Târnova is a commune in Arad Count in the contact zone of the Cigherului Hills and Zărandului Mountains composed of six villages: Agrişu Mare, Arăneag, Chier, Drauţ, Dud and Târnova (situated at 44 km from Arad).
The Jewish cemetery is inside the Orthodox cemetery, in a special place separated from the rest of the cemetery in Arangeag, . 4615 2147, 244.1 miles WNW of Bucharest and 55 km from Arad. Alternate/former name is Aranyag (Hungarian.) and ARANIAG. Present total town population is 453 with no Jews.
- Mayor Farcasiu Florin, Tirnova, no. 18, code 28
- The Jewish Community of Arad, 10, Tribunul Dobra Str., 2900 Arad, Romania. Tel. +40-57-281310
- The Federation of The Jewish Communities of Romania, Sf. Vineri Str. no. 9-11, sect. 3, Bucharest, Romania
- "Dr. Moshe Carmilly" Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, Universitatii Str. no. 7-9, room 61, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Director: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
- Caretaker and key holder: none
- Orthodox priest Pingica Alin, Araneag no. 40 may have additional information.
The Jewish population by census was five in 1880 and eleven in 1910. The Orthodox cemetery dates from 19th century. No other town or village used this unlandmarked site. The rural/agricultural flat land, part of a municipal cemetery (Orthodox) with no sign is reached by turning directly off a public road. Access is open to all. Continuous fences surround the cemetery inside the Orthodox Christian cemetery. Only one monument is at the surface. The Orthodox priest and community are in charge with the place.
Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 1300 quadr. meters. No stones are visible. 1-20 stones are in the cemetery with no stones in original location. Location of missing stones is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is not a problem. Water drainage at the cemetery is a constant problem. No special sections.
The oldest known gravestone dates from 19th century. The 19th and 20th century smoothed and inscribed tombstones are made of concrete. Inscriptions are Romanian. The national Jewish community owns the Jewish cemetery. Properties adjacent to cemetery are agricultural. Compared to 1939, cemetery boundaries are the same. Rarely, private visitors stop at the never-vandalized site. Clearing vegetation is the care. No structures or threats.
Assistant Professor Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Str., Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on September 16, 2000 using the following documentation:
- The Transylvanian Census from 1880, Bucharest, Staff Publishing House, 1997
- The Transylvanian Census from 1910, Bucharest, Staff Publishing House, 1999
- The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
- Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. Istoria evreilor din Transilvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian)
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968
On August 27, 2000, Pecican interviewed Pingica Alin in Araneag. [January 2003]