Summary of my recent visit to the Agudath Achim and Hebrew Benefit Cemetery in Freehold, NJ

The cemetery is on Business Rt 33, immediately north of the Freehold mall. The cemetery was founded in the early 1900's and is made up of two groups, Agudath Achim and Hebrew Benefit Society. Agudath Achim is on the East side and Hebrew Benefit Society on the west side.

There's an interesting story documented on a plaque at the cemetery. A visiting Jew, Avroham Yitzchak Klugman (AKA the Tzadik of Freehold) was killed by a train in 1924. Each of the cemteries wanted him buried in their portion. The descision was made to bury him in the middle - half in each section. Recently, people have been visiting his grave yearly on his Yahrtzeit. The Mishpacha magazine and The Lakewood Scoop both have long articles about him and the circumstances of his death.

Also buried in this cemetery are some people from the farming community of Farmingdale, NJ. Benjamin and Rose Peskin were founders of that community - Peskin Rd. in Howell is named for Benjamin.

Gertrude Wishnick Dubrovsky who wrote The Land Was Theirs: Jewish Farmers in the Garden State as well as directed a film with the same title, is also buried in the cemetery.

The cemetery seems to always be unlocked and open to the public.

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