Only Twice A Year

People possess a spiritual and emotional need to visit the graves of their departed loved ones. But this can become a challenge when the cemetery is only open twice a year, four hours at a time. Only Twice a Year tells the incredible story of the Beth Olem Cemetery, nestled within the grounds of a General Motors manufacturing plant in Hamtramck, Michigan - how the situation came to be, what and who you'll find there, and what the future holds for this sacred Jewish space.

​

Filmed on the rare visitation days, Only Twice a Year contains on-site interviews with family members who traced their roots back to individuals buried in Beth Olem. The film explores the topics of disinterment and the abuse of eminent domain, with commentary by legal and religious experts and historians well-versed regarding the cemetery’s past. It also includes insight into Jewish symbolism and traditions from Leonard Nimoy and cultural leaders. The film contains rarely seen images inside the cemetery, with a clearly visible backdrop of the GM plant.