husband. To the left is “iysh’to,” which means “his wife.” This is likely an early headstone, as the inscription is almost entirely in Hebrew— the wife’s name, “Hannah,” can be seen in English just aboveground on the left.

The headstone of Louis Morwitz dates to c. 1868. It is a particularly vivid example of the Victorian, post-Civil War “culture of mourning.” Its symbols include draped fabric, a wreath, and a scroll inscribed with the epitaph, “He has tried to do his duty. He was not afraid to die.”

The Morwitz family plot includes this pair of “ledger” grave monuments, which include headstones, footstones, and connecting elements in between. These monuments date to c. 1881–1893 and are in the Modern Gothic style. Ongoing use of German in Philadelphia’s German- Jewish community is evident in the words “Vater” and “Mutter”—father and mother—on the footstones.

Creating “beds” for the matriarch and patriarch of a family to lie in, side-by-side for eternity, was a relatively common fashion at Mt. Sinai toward the end of the 19th century, particularly as the centerpiece of a dedicated family plot. The beds were typically planted with decorative greens or flowers, and other family members were buried near the acknowledged leaders of their family.

This elaborate marker and grave is highly architectural and most unusual. Dating to c. 1870, it is composed of four Gothic Revival buttresses joined at the top, creating open space in the center of the structure. (An elaborate metal top has, sadly, fallen prey to the ravages of time.) Mainly associated with Christian cathedrals, pure Gothic Revival—as opposed to the eclecticism and innovations of Modern Gothic—was an unusual choice for a Jewish grave; however, it also uses more traditional elements, such as a “bed.”

Modern Gothic was a style of architecture and design popular in the 1870s and 1880s in the UK and the U.S. Notably, Frank Furness, who designed the cemetery’s Mortuary and Chapel, was among the first American architects to embrace the Modern Gothic ideology and approach to architecture.

An urn draped in cloth combines two of the most prevalent motifs of the 19th century’s “culture of mourning.” This Frank family monument is in the Modern Gothic style and dates to c. 1889.

The Friedmann family monument, dating to c. 1901–1913, is a late example of the Modern Gothic style. It is topped by a key motif of the Victorian “culture of mourning:” the urn. Below the urn is a Masonic symbol—the compass indicating Max Friedmann’s membership in that fraternal organization. Masons were a prominent and powerful force in 19th- century America, presenting a way for prosperous businessmen to make connections while doing philanthropic and communal work. Unlike many other voluntary and social organizations of the day, the Masons accepted Jews. Given the prestige Masons held in the 19th century, Jews were eager to join the society.

The Bowdermaker family monument—an obelisk in Modern Gothic style— demonstrates the (literal) heights to which 19th-century Americans would go in honoring their dearly departed.

The large headstone of Benjamin Jacob Goldsmith dates to c. 1886. Set within an oval frame is a bouquet of flowers sculpted in low-relief. This reflects the mourning and memorial symbolism and rituals of 19th-century America.

The lily has many symbolic meanings, including innocence, virtue, and devotion. In the context of a headstone—such as this Modern Gothic example dating to c. 1906—it speaks of a soul returned to innocence after death.

Note the “bed” in the front of the gravestone.

Dating to 1907–1914, this Gans family monument is impressive in scale and features a sculpted motif: a sheaf of wheat, cut and bundled. Though a symbol of mourning, it is a relatively happy one, indicating a long and fruitful life. The use of the wheat-sheaf as an element in funerary design does not come from Jewish tradition but broader American society.

The monument of Judah and Frances Levy dates to c. 1906–1922. It is carved in the shape of a pile of chopped wood. This symbolism—of life cut—was not specifically Jewish; it was used in the wider American society. The motif may indicate that Mr. and Mrs. Levy held policies through Woodmen of the World, and non-profit life-insurance company— those who held such policies were often buried with headstones and monuments that used tree and log shapes. Conversely, it may simply be a reference to the Tree of Life.

The Salus family monument dates to c. 1922 and reflects the Beaux-Arts Neoclassicism prevalent in the early- 20thcentury. With its columns, heavy cornice, and peaked roof, it suggests a Greek temple.

“Beaux-Arts” refers to the highly academic and rigorous approach to Neoclassical architecture taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The Beaux- Arts style was extremely influential and much used in the United States between 1880 and 1930. It was the preferred style for grand public buildings and monuments.

The Sickles family monument is in the style of Art Deco or Art Moderne— streamlined, yet with decorative flourishes. It dates to c. 1944.

The Eicholz-Block monument dates to c. 1951 and reflects an “organic,” simple, soft-edged Modernist style.