Thanks Richard for your explanation.
I still maintain that the layout is incorrect and my
questions is "why". Cape Town doesn't have a
Yemenite community!

This subject in fact cropped up in the English Press
in Israel last week, although the
article was a general one applicable to the world,
hence my remembering that I had also
some time ago queried Cape Town.

In Israel all heads of Tombstones face the hills of
Jerusalem. Maybe that is where "I will lift up mine
eyes unto the hills" comes from! In Jerusalem itself
the facing is towards the Temple Mount.

Beryl Baleson.
Israel.


Subject: RE: Cemeteries in Cape Town
From: "Richard Newman" <genserch@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 03:30:42 +0000

the story I heard was that because of the layout, the graves in nearly all
the cemeteries do not face Jerusalem. The graves in Pinelands 1 &2 are
facing Table Mountain, in keeping with the Psalm, I will lift up mine eyes
unto the hills.......
The burials are placed in alternate rows as all to face this direction.

Of course, the bigger question around the observant world is are the feet
closest to Jerusalem, or the head. If the head faces Jerusalem then the
rising body, b'viat hamashiach and tchiyas hamesim, would have their backs
to Jerusalem---not good. I have heard the Yeminites have the feet nearest
to Jerusalem, thus, upon arising would be facing in the correct direction.

Hope this adds some clarification, or othwerwise,

Richard Newman