Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois

The cemetery information was indexed by Debra Wolraich of Oklahoma City after visiting the cemetery in March 2007. The location information in Waldheim Cemetery, Anche Motele Section, i.e. 40.15.2.3101.5, refers to gate 40, Section 15, Row 2, Lot 3101, Grave 5.

The plaques were photographed by Debra Wolraich of Oklahoma City, OK during March 2007. They were later transcribed by her for the Motele website on JewishGen (http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/motol/ ). We have used the location field in our database to store the Hebrew name of the individual from the plaque.

Anshe Motele Congregation, 6526 North California, Chicago

Cemetery Photos

Anshe Motele was founded on September 3, 1903 by 14 immigrant carpenters who named it after Motel, a shtetl in Russia, today Belarus.  The extra "e" adds Yiddish endearment.  Three years prior, these Motel immigrants were organized as the Jewish Carpenters' Union, Local 504.  Anshe Motele was not only a synagogue but also a financial and aid society to support any member in need.  It was popularly referred to as the carptenters' shul.  First located on Chicago's Maxwell Street, it relocated a few times as the Jewish population migrated to new neighborhoods on the west side and Lawndale.  In the 1950's, Anshe Motele moved to West Rogers Park where it is located today.

Photographs of each headstone were completed in June 2017.  If you are interested in receiving a high resolution version of a particular headstone, email Alvin Holtzman at inkwell177@aol.com.

Cemetery Map (links to larger image)

Map of southwestern Belarus showing Motel north of Pinsk and the surrounding area.

Debra Wolraich
Anshe Motele Coordinator
motele@jgsi.org

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