Jewish Community in Moldova

Moldova is a beautiful and landlocked country located between Romania and Ukraine. The history of Moldova’s Jewish population is both tragic but inspiring. This article will provide a quick overview of the many ups and downs this community has faced.

Tragic History:

Currently, there are about 15,000 people who identify as Jewish living in the country. This is astonishingly low compared to 1930 when the population was estimated to be over 270, 00 Jews. While some of the Jewish community was able to flee, between 45,000–60,000 Jews were executed, and up to 200,000 died in concentration camps.

Rebuilding

Ever-resilient, the Jewish people remained steadfast, even among postwar anti-Semitism, and the population increased up to almost 100,000 following WWII. Then, around 1970, the population began to dwindle significantly when many Moldovan Jews began emigrating to Israel.

Today it is estimated that over 15,000 Jews make up the Jewish community in Moldova, a country of almost 4 million people. They continue to explore their identity as Jews, reflects Vice President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Emmanuil Grinshpun. About 75,000 Moldovan Jews are currently living in Israel.

Addressing the Challenges

The Moldavian government had proposed a museum of Jewish history, but unfortunately, it is still considered a work in progress. Many resources say that this has been a sensitive matter since its initial proposal, notes Emmanuil Grinshpun.

There have been anti-Semitic attacks over recent years, including the desecration of Jewish graves and swastika graffiti on a Jewish school. Thankfully, Moldova has been preparing to counter anti-Semitism. Likrat, meaning “come forward” in Hebrew, is an educational program with goals to combat anti-Semitism, promoting tolerance among the younger generations in hopes for a more peaceful future.

Hope for the Future

Kishinev.org/ is a site devoted to promoting and supporting the Chabad, Moldova Jewish community. Together, the community will practice their beliefs with pride and joy, standing strong as they encourage a Jewish renaissance, notes Emmanuil Grinshpun.

The Jewish community of Moldova continues to rebuild itself gracefully despite past efforts to destroy it. The Jewish people have faced many challenges and ill-treatment since the beginning of their history. It’s incredible how such a philanthropic community can be significantly devastated and go through great horrors, yet remain tolerant ever-loving and faithful in their beliefs. This goes to show that hate will never win. In the words of Paulo Coelho, “Tolerance and compassion are the qualities of fearless people.”

Originally Posted: http://www.emmanuilgrinshpun.com/jewish-community-moldova/