Opening Times

Sunday to Thursday 
8.30 am to 3.45 pm

Friday
8.30 am to 1.30 pm

The cemetery closes at 1.00 pm on Tuesday 24th December, and is closed all day on Wednesday 25th December.

Information

About us

Hoop Lane Cemetery opened in 1896 and the first burial took place in 1897. The Cemetery is managed by the Joint Burial Committee (JBC) on behalf of the S&P Sephardi Community and the West London Synagogue (Reform). The Joint Burial Committee comprises of members from both the synagogues and is responsible for the general running and maintenance of the cemetery grounds.

What to do in the event of a Bereavement

Burial and other services are available every day except on Shabbat, Jewish festivals and Christmas Day. Those Jewish festivals that the cemetery is closed are both days of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first two days of Succot, Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah, the first two and last two days of Pesach, and both days of Shavuot.

Burial arrangements are made through members’ respective synagogues and contact should therefore be made directly with the communities below. If the deceased is a non-member, burial can still be arranged by the two owning communities. Please note that any questions about burial fees and other charges should be made to the individual communities. Burial plots cannot be purchased through the cemetery.

S&P Sephardi Community
119-121 Brent Street, London NW4 2DX
Contact: 020 7481 7827: Diana Zelouf  (9.00 am – 4.00 pm, Fridays 1.00 pm)
Alternative contact: Helen Doherty, Hebra Manager: 020 7481 7843 (8.30 am – 3.30 pm)
Out of office hours: 020 958 2112
Email: diana@sephardi.org.uk or hebra@sephardi.org.uk
Website: www.sephardi.org.uk

West London Synagogue
33 Seymour Place, London W1H 5AU
Office hours: 020 7723 4404: Micky Nathanson
Out of office hours: 020 7723 4404
Email: micky.nathanson@wls.org.uk
Website: www.wls.org.uk

General

  1. It is not permitted to plant shrubs or trees anywhere in the Cemetery. These will grow to a large size, produce roots which unbalance headstones and cause additional maintenance and cost. We reserve the right to remove any such plant shrubs or trees.
  2. Smoking is forbidden within all areas of the Cemetery.
  3. Vehicles are not allowed in the cemetery beyond the car parking area, with the exception of vehicles of approved contractors.
  4. The speed limit in the cemetery is 10 miles an hour.
  5. The following items are not permitted anywhere within the Cemetery:
  • Glass vases, glass Yahrzeit containers, or any other glass item.
  • Food and drink.
  • Fencing, edging or borders of any kind around or within a defined memorial space.
  • Any item deemed to be offensive, unseemly or dangerous.

Many of the above items often end up on the surrounding grass and either get thrown up by mowers and cause personal injury, or cause damage to the machinery or adjacent memorials. Glass is a major hazard to people, animals, machinery and other memorials. Food and drink are not permitted as they attract vermin.

Why Do We Wash Our Hands? 

It is customary to wash one’s hands after participating in a funeral or visiting the cemetery. The common custom is to wash each hand three times, alternating between the right and left hands.

Life is represented by water; the basis of our sustenance and material existence. Washing the hands also serves as a reminder to the living that they should go about their lives in a pure way. After washing following a funeral (but not when just visiting the cemetery), many have the custom to spill out the extra water in the washing cup and set it down overturned so that there is no water leftover.

Many people also have the custom not to dry their hands but rather let them dry on their own. This symbolises the idea that we don’t want to forget this day of death – we are not eager to “wipe away” our thoughts of mourning and loss.

It is also usual, on leaving the cemetery, to give Tzedakah (charity) in memory of the deceased.