iain mchenry Posted 8 October , 2003 Share Posted 8 October , 2003 Recently we have had a few members of the Dutch WFA staying at Talbot House. On their travels one of them saw the word MIZPAH inscribed at the bottom of a CWGC gravestone. Could anyone furnish me with the meaning of this word/Acronym and its use? Many thanks. Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 8 October , 2003 Share Posted 8 October , 2003 Mitzpah is a Hebrew word often seen on gravestones. Its translation is... "God watch over us while we are apart from each other" All that in one word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 8 October , 2003 Share Posted 8 October , 2003 Just a little more: In the bible, Genesis 31.49, you will find mention of MIZPAH. It was basically a pile of stones set up as a boundary agreement between two people who didn't trust one another - in the case mentioned in Genesis, between Jacob and Laben. 'You don't cross here, and I won't cross here either etc'. From this comes the MITZPAH Benediction, which is really a warning, but is often just appreciated for its lovely words, which are quite apt here: "The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent, one from the other" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain mchenry Posted 8 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2003 Thanks chaps. You learn something new every day! What a great forum. Best regards Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 8 October , 2003 Share Posted 8 October , 2003 It was basically a pile of stones set up as a boundary agreement between two people who didn't trust one another - I've often noticed a couple of stones placed on the top of headstones of Jewish servicemen's graves. Is this connected or is there some other religious significance? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 8 October , 2003 Share Posted 8 October , 2003 John, Whether there is a connection between Mitzpah and the custom you describe with regard to Jewish headstones and which has become quite popular after 'Schindler's List', I don't know. All I can say is that the Mitzpah Iain asked about on behalf of Fred and Jaap and Harry and Klaas (yes, Iain, they asked me too, in Poperinge, while you were in the immediate vicinity at Talbot House !) was not seen on Jewish graves. I know because I asked them. I think they told me the Mitzpah was seen on Australian graves. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 8 October , 2003 Share Posted 8 October , 2003 John, Several previous threads have covered the placing of stones on Jewish headstones and there has been much posted on the significance and meaning of the practice which goes back a long way, but was perhaps essentially an ancient Jewish custom before "Schindler's List" brought it to wider notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 8 October , 2003 Share Posted 8 October , 2003 'Mitzpah' can be seen on the graves of many nationalities and is not restricted to Jewish graves as Aurel says. The Bible connection has obviously given it wider usage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 9 October , 2003 Share Posted 9 October , 2003 MIZPAH jewellery - usually brooches containing the word - were very popular in the 1890s and the idea was still going strong during the Great War. Here's a MIZPAH brooch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 9 October , 2003 Share Posted 9 October , 2003 And here's a MIZPAH postcard from the Great War: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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