Old Jewish Cemetery, Hebron, Jewish cemetery in Hebron, Palestinian Territories

The Old Jewish Cemetery in Hebron occupies a hillside west of the Tomb of Machpela, in the Admot Yishai neighborhood on Tel Rumeida. Its old graves are marked by large, uncut stone slabs, usually without inscriptions, as Hebron's community did not engrave names on tombstones. A Crusader-era building at the top of the hill is traditionally linked to the tomb of Jesse, father of King David.

Records trace this burial ground back to the 1290s, when it began serving the local Jewish community across several centuries. The site suffered major damage and destruction during the Jordanian control of the area between 1948 and 1967.

Every year hundreds of Chabad Lubavitch Hasidim gather at the grave of Menucha Rochel Slonim, a granddaughter of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, for the anniversary of her death, followed by a festive meal. The Hebron community traditionally left tombstones uninscribed, so many plots lost their identification after the community's expulsion. A small synagogue and study center, the Menucha Rochel kollel, occupies a historic building atop the cemetery.

A visit requires advance coordination with local authorities since the cemetery is located in a sensitive area. Plan ahead and be prepared for local conditions before making the trip.

Many original tombstones lack names, making it difficult to identify individual graves without local knowledge. A map created in 2016 now helps visitors understand the layout of significant burial locations.