The sole Jewish cemetery in the Gulf, located in Bahrain. Photo: Provided.

A new project by the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (AGJC) aims to create a perpetual fund to maintain the only operational Jewish cemetery in the region, The Algemeiner has learned.

The more than 100-year-old Jewish cemetery, located in Bahrain, was established by the local Jewish community in the 1930s, along with what remains the only operational Jewish synagogue in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

AGJC, an umbrella organization for the Jewish communities of the Gulf, will launch the initiative on the eve of Jan. 16, coinciding with the start of the Jewish holiday of Tu B’Shevat.

“For more than 100 years, our family members have been buried in the Jewish cemetery in Bahrain and one component of our community planning is ensuring that our cemetery is properly maintained for generations to come,” said AGJC President Ebrahim Dawood Nonoo. “We are very thankful that the AGJC chose this for its Tu B’Shevat project.”

AGJC Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie said that in honor of Tu B’Shevat, as per Jewish tradition, trees will be planted in the Jewish cemetery of Bahrain, “which is akin to bringing life back to those that have lived in the beautiful community in Bahrain for centuries and made their resting place in Bahrain for eternity.”

“As our ancestors planted in their generation for the benefit of our generation,” he added, “so too we plant in this generation for the benefit of future generations.”