The story behind Lindenwald's 2 Jewish cemeteries

On the very southern edge of Lindenwald, in what would've been considered really far outside the city of Hamilton 160 years ago, you'll find a pair of cemeteries. To the east, St. Mary's, dating to 1867. The final resting place of Hamilton's early Irish Catholics and still used by many parishes today. Across the street to the west, through a pair of miss-matched archways, sits a Jewish cemetery.

Actually, it's two cemeteries side-by-side: Bene Israel and Beth Israel.

Carrie Rhodus is operations manager for Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati, which is in charge of Bene Israel. She points to a pair of pine trees in the middle of gray headstones.

"This is our cemetery," she says, indicating the older section to the south. "The dividing line used to be this row of tall pine trees and, unfortunately, there's only two of them left. Now you just sort of have to imagine where the dividing line is."

A fence separated the properties at one time but that felt inappropriate and the pine trees were planted instead.