The Jewish community of S. Petersburg, Russia, has taken its cemetery restoration initiative online, launching a Web site that allows users to search through any of the 80,000 graves at S. Petersburg Jewish Cemetery.

Family members can also remotely request various upkeep services by logging on to www.jekl.ru.

“There are many Jews living in Israel, the United States, Canada and other countries whose ancestors are buried in S. Petersburg,” explains Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Menachem M. Pewzner, the city’s chief rabbi. “Very often, these people ask our community for help in locating their ancestor’s grave.”

By inserting into the search field the buried person’s family name, initials and the years of birth and death, visitors to the Web site can find the photo and location of any grave at the cemetery. They can also request general maintenance, tombstone restoration, fence painting and other services. …