Efforts Underway To Create Jewish Section In Texas State Cemetery

In Texas, former state officials and others selected because of their contributions to Texas history or culture are awarded the opportunity of being buried in the Texas State Cemetery in East Austin. (Background.)  The Austin Statesman carried a commentary Saturday on efforts by one Texas woman to create a Jewish section in the cemetery so observant Jews who, under Jewish law, can be buried only in portions of a cemetery set aside for Jewish burials, can accept the honor of being buried there. Camille Kress, a convert to Judaism, is pressing the effort. She and her husband (who has been active in education policy) have plots reserved at the cemetery, but have not decided whether they will use them if no separate Jewish section is created. A 2008 opinion from the state attorney general's office concluded that creating the area and installing a water feature that would allow mourners to engage in traditional washing of their hands, would be constitutional and consistent with the purpose of the statute creating the cemetery. It would remove a religious person's inability to accept the honor of burial there.