Samantha Muro-Duvidzon, funeral director at Menorah Chapels, is truly exceptional. She was…read moreunderstanding, patient, and supportive throughout the entire process. I am not sure I would have been able to navigate such a difficult time without her steady guidance from start to finish. My late husband was Jewish, and while I am not, Samantha thoughtfully walked me through each tradition, explaining its meaning and significance. She made it possible for me to make respectful, informed decisions that honored Jewish funeral customs. Throughout, she was honest, compassionate, and never pushed unnecessary or costly additions. I highly recommend Menorah Chapels for their professionalism, care, and integrity during such an emotional time.

I am still haunted by the services provided during my mom's funeral last summer. I was greeted by a…read morebusinessman who expected to complete payments owed during this acute time of grief. Staff communication needs improvement in hopes of changing processes for future customers. My mom was made up to look like a clown. She was so beautiful without makeup and I never consented to this. So very disappointed. Would not recommend this chapel.

Stellar professionals here at Galante! They buried my brother Fabian back in June and was extremely…read moresatisfied with every aspect of their work. The most professional I've seen in some time. I did mortuary work myself at Dover AFB and these guys were on par with that. And I'm not surprised because the Galante founders have a military background. I feel like we got the best service we could have asked for; it was pleasant, honorable, dignified, organized, compassionate and perfect. I believe our family would do business again.

Always tough reviewing funeral home. Major drawback was water fountain instead of bottled water…read morefor guests. Mourners usually are apprehensive of drinking from water fountain. Surprised that no representative was at door upon entering. Large parking lot.

Higgins and Bonner treated us with care, compassion, and great professionalism. We have used them…read morefor several family funerals and they are always very empathetic and attentive to details.

From the owner: Five Generations of Our Families Serving the Families of Union County and New Jerseyread more

The Holle Funeral Home provided excellent service to us when burying our Mom. The staff was very…read moreprofessional and easy to work with. They helped with our questions and were respectful of our wishes. We used their recommendations for florist (Linda's Florist in Short Hills) and restaurant (Enzzo in Millburn) and both were great choices. Thank you for assisting us at a very difficult time!

Professional, compassionate, detail oriented-just what you need most when the time comes…read more Our family thinks so much of Holle that two of our elder members have pre-arranged their services. If that's not testimony of our respect for working with Holle I don't what could be!

As my standard preamble when reviewing a cemetery, let me say--- I never mean any disrespect to the…read moreholiness or sanctity of these final resting places, or to the memory of those interred there. I've always had a fascination with cemeteries, either as (a.) repositories of history and architecture and nature, or (b.) as quietly beautiful, bucolic spots where one can reflect and meditate on life and death and other momentous subjects, or (c.) when someone I knew personally is buried within, a location where I can peacefully mourn and remember what was (as a non-religious person, I'm not thinking about "what will be"....I'm thinking, "This is probably where I'll wind up being buried someday...hopefully in the far, far distant future.") B'nai Abraham Memorial has importance for me personally because it's where I first attempted to locate the burial spot of someone "famous," (or "infamous"), which of course became a sort of "hobby" or avocation for me that has lasted through the decades. This was the start. The "famous" person in question here is Abner "Longy" Zwillman, a NJ racketeer who was once referred to as "the Al Capone of NJ." He was also a benefactor who gave to the sick and needy, as well as an avenger against Nazi Bund groups that festered in NJ in the pre-War years (a topic covered in the book "Nazis in Newark" by Warren Grover). I had loved reading about the underworld since childhood ("The Godfather" was the first R rated film my parents allowed me to see: I didn't understand most of it, but I loved it). Of course, being from NJ, that probably isn't too surprising, or shouldn't be. My grandfather had a nodding acquaintance with north NJ mob boss and Sinatra-mentor Willie Moretti (Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were supposed to dine with Moretti in Cliffside Park on the night he was shot to death in 1951; they didn't attend that fatal dinner engagement because both of them had the flu). My oldest friend's father was friendly with Moretti's nephew and often told me stories of his interactions with Moretti. A friend from grade school was the son of "Fatty" Russo, who had a chapter dedicated to his murderous spree in an out-of-print book entitled "The Luparelli Tapes." Another friend had a cousin who dined regularly with Ruggiero "Richie the Boot" Boiardo. And so on... Zwillman was a mob boss I didn't know too much about until I read a biography on him. It wasn't a great book, but it indicated he was buried in B'Nai Abraham following his suicide in 1959. I remember thinking, "Hey, I've passed by that cemetery on Rt. 22!" I was able to talk 2 friends of mine into helping me search for the grave. Rt. 22 is an ugly highway, but the grounds of the cemetery, established in 1948, are peaceful and convey an aura of dignified beauty, with trees and foliage liberally interspersed among the flat gravestones and monuments. We picked what was probably the coldest day of the year to search. Initially, the cemetery didn't seem so huge, but after an hour of fruitless wandering down the rows, peering intently at the names on the flat tombstones, we recognized how wrong we were. It was huge, and densely packed with graves, and what had started as a lark had transformed into a daunting task. I was discouraged, but the bitter cold forced us to give up. A month later, one of the 2 friends...displaying a heretofore unknown talent for investigative detective work...said to me, "Look, in that book, there's a photo from 1959 showing his burial, and these people are walking in from the street. There's a tree off to the side--- if you imagine that tree several decades later, as it is now, maybe we can find it and nail down the exact spot." We went back (the other friend was no longer interested), found the tree in question, walked straight in from the road, and...after walking several yards...located Zwillman's modest gravestone, as well as a weathered bench with the name Zwillman on it. I "immortalized" the moment by taking a photo. Years later, I returned. In the few times that I've come to the cemetery since, I've never observed another person, making it seem even more peaceful and serene. It's still a beautiful cemetery, and it's seemingly another world away from the grim, gritty reality of Rt. 22. Just this past summer, I went there on a lovely July morning, and as I pondered the mystery of existence while standing by the grave, I was startled by what sounded like several loud gunshots, breaking harshly through the sylvan tranquility of the morning. My immediate thought, as my heart raced wildly, was, "Jeez, did I somehow piss off Longy's spirit?" Turns out, it was a vehicle backfiring at a nearby garage, outside the nestling range of trees that hide B'nai Abraham from the reality of Rt. 22 and Union's shopping mall sprawl. R.I.P., Mr. Zwillman, and everyone else resting in the serenity of B'nai Abraham. https://www.efootage.com/videos/43939/abner-longy-zwillman-kefauver-hearings

Fairview Cemetery & Arboretum is one of the most historic and picturesque places in Westfield…read more Established in 1868, it was created when the town's older church burial grounds were becoming crowded. It is both a cemetery and an accredited arboretum, with more than 100 identified tree species and self-guided tree tours. The grounds are known for their natural beauty, including wooded areas, a pond, and extensive landscaping. Fairview also serves as a historical record of modern Westfield. While many colonial-era residents are buried in Westfield's older Presbyterian Cemetery, many of the families who helped build the suburban town of Westfield are buried here. The pond, nicknamed "Ghost Pond," was still surrounded by woods when I was a kid in the 1960s. Back then, it was open to the public for ice skating. The scene in It's a Wonderful Life where George Bailey saves his brother Harry always reminds me of those childhood days skating on Ghost Pond. On my mother's side, my family lineage goes back to some of Westfield's earliest settlers. My parents and both sets of grandparents are buried here. In 2023, I worked with the cemetery office to arrange for my parents' burials in their family plot and to have a headstone made and installed. The staff was professional, compassionate, and easy to work with throughout the process. I grew up near Fairview and have been visiting since I was about ten years old. The grounds are beautiful, peaceful, and exceptionally well maintained. Fairview contains the graves of many of the families who shaped Westfield during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The cemetery includes a notable Civil War section, several historic monuments, and "Old One Horn," a Revolutionary War-era cannon displayed on the grounds. It is also the final resting place of several notable individuals, including Whitney Houston and Dr. Virginia Apgar, whose Apgar Score is still used worldwide to assess newborns. Whenever I return to the Westfield area, I make a point of stopping by to visit family members, friends, and the parents of friends who are buried here. It remains a beautiful and tranquil place that provides comfort while honoring the memories of loved ones.

In my opinion, Fairview Cemetery is one of the most beautiful burial grounds in NJ. The…read moremaintenance at this location is superb, making it a beautiful and peaceful final resting place. The grounds are meticulously maintained, and staff members are always available to address any concerns.