A partial listing of areas where the travelling kohen should use caution:
NYS Thruway
It has to come to our attention that the lot where the Costco and Home Depot (Including the parking lot) is to be defined as a בית הפרס, since it is built on the former site of the people of righteousness Jewish Cemetery. The cemetery was administered by the People of Righteousness orthodox synagogue -the said lot is located on the New York state thruway in Yonkers.
The above lot is purported to still contain remains of Jewish children who perished in an influenza epidemic – our thanks to Rabbi Emmanuel Viñas of the Lincoln Park Jewish Center for bringing this to our attention.
Additional information and pictures can be seen in these articles; Vosiznaies, forward, Soyosunset and NYT.
Greenwood Cemetery
Located alongside Ft. Hamilton Parkway approaching Boro Park in Brooklyn, Greenwood Cemetery Encompasses 478 pastoral acres, with more than 600,000 graves present. Although the cemetery is listed as non-sectarian, numerous Jews are buried there.
Practically speaking, a kohen should avoid walking on the sidewalk adjacent to this massive cemetery as there are many overhanging trees. Additionally, the kohen travelling by car should be certain to close all windows – at which point he may drive below an overhanging tree (see Tahara protection of צמיד פתיל and שידה, תיבה ומגדל).
Our thanks to Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum of B’Nai Israel of Linden Heights for bringing this to our attention. Rabbi Tannenbaum’s article on the topic has been published in Machberes – News Of The Yeshivish And Chassidishe World 12-31-04.
Chicago area
Kohanim living in or visiting Chicago Illinois can view the CrC’s website for their tumah and tahara listing for kohanim (Catalog of guides for kohanim in Chicago). Questions involving kehuna can be addressed to Rabbi Yonah Reiss (Av Bet Din of the Crc), who is a kohen, as well as Rabbi Dovid Hakohen Cohen.
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