Koch to Spend Eternity in Manhattan's Trinity Cemetery

Working his political connections to score one of the few below-ground burial plots left in Manhattan, former Mayor Ed Koch has announced that he will be buried in Trinity Church Cemetery at Broadway and 155th Street. The 83-year-old New Yorker says, “The idea of leaving Manhattan permanently irritates me.” So when the time comes he’ll be laid to rest in the company of such notables as Jerry Orbach, naturalist John James Audubon, and a slew of Astors.

After acquiring the highly-coveted plot for $20,000 – thanks to a former staffer who now runs Trinity Church’s real estate division – Koch checked in with a number of rabbis to make sure his interment in a non-Jewish cemetery was “do-able.” To accommodate Jewish tradition, he's having the nearest gate inscribed as “the gate for the Jews,” and installing rails around his plot.

Koch’s tombstone will feature the Jewish prayer “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One,” as well as the last words of journalist Daniel Pearl before he was slain by terrorists: “My father is Jewish; my mother is Jewish; I am Jewish.” Apparently there wasn’t any room left for "How am I doing?"

Photo of Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum by Kimyo

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By John Del Signore in News on April 22, 2008 11:09 AM

Comments [rss]

megs

I think it's a reasonable request. I'm for dead diversity.

John Knee

Gods bless him.

Kreo

#13, did you really have to ask?:)

BellG

#8 - Actually, no - he's said many times he considers himself an American above all. Anti-semitic much?

Tim N.

#6 - Nope. He's lived in one of those big apartment buildings on Fifth Ave just above WSP for as long as anyone can remember. Never lived in BH.

drewo

On his deathbed, Bob Hope was asked by his wife where he'd like to be buried.

His response? "Surprise me."

zpk

Was he planning on dying first, or were they going to bury him alive?

navinjohnson

#7:

this is disguisting on so many levels

name three.

fugothamist

why doesnt that bastard get buried in israel, he cares more about that country than ours

fugothamist

this is disguisting on so many levels

f*ck koch

rarelement

I thought he lived in Brooklyn Heights...

babyhitler

there goes the ghoul neighborhood. Geez, even cemeteries get blockbusted. I can just imagine mr and mrs. John Q. Christian cringing at the thought of having to be buried next to a jew and the worst mayor of new york. Yes, he was worse than dinkins.

JenChungsBaby

What's up with the gate around his plot?!?!? If you're going to lie down with goyim then do it right.

navinjohnson

kudos to koch on honoring daniel pearl - class act.

Kreo

Either the remains will get converted, or his rabbis are reformists and really can care less. I bet a female Rabbi will recite the burrial prayers.

But the trick is nice, I have to admit - put up a fence around the grave and declare that small srea a personal one-plot Jewish cemetery:)