The SAM used to do the wand-breaking ceremony on Halloween. But it was feared the ceremony was drawing too much attention to the gravesite and resulting in vandalism. It was decided to hold the ceremony on the date of Houdini's death on the Jewish calendar, which is why the ceremony was so late this year.
I, for one, would love to see the ceremony move back to Halloween or the day after. As long as it's not promoted in advance, it will not draw a crowd, and the area has improved. Maybe for the 100th?
Photos courtesy Benjilini and AJ Bernstein.
Related:
Do we know whether Houdini was buried within a concrete “vault” to protect the coffin or was the coffin buried directly into the ground?
ReplyDeleteAfraid I don't know. Were concrete vaults common back then? Were they used in Jewish cemeteries?
DeleteIf I had to guess Id say no. That would then explain the tombstone starting to sink on one side. The coffin is deteriorating.
DeleteAny updates on that nasty crack opening up on the back of the Exedra?
ReplyDeleteI want to visit his grave and give him some shiny rocks!
ReplyDelete- Abby Martin
And give Theo one too.
Leopold gets one too! Everyone gets a shiny rock!