San Diego, California

Focus on Home of Peace Cemetery:  Jewish headstones tend to be tidy and traditional. Rarely do they draw on popular culture for their imagery. Here are some elements of design to look for: (a) pictorial symbols such as the six-pointed star and contiguous hands, (b) the Hebrew language, (c) epitaphs tied to the Hebrew narrative (with emphasis here on ethics, loving kindness, and light), (d) a five-letter Hebrew acronym which stands for "May the soul be bound up in eternal life," and (e) a Hebrew "Here Lies" right before the name. [2013]