The jews of bessarabia the holocaust period

 

 

schools either because they were not pleased with the Jewish schools or because they 

were being realistic. 

NEWSPAPERS 

  At first, the Yiddishists (especially the Bundists and the Communists) saw somewhat 

of a progress in the establishment of the 11 Jewish schools.  However, they were 

disappointed in the Jewish press in Bessarabia.  There were signs that a Jewish 

newspaper, in Yiddish, was to be published in the near future, but it soon became 

evident to the Jewish intelligentsia and the lovers of Yiddish that, for various reasons, it 

was not going to happen.  There was no vehicle in which Jewish writers in Bessarabia 

could have their creative works published.  Anyone interested in a Jewish newspaper 

had to be satisfied with reading “Shtern” (Star) from Kiev.  It reached Kishinev and other 

locations in Bessarabia.  The 50 or so Jewish writers were advised to write in Moldavian 

or to send their articles in the Yiddish press of the Soviet Union.  A few of them tried to 

do so, but only some were published.  The others had difficulty following the official 

Soviet lines. 

CULTURAL LIFE 

There were very few opportunities for expressing anything from the Jewish culture that 

was developing.  There were radio broadcasts in Yiddish from Kishinev at the 

beginning of the new regime.  These broadcasts featured Jewish authors and they 

represented a novelty within the Jewish population. There was thus a pretense of 

Yiddish culture.  Another vehicle for the Jewish authors was the meetings, literary 

evenings, concerts and other assemblies organized by the authorities as part of the 

workplace.  They were intensified during the times before elections or Soviet holidays.   

At some of these sessions the writer Yankel Yakir was invited to lecture to Jewish 

workers who were the majority at their places of work.  Most lectures were dedicated 

to Shalom Aleichem who was remembered that year in the Soviet Union.  There were 

other authors who lectured to Jewish audiences such as Feffer, Zuskin, Shulman, etc.  

The writers association in Kishinev organized a literary evening in Yiddish that was 

dedicated in honor of the poet Rifkind (Eisner). 

---

 

 

Two other places for celebrating culture were the clubs and the libraries.  Many of 

them, especially those that had previously belonged to the Culture League (leftist-

Yiddishist) continued to operate under Soviet rule after they had had gone through a 

thorough inquest.  These clubs had different programs such as plays, cinema, parties, 

etc. There were also some private libraries, newspapers and games. 

Books that were not approved from a political point of view- most of the Hebrew 

books- were taken out of circulation and sometimes even burned.  This occurred in 

Edinets, Bricheva, Soroki, Parlitza and other locations.  As a result, many people hid 

their private libraries.  In Kishinev there was a large public library originally created by 

the Culture League.  There, and in other big cities, it was possible to buy Yiddish 

books, for a low price, that were imported from the Soviet Union.  The Soviet 

authorities began to publish books in Moldavian, in Cyrillic script, but there were no 

new books in Yiddish.  There were not even any propaganda brochures before the 

elections. 

The JEWISH THEATER was re-established in Kishinev with the help of the well-known 

Yaakov Sternberg and it was housed in one of the largest halls in town.  The Jewish 

Theater also traveled to other towns.  It even reached Tiraspol on the other side of the 

Dniester.  Its repertoire included classic plays such as “The Witch” by Goldfaden and an 

altered version of “Red Oranges”.  The latter pleased the Soviets.  The Jewish theater 

from Ukraine came to visit various locations in Bessarabia and presented “The Two 

Kunilemels”. 

In some towns there were local amateur theater troupes.  In Edinets there were actually 

two such groups that performed in Yiddish until the war broke out. Still, there were 

many places in Bessarabia that were deprived of any Yiddish theater performances. The 

youth was not too interested in Jewish culture and they tried to integrate into Russian 

culture. 

RELIGIOUS LIFE 

The negative attitude of the Soviet regime towards religion was well known within the 

Jewish community.  There were many rabbis and other religious Jews who escaped 

from their towns for that reason.  Sometimes these people would welcome the 

---

 

 

incoming Russian soldiers together with the rest of the population.  Still, it was obvious 

that it would be almost impossible to practice religion under the Soviets. 

Soon enough, those Jews in Bessarabia who tried to keep the Sabbath were in great 

difficulties.  They were forced to work on the Sabbath and other Jewish holidays or else 

they would lose their jobs.  In addition, the authorities turned the synagogues into 

workshops, warehouses and party rooms.  In Bricheni and Parlitza there was an 

attempt by the Jewish population to oppose these changes.  Those synagogues that 

remained open continued to be used for daily prayers.  Those who participated were 

mainly the elderly and others who had lost their jobs.  Some came for social reasons- 

to meet and to talk.  Young people, who used to attend services, stopped completely.  

In some locations the authorities prohibited kosher slaughter of beef, but they still 

permitted the ritual slaughter of fowl.  The ritual slaughterers were required to pay a 

tax to the authorities.  In several places the Rabbis tried to continue religious Jewish 

life.  In Edinets, for example, the local rabbi prepared a Hebrew calendar that was 

distributed, secretly, to dozens of Jewish families so they could celebrate Shabbat and 

holidays.  At Passover time, it was possible to obtain matzos and many families 

conducted a traditional Seder. 

Although circumcision was not prohibited by the authorities, there were some Jews 

who did not enter their sons into the Covenant of Abraham.  There were some 

restrictions on performing Jewish weddings, maintaining Mikvahs and other ritual 

activities.  The local community heads were dismissed and the institutions were 

dispersed. 

In spite of the anti-religious campaign by the authorities and the Communists in 

Bessarabia, as in other annexed areas, there were hardly any incidents of attacks on 

the local rabbis.  Even the chief Rabbi of Kishinev, R. Yehuda Leib Tsirelson-well-

known as a leader of Agudat Israel in Europe and as being close to the former 

Romanian authorities-was not disturbed by the Soviets.  However, in reality, his 

importance as a political and spiritual leader decreased and only some people 

continued to pay him homage as he deserved.  Rabbi Tsirelson became an isolated 

figure. 

---