“Shaimos” (also spelled “shamus”) or “Shaimot” means “names” and refers to the Holy names of G-d and the Jewish traditional practice of burying sheets of paper bearing the name of G-d, a legal requirement that traces back to the Talmudic Tractate Shabbat, which forbids the destruction of such materials. Sinai Memorial Chapel Chevra Kadisha hosts the resting places of these materials—where they are supposed to remain forever—in what is called a genizah גניזה “storage”; plural: genizot.

Please see our Genizah Book Burial page for details.