ARAD: Arad judet

ARAD: * 201, 209-210. County map. Arad is located at 46°11' 21°19', 29 miles N of Timişoara (Temesvár), 68 miles SSW of Oradea (Nagy-Várad). 1900 Jewish population: 5,962. Industrial center and transportation hub on the Mureş River and also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and two universities. 2002 city population is 147,992. The first Jew allowed to settle inside the city was Isac Elias in 1717. Eventually the Jewish population of Arad numbered over 10,000 people, more than 10% of the population before WWII. [January 2013]

• Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), p. 52: "Arad".
• JewishGen Hungary SIG
• JewishGen Romania SIG
• Jewish Families of Arad. Geni. [June 2014]

ARAD I: Arad County, Transylvania

The cemetery is located at Arad, Calea Zimandului, no. 9, 2900, judet Arad, 4611 2119, 261.8 miles WNW of Bucharest. Current town population is over 100,000 with 100-1,000 Jews.

• Mayor Popa Dorel, Revolutiei Avenue, no. 67, phone: +40-57-280551; +40-57-281850
• 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, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania
• "Dr. Moshe Carmilly" Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, Universitatii Str. no. 7-9, room 61, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Director: Ladislau Gyemant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Key holder and caretaker: Szabo Mircea, Arad, Calea Zimandului, no. 9, 2900, Arad.

The first mention of two Jewish families in Arad is from 1717. The 1788 Jewish population was 352, in 1850 was 3,418, in 1880 was 4,415, in 1910 was 6,295, and by 1930 census was 7,811. The first synagogue was built around 1758. In the first half of the 18th century, a Chevra Kadisha was organized. New synagogue was inaugurated in 1838. In 1832, the first Jewish primary school opened, followed in 1855 by a school for girls and in 1872 by a state gymnasium. In the first half of the 19th century, Arad was one of the important centers of the Jewish Reform movement led by Chief Rabbi Aaron Chorin. Noteworthy Jewish residents of the community were Rabbis Israel Schachter 1730, Iacob Jichak and Jochanan 1750, Yehuda Leb Broda 1768, Israel Hirsch Szemnitz 1788, Aaron Chorin 1789/1844, Jakob Steinhardt 1844/1885, Rosenberg Sandor 1885/1909, Vagvolgyi Lajos 1909/1940, and Schonfeld Miklos 1939/1960. The unlandmarked Neolog cemetery was established in inaugurated after 1900. Last known burial was 2000.

The urban flat land, separate but near other cemeteries, has sign in Romanian mentioning Jews. Reached by a public road, access is open to all. A masonry wall with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre-and post-WWII size is 2 hectares. 100-500 stones are visible, all in original location. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is not a problem. Water drainage is good all year. No special sections.

The oldest known gravestone dates from 1930. The 20th century marble and other material smoothed and inscribed and double tombstones have Hebrew and Hungarian inscriptions. Some have metal fences around graves. No known mass graves. The local Jewish community owns the property used for an orchard. Adjacent properties are agricultural and "other." Occasionally, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors and local residents stop at the never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been clearing vegetation by Jewish groups abroad. Current care is regular unpaid caretaker. Within the limits of the cemetery is a preburial house with a tahara.

Assistant Professor Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Str., Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj/Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on 13 July 2000 using the following documentation:

• Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitătilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968
  The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
• Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian), Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
• Weinberger, Moshe Carmilly. The Jewish Reform Movement in Transylvania and Banat: Rabbi Aaron Chorin, in Studia Judaica, V, 1996, p. 13-60.
• Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania, II/1/2, III/1/2, Bucharest, Hasefer, 1988/1999
• Istoria evreimii aradene, Tel Aviv, 1996

On July 13, 2000, he interviewed Szabo Mircea in Arad. [January 2003]

ARAD II

The Old Neolog cemetery is located at Visinului Str., no. 23-25, 2900, judet Arad.

• Key holder: and caretaker: Boia Andrei, Visinului Str., no. 23-25, 2900, Arad, judet Arad, Romania

The landmarked Neolog cemetery was established in 19th century. Last known burial was 2000. The isolated urban flat land cemetery has sign in Romanian. Reached by a public road, access is open to all via a stone wall with a gate that locks. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 3 hectares. More than 5,000 stones are visible, all in original location. Less than 25% of the stones are toppled or broken. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a seasonal problem preventing access. Water drainage is good all year. No special sections.

The oldest known gravestone dates from 19th century. The 19th and 20th century marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and slate, iron, and other gravestones have Hebrew, Hungarian, and Romanian inscriptions. Some have traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or letting, bronze decorations or lettering, and other metallic elements and portraits on stones, sculpted monuments, and multi-stone monuments. Some have metallic elements, portraits on stones, and metal fences around graves. The cemetery has Holocaust memorial. No known mass graves. The local Jewish community owns the property used for an orchard. Adjacent properties are residential. Frequently, organized Jewish group or pilgrimage tours organized individual tours, Jewish and non-Jewish private visitors, and local residents visit.

The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been clearing vegetation by Jewish groups abroad. Current care is regular unpaid caretaker. Within the limits of the cemetery is a preburial house with tahara, more than one ohel, and "prayer's stone" [sic]. Vegetation is a moderate threat.

Assistant Professor Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Str., Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj/Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on 13 July 2000 using the following documentation:

• Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitătilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968
  The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
• Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian), Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
• Weinberger, Moshe Carmilly. The Jewish Reform Movement in Transylvania and Banat: Rabbi Aaron Chorin, in Studia Judaica, V, 1996, p. 13-60.
• Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania, II/1/2, III/1/2, Bucharest, Hasefer, 1988/1999
• Istoria evreimii aradene, Tel Aviv, 1996

On July 13, 2000, he interviewed Trifan Ecaterina. [January 2003]

UPDATE: Address of cemetery: Cimpul Linistei. Cemetery is called "Old" Cemetery or Orthodox Cemetery and is located near Uta Stadium. From Calea Aurel Vlaicu turn left on Str. Bumbacului straight into Campul linistei.  On the left side is a little hours with gate.  Present total town population: over 100,000. Present Jewish population: 100 - 1,000. Address and telephone # of key holder: until 5PM: tel. 281760 (Fierul Viechi, factory across the street, they relay messages) after 5PM: 246124.
The urban Orthodox cemetery on flat land is separate, next to a Christian cemetery with no sign or marker.  Anna, the resident onsite caretaker lives in a little house with green gate in front of cemetery and has key to the locked cemetery gate in her yard. 100 - 500 gravestones are in cemetery, regardless of condition or position: Less than 25% of surviving stones toppled or broken, whether or not in original locations. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a constant problem, disturbing graves. Water drainage at the cemetery is a seasonal problem. Tombstones in the cemetery date from the 19th and 20th centuries. The granite and limestone finely smoothed and inscribed stones have Hebrew, Yiddish, and Hungarian inscriptions. Adjacent is the Christian cemetery.
Pre-and post- 1939 cemetery boundaries are the same. Rarely, private visitors (Jewish or non-Jewish) stop. Current care: occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals paid by visitor contributions. No structures. Security, weathering, and pollution are serious threats. Vegetation is a very serious threat.
Edna Loebel, Israel, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. completed the survey and visited the site on 1 July 2003.

[UPDATE] Campaign to restore the Old Neolog Cemetery [September 2016]

[UPDATE] Michael Perl visited in October 2019. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..The main entrance is not as listed above (Visinului Str., no. 23-25) but on Str Toporas near the corner of Str. Arcasilor, opposite a nursery school. The gates were unlocked during the hours it was supposed to be open so entry was easy. However, there were 2 dogs near the gates who barked loudly when approaching the gate. It turns out they are entirely harmless and friendly but it wasn’t until I found the caretaker’s house that I found this to be the case. Visitors should not be fearful. The caretaker’s house is located at​ Visinului Str., no. 23-25, just to the right of the cemetery. A woman in her 60s lives there who only speaks Romanian. She called her son-in-law who came within 10 minutes to help me try and find the grave. The cemetery is in very good condition and large. There are maps posted in many locations containing section and row numbers. The man who helped me came out with a computer where he could search for a name and it came up with the same grave references as in Jewishgen. The issue is that those references are different to the sections on the cemetery map and this man had no clue how to find it either until he called someone else. In any case, if the Jewishgen or computer reference is Mijloc (meaning “middle” in Romanian) know that this means Section K.

ARAD III

The cemetery is located in Arad at Cimpul Linistii Str., no. 1, 2900, judet Arad,<

• Key holder and caretaker: Redis Gheorghe, Cimpul Linistii Str., no. 1, 2900, Arad, judet Arad, Romania

The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established after 1900 with last known burial was 2000. The urban flat land, separate but near other cemeteries, has a Romanian sign mentioning the Jewish Community. Reached by a public road, access is open to all. A masonry wall with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 245 m x 22 m. 500-5000 stones are visible. All gravestones are in original location. Less than 25% of the stones are toppled or broken. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is not a problem. Water drainage is good all year.

The cemetery has special section for Cohanim. The oldest known gravestone dates from around 1900. Tombstones date from the 20th century. The marble, granite, and "other" flat shaped, smoothed and inscribed, and carved relief-decorated, and double tombstones and multi-stone monuments Have Hebrew, Hungarian, and Romanian inscriptions. Some have metal fences around graves. No known mass graves.

The local Jewish community owns the property used for an orchard and "other" unspecified. Occasionally, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors and local residents stop at the never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been clearing vegetation. Current care is regular unpaid caretaker.

Assistant Professor Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Str., Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj/Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on 13 July 2000 using the following documentation:

• Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitătilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968
  The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
• Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian), Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
• Weinberger, Moshe Carmilly. The Jewish Reform Movement in Transylvania and Banat: Rabbi Aaron Chorin, in Studia Judaica, V, 1996, p. 13-60.
• Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania, II/1/2, III/1/2, Bucharest, Hasefer, 1988/1999
• Istoria evreimii aradene, Tel Aviv, 1996

On July 13, 2000, he interviewed Szabo Mircea. [January 2003]

ARAD IV

The cemetery is located at Calea Timisorii, no. 122, 2900, judet Arad, Romania

• Key holder and caretaker: Benczik Desideriu, Calea Timisorii, no. 122, 2900, Arad, judet Arad, Romania

The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in 19th century. Last known burial was around 1990. The urban flat land, part of a municipal cemetery, Is reached by crossing the Catholic cemetery. Access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 12 m x 10 m. Six stones are visible. Three stones are not in original location. More than 75% of the stones are toppled or broken. Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a constant problem damaging stones. Water drainage is a constant problem. No special sections.

The oldest known gravestone dates from 19th century. The 19th and 20th century marble and "other" material memorial markers are common gravestones with Hebrew and Hungarian inscriptions. No known mass graves. The local Jewish community owns the property used for.
orchard. Adjacent properties are agricultural and cemetery. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The cemetery was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. No maintenance. No care now. Security is a very severe threat: Weather erosion is a moderate threat. Vegetation is a very serious threat. Vandalism is a serious threat.

Assistant Professor Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Str., Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj/Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on 10 August 2000 using the following documentation:

• Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitătilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968
  The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
• Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian), Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
• Weinberger, Moshe Carmilly. The Jewish Reform Movement in Transylvania and Banat: Rabbi Aaron Chorin, in Studia Judaica, V, 1996, p. 13-60.
• Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania, II/1/2, III/1/2, Bucharest, Hasefer, 1988/1999
• Istoria evreimii aradene, Tel Aviv, 1996

On July 13, 2000, he interviewed Bencsik Desideriu. [January 2003]

ARAD V
The cemetery is located on Vrancei Str., 2900, judet Arad, Romania.

• Reference: Malita Traian, Vrancei Str., no. 36, 2900, Arad, judet Arad, Romania

The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in beginning of the 19th century with Last known burial was before the WWII.

The urban flat land, part of a municipal cemetery, has no sign or marker. Reached via private road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 1 hectare. No stones are visible. [sic] More than 75% of the stones are toppled or broken. [sic] Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is not a problem. Water drainage is a constant problem.

The oldest known gravestone dated from 19th century. The cemetery contains marked mass graves and memorial to Jewish soldiers. The local Jewish community owns the property now used for recreation and residences. Adjacent properties are residential. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The cemetery is dedicated to the heroes from the WWI with a special section for the Jewish soldiers. The cemetery is under the buildings, destroyed by the Communist authorities in the years 1975-1976. The people are still buried there, but the stones were moved in other (unspecified) cemeteries from the area.

Assistant Professor Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Str., Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj/Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on 13 July 2000 using the following documentation:

• Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitătilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968
  The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
• Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian), Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
• Weinberger, Moshe Carmilly. The Jewish Reform Movement in Transylvania and Banat: Rabbi Aaron Chorin, in Studia Judaica, V, 1996, p. 13-60.
• Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania, II/1/2, III/1/2, Bucharest, Hasefer, 1988/1999
• Istoria evreimii aradene, Tel Aviv, 1996

On July 13, 2000, he interviewed?Malita Traian. [January 2003]

ARAD VI

The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery is located in Arad at Capitan Ion Fatu Str., no. 60, 2900, judet Arad, Romania.

• • Key holder: Trifan Ecaterina, Capitan Ion Fatu, no. 60, 2900, Arad, judet Arad, Romania

The cemetery was established in 19th century with last known burial was around 1950. The suburban flat land, part of a municipal cemetery, is reached by a public road and crossing the Catholic cemetery. Access is open to all. A broken masonry wall with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 5 m x 7 m. Three stones are visible, all in original location. Stones missing from the cemetery were incorporated in roads and structures nearby.
Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is not a problem. Water drainage is a constant problem.

No special sections. The oldest known gravestone dates from 19th century. The 19th and 20th century "other" material memorial markers are smoothed and inscribed common gravestones with Hebrew, German, and Hungarian inscriptions. No known mass graves. The local Jewish community owns the property used for an orchard. Adjacent properties are agricultural and cemetery. Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries enclose a smaller area. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years. No maintenance. No care now.

Assistant Professor Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Str., Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj/Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on 13 July 2000 using the following documentation:

• Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitătilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968
  The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
• Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian), Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
• Weinberger, Moshe Carmilly. The Jewish Reform Movement in Transylvania and Banat: Rabbi Aaron Chorin, in Studia Judaica, V, 1996, p. 13-60.
• Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania, II/1/2, III/1/2, Bucharest, Hasefer, 1988/1999
• Istoria evreimii aradene, Tel Aviv, 1996

On July 13, 2000, he interviewed?an unnamed person. [January 2003]

An unlandmarked cemetery is about 3 miles from the congregations that used it. This cemetery is on the outskirts of the city, next to fields on fat land that is part of a municipal cemetery. The pre-burial house has inscriptions. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access was open to the "caretakers," who only spoke Romania so I did not understand all. They let my group in and said that it had been a long time since anyone came to visit from outside of Romania. There is a front masonry wall and a gate that locks. The sides and back have chain link fence and hedges. About 100-500 gravestones are visible within the cemetery with 20-100 in original location and 100-500 not in original location. 25% - 50% are broken or topped. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a constant problem, disturbing graves and disturbing and damaging stones. Water drainage at the cemetery is a seasonal problem. Corn and other crops are grown where there were graves. The natural vegetation is not cleared sufficiently. The granite tombstones are rough stones or boulders, flat stones with carved relief decoration, and double tombstones with Hebrew and Hungarian inscriptions. No known mass graves. The cemetery property is now used for agricultural use (crops or animal grazing) and storage. I was told that people are still buried there though the pre-burial house is full of construction material storage. Adjacent properties to the rarely visited site are agricultural and residential. Visitors are private individuals. Occasional clearing by unknown person or persons appears to be the only care. In addition to the pre-burial house, A family lives in a house on the cemetery grounds. Weather erosion is a slight threat. Security is a moderate threat. Pollution from the diesel and coal fumes from the city is terrible. Vandalism and vegetation are very serious threats. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. completed this survey on 20 June 2002. She visited the site in July 1999 and November 2000.