Questions about Orthodox funding for Interfaith Burial

[Sharon Hundert]

I am wondering if anyone has come across the problem of the Orthodox community not wanting to share funding in a Jewish community cemetery if there is an interfaith section in that cemetery. I am sorry for the lengthy email but I wanted you to have the complete picture.

I live in Canada in a community of approx. 5,000 Jewish people, with an intermarriage rate of approx. 55%. We have a community Chevra Kadisha for providing funeral (including taharot) and burial services in our cemetery which the Chevra owns and operates for all Jewish people, Chabad, Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. Our Chevra Kadisha voted resoundingly  to start an interfaith section where Jewish people can be buried with their non-Jewish partner. We chose a section of our new cemetery that was on unconsecrated land in deference to the Orthodox community. It is more that 16 amot from the main cemetery and will be very separate from the main cemetery. 

Recently our Orthodox Shul has come forward to say that once the Interfaith section opens the Rabbis can no longer sanction burials for their members at the cemetery. Apparently the gist of the Halacha is that it is prohibited for the money from Orthodox Jews to support interfaith burials as there are specific prohibitions against Jews and Non-Jews being buried together. This means money gathered by the Chevra Kadisha through donations and purchase of plots (past and present) cannot be intermingled with the money used to build or operate the interfaith section of the cemetery. 

Has anyone come across this situation and can you please tell me what your solutions were. I would greatly appreciate it. If you want to privately email me, that is ok too.

Sharon