…but for a good reason. Jewish tradition. From the Palm Beach Post:

Most of the books and objects were from Temple Beth El, water damaged by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004. The temple had to delay the burial until it concluded a lengthy legal dispute with its insurance company.

Rabbi Steven Westman, representing Temple Beth El, was relieved that the burial of the mold-damaged books and other items signaled an end to a fractious period in the temple’s recent history.

The ruined books were only part of significant damage to several rooms at the Conservative temple, Westman said.

A few other items were collected by Rabbi Leibel Miller, director of the Jewish Sacred Burial Society in Aventura.

Miller collects items in a geniza, a box for the purpose, until he has enough to warrant a burial. Temple Beth El’s store filled two vans.

Once they were laid to rest in the grave site, a cemetery worker lowered a coffin-sized concrete lid over them. Other workers covered the concrete with loose soil and tamped it down.

It was a busy Tuesday, no time to linger and meditate. Westman had to prepare for the funeral of one of his congregants that afternoon at Menorah Gardens.

Miller asked those assembled to beg forgiveness from the departed souls who might have been disturbed by the proceedings.

Then, indicating the religious objects now properly laid to rest, he said, "Nothing lasts forever. Now they will return to the earth."