October 31 is Halloween… Though it is by no means a Jewish holiday — its origins apparently lie in a pagan Celtic celebration — we thought we’d get in the “trick or treat” and spooky costume mood by posting some images of the skull and crossbones death symbol motif that can be found on Sephardic Jewish gravestones.
The images here are mainly from the Portuguese Sephardic Cemeteries in Hamburg-Altona, Germany, and in Ouderkerk, Netherlands, both established in the early 17th century.
Some of the carved images include a winged hour glass — symbol of the passing of time.
Read a history of Halloween traditions by the US Library of Congress