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Coat of arms of Sátoraljaújhely Alternate names: Sátoraljaújhely [Hun], Nové Mesto pod Šiatrom [Slov], Neustadt am Zeltberg [Ger], Ihel איהעל / אוהעלי  [Yid], Sátoralja-Ujhely, Újhely, Ujhely, Széphalom, Satoraijaujhely, Rudabányácska, Slovenské Nové Mesto, Károlyfalva. 48°24' N, 21°40' E, In NE Hungary, 31 miles N of Nyíregyháza, 46 miles ENE of Miskolc, on the Hungary-Slovakia border. On the other side, adjacent Slovak town is Slovenské Nové Mesto ('Slovak New Town').. Jewish population: 6,446 (in 1920).

    • Sátoraljaújhely és Zemplén vármegye zsidóságának története(Toronto, Canada, 1986)
    • JewishGen Hungary SIG
    • Wikipedia [Apr 2014]: "Historically, Ujhely (Sátoraljaújhely) was belonged to the county of Zemplin. Documents in its archives show that in 1734 Jews were living at Sátoraljaújhely and that they were allowed to acquire real estate. It is evident that the community was then increasing; for 10 years later the Jews possessed a school which in 1829 received a bequest of 260,000 gulden from Martin Raphael Kästenbaum, and which was thenceforth known by his name. / The oldest tombstone bears date of 1760, although the ḥebra ḳaddisha, with which was connected to a hospital, was not established until 1772, its founder being an itinerant rabbi named Naphtali Hirsch. The first ḥebrabook has a drawing on its title-page representing the last rites. / A synagogue was built at Sátoraljaújhely in 1790; and when it was demolished in 1887, to be replaced by a new house of worship, it was found to have 8 subterranean chambers, which probably served as dungeons. The oldest document of the community is dated 1831, during the rabbinate ofMoses Teitelbaum, of whom the story is told that Lajos Kossuth, afterward leader of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, when suffering from an infantile sickness, was brought to him, and that the rabbi blessed the child and, referring to the word "ḳosheṭ" in Psalm lx. 6 (A. V. 4), prophesied his future greatness. Teitelbaum died in 1841, and was succeeded by his son Leopold Teitelbaum, who, however, soon went to Marmaros-Sziget. / Jeremiah Löw was then appointed rabbi of Ujhely. Löw, who was one of the leaders of the Orthodox party, was succeeded by the chief rabbi,Koloman Weisz, and the preacher Isidor Goldberger. Michael Heilprin, who acted as secretary to Minister Bertalan Szemere in 1848, was, prior to the Revolution, a teacher in the Jewish school of Ujhely. / The Jews of the city in 1905 numbered 4,500 out of a total population of 13,000."
    • History "The oldest Jewish grave in Sátoraljaujhely is from 1760, but the engraving is illegible." 1984 photo of Sátoraljaújhely synagogue at Dózsa Gy. út 13. used as a department store.  In the old is the grave of  Rabbi Mózes Teitelbaum's grave. Caretaker is Mrs. Lászlóné Tarr (Bem u. 10.). [February 2009]

Yizkor: Vanished Communities of Hungary [July 2012]

SÁTORALJAÚJHELY,  Borsod-Abauj, Zemplen County, Zemplen Region. County capital is Miskolc about 80 km away. Current population: 22,300 with no current Jewish population.

  • Town: Margit Pauleczki, 25 Dozsa Gy. Street, Tolcsva H-3934, Secretary of the City Protection Association, 2 Dorzsa Gy. Street, Satoraljaujhely H-3980, Hungary. Gyula Brosztl, President of the City Protection Association, 2 Dozsa Gy. Street, Satoraljaujhely H-3980, Tel. +36-47/322-621. Peter Szamosvolgyi, mayor of Satoraljaujhely at 5 Kossuth Square, Satoraljaujhely H-3980, tel. +36-47/321-211, 322-855, 321-359. Zsofia Frater, (Mrs. Fedor), town clerk for Satoraljaujhely. Regional: Laszlo TARR, 62 Majuskut Street, Satoraljaujhely H-3980, Tel. +36-47/321-029. 10 Alkotmany Street, Budapest, Tel: +36-1/302-7980.
  • Key: Sandor Szarvas, 118 Kazinczy Street, Satoraljaujhely H-3980, Tel: +36-47/325-318.
  • Caretaker: Laszlo TARR, 62 Majuskut Street, Satoraljaujhely H-3980, Tel. +36-47/321-029.
  • Interested: Mazsishisz, 12 Sip Street, Budapest H-1075, Hungary.

According to the last census before World War II, the population was 4,200 but 12,300 Jews were deported from the entire Zemplen territory. Deportation to the ghetto began in April 1944. Rabbi Moses Teitelbaum family, Landau family, Deutch family, Rabbi of Beled, and Lauder family lived and are buried here. The last known Jewish burial in cemetery was in the summer of 1997 (Gabor Gottlieb). Other communities from other towns and villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The urban/suburban hillside, part of a municipal cemetery, has a sign in Hebrew, Hebrew on gate/wall, and inscriptions on pre-burial house mentioning the Jewish Community. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission via a broken masonry wall, a broken fence, trees and bushes, and locking gate. Approximate size of the cemetery before World War II and now is 2 hectares.

Approximately 5,000 gravestones are in the cemetery, regardless of condition or position with 3,000 in original location. 90% is toppled or broken, with 10% removed from the cemetery. Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem preventing access. Water drainage may be a seasonal problem. If the cemetery is divided into special sections is impossible to determine because the register is lost. The gravestone date from 1841-19th century. The marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, slate, and iron finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration or obelisks have Hebrew, Yiddish, and Hungarian inscriptions. Some tombstones have metal fences around graves. No known mass graves. The national Jewish community owns cemetery. Properties adjacent are residential and, on one side, the Catholic cemetery. Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries enclose the same area. Rrivate visitors (Jewish or non-Jewish) visit rarely. The cemetery was vandalized frequently in the last ten years. Past care: cleaned stones, vegetation cleared, and fixed of gate. The City Protection Association had the preburial house "redecorated in 1994", probably meaning reconstructed. [Note: Evidence of restuccoing without paint exists in photos.] Current Care: occasional cleared or cleaning by individuals. Caretaker is not paid. Within the limits of the cemetery is a pre-burial with wall inscriptions. About 75% of the area is unprotected (without a fence) so uncontrolled access is a very serious threat. Weather erosion is a serious threat. Vandalism is a very serious threat.

Margit Pauleczki, 25 Dozsa Gy. Street, Tolcsva H-3934, Secretary of the City Protection Association at 2 Dozsa Gy. Street, Satoraljaujhely H-3980, Hungary and Laszlo TARR, 62 Majuskut Street, Satoraljaujhely H-3980, Tel. 36-47/321-029 visited on 2 May 1999 and are regular visitors to the cemetery. Theodore Fendrich supplied the completed survey. He visited the site and has photographs: tombstones of Efraim Fisher, Lukacs Sandorme, and Ester bat Shaul.

UPDATE: I visited Satoraljaujhely in 1998. I deliberately timed it for the 28th of Tammuz, the yahrtzeit of the Yismach Moshe, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, the founder of the family of Szatmar Rebbe. His gravestone is in a building called an ohel. (There is an odd linguistic coincidence here, because ohel sounds like Ujhely, but it is actually the first part of the city's name, sator, which means the same in Hungarian as ohel means in Hebrew, which is "tent.") It is a day of pilgrimage for hassidim, who fly in to Kosice from the US and Israel, and travel to Ujhely by chartered bus. They can be seen walking through the streets of Ujhely in traditional garb. Source This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [February 2009]

UPDATE: The cemetery had been completely cleaned and cleared of overgrowth and weeds that obscured hundreds of tombstones amd impeded entry. Plans include restoration of the majority of the 3048 broken/toppled/sunken gravestones, prpper enclosure of the currently unprotected sections, negotiate with underground winery to resolve problem caused by number of crater-like holes, and number photograph the markers for subsequent cataloguing. Source: Toby Mendlowitz. Asstant Director HFPJC This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [November 2004]

 

SATORALJAUJHELY (I): US Commission No. 000017
Alternate name: also called Ujhely (Hung). Satoraljaujhely (I) is located in Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen at 48°24' 21°40, 75km from Miskolc. 134.7 miles ENE of Budapest. Cemetery: along Highway No. 37 running through the town by the tobacco factory. [The new cemetery is located at Kazinczy street 91.] Present population is 25,000-100,000; Jewish population is 10-100.

  • Town: Mayor's office of Ph: 41321211.
  • Local: Polgarmesteri Hivatal of Satoraljaujhely Kossuth ter 5.
  • Regional: Budapesti Orthodox Hitkozseg, of Dob u.35, H-1075 Budapest Phone: (011-361) 132-4333.
  • Interested: Muzeum of Satorayauhely Kossuth ter 5 ph: Ph: 41322343. Sender Deutsch of 557 Bedford Ave. Brooklyn NY 11211.
  • Caretaker with key: Tarr Lazlo Sujhely Kossuth utca 13 of Roth Jenone, Orpad u.89.

The 1941 Jewish population was 4,027. After 1886, the original Orthodox community divided into Orthodox and Hasidic branches. Living here were Rabbi Naftali Hirsch and Rebs Ismach Majse Teitelbaum (1759-1841), Low Jeremias, Low Eleazar, Weisz Kalman, Roth Samuel, Dick Hermann, and Engel Yozsef. The regional and national landmark Jewish cemetery was established in 1780 with last known Hasidic Orthodox Jewish burial in 19th century. Teitelbaum Mozes and Alexander (Rabbi from Komarom) are buried here. The isolated urban hillside has a sign in Hebrew and inscriptions in Hebrew on gate or wall mark the cemetery. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via a continuous fence with a locked gate.

20-100 gravestones, 50-75% toppled or broken, date from 18th-19th century. The marble, granite, limestone and sandstone finely smoothed and inscribed stones, multi-stone monuments or obelisks, some with traces of painting on their surfaces and/or metal fences around graves, have Hebrew inscriptions. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. There is an ohel. The local Jewish community owns and still uses the cemetery. Adjacent properties are commercial or industrial. Jewish individuals and Jewish groups abroad cleared vegetation and fixed walls and gate in 1985-86. There has been no vandalism since restoration. Budapesti Orthodox Hitkozseg pays the regular caretaker. Weather erosion and pollution are very serious threats.

Lowry Lajos completed the survey on 1/27/92. The following documentation(s) was used: M.ZS.L.; Orban; Gruber.

UPDATE: One of my relatives just visited the local Jewish cemetery. He was amazed to discover that it is quite large and in reasonable shape. Although many tombstones fell down, still the majority is in place. Several are worn out and very difficult to read. Since this community was largely composed of Orthodox Jews, a significant number of engravings are in Hebrew only. You will need boots to walk through because weeds grew high. The cemetery has a local keeper. The list of graves was lost so the search could be quite time consuming. [January 2004]

Hebrew website with photo. "1734 and oldest grave in the cemetery where he is from Tk"c (1760). Central synagogue was built there in 1790. In 1887 during renovations that took place there were eight basement rooms under the building. Christians claimed that in others like the room where Jesus was held, and accused the Jews of illegal activity. oldest documents of the Jewish community are in Tktz"a (1831). Relates that the Rabbis of the town, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum (- Father Tr"a, 1841) author will be happy to Moses' disciple of the Seer of Lublin, who welcomed the child Lajos Kossuth and predicted success has led the Hungarian uprising. Grandson of Rabbi Moshe, Rabbi Yekutiel Yehuda served him rabbinate, but moved to the town of Sighet shortly thereafter. town were two one Hasidic Orthodox communities ('Spanish community') and one in which prayed by the Ashkenazi and the community of the 'status quo'. between the years 1 808 to 1 816 he served David Friznhaosen, educated Germany as a judge instead - which may be established by the community of the 'status quo' in this town. saints buried him : Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum. Moshe  Rabbi Pinchas Somotor Rappaport (Hartstein) - See Sa'ndar Mkamrna - Rabbi Isaiah ma" [Apr 2014]

 

SATORALJAUJHELY (II): US Commission No. 000018

Cemetery: northern end of Kazinczy Street (Land record # 3275 hrsz).

  • Interested also is Kecsmar Gabor of Satoraljaujhely Kazinczy u.91.

The Jewish cemetery was established in 1870. The Jewish community was "Statusquo". The suburban hillside, separate but near other cemeteries, has a sign in Hebrew mentioning Jews. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via a broken masonry wall with a gate (no lock). Pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 2.69 hectares.

500-5000 gravestones, 20-100 not in original location and 50-75% toppled or broken, date from 1880-20th centuries. Vegetation overgrowth and water damage are a constant problem. Special sections exist for men, women and rabbis. The marble, granite, limestone and sandstone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration and multi-stone monuments have Hebrew and Hungarian inscriptions. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to Holocaust victims. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. The pre-burial house has a tahara (table), wall inscriptions, and a chimney. The owner of the still-active cemetery is the national Jewish community. Adjacent properties are agricultural and cemetery. Occasionally, organized Jewish tours or pilgrimage groups, organized individual tours and private visitors visit. The cemetery was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. Jewish individuals within Hungary carried out restoration. Care now is occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals. Security (uncontrolled access) is serious threat. Weather erosion, pollution, and vegetation are moderate threats.

Lowy Lajos completed survey on 1/28/92 using M.ZS.L; Orban; Wirth. Kecmar Gabor at Satoraljaujhely at Kazinczy utca 91 was interviewed.