Public Institution Theoretical High School ,,Ion Luca Caragiale " , Orhei
TheJewish CemeteryinOrhei
Orhei is one of the Bessarabian cities where the Jewish presence was already recorded in the 17th century. Town of uezd in the 19th century, county center in the first half of the 20th century, city of rabbis and doctors, of heders and secular Zionist schools, city of merchants, craftsmen and winemakers, today Orhei has a community of several dozen Jewish, but it's remembers and is proud of it's Jewish history.
Where is the cemetery situated?
Address: Orhei, Uniria str.
It is located: on a hill
It is surrounded by: a broken fence
The cemetery has: a gate that locks
Size of the cemetery: 400,000 square meters.
Number of tombstones: 15,000
Gravestones can be dated from: the 18th century Special memorials for: Holocaust victims and Jewish soldiers
Vandalism: 1989 vandals who destroyed 40 monuments convicted of crime
On the old side of the cemetery are the unique monuments
The cemetery is in the landslide zone and destroys the cemetery
The Jewish cemetery in the city of Orhei is among the oldest cemeteries in Europe, being established approximately 400 years ago. Here, the Jews shot by the fascists, as well as the Jewish elite of those times, found their eternal sleep.
In addition to the old graves, here you can also find a common grave for all those who were shot by the fascists.
Izislav Mudrean, the president of the Orhei Jewish Culture Association told us more about this cemetery, as well as the former cemetery that is located also in this territory, which now lies in disrepair due to landslides and the passage of time, so the tombstones can no longer be deciphered.
"Common grave and a stone of eternity for all who were shot and thrown into the pit"
The cemetery also contains a map, that is included in a book, which contains the names of all the identified dead, in alphabetical order, and the sectors of this cemetery. Anyone looking for their relatives buried here can easily find their graves. The guide was created by the president of the Orhei Jewish Culture Association, lzislaiv Mudreanu who worked on this book for approximatley five years
In addition, the old cemetery shows us that the wicks existed in the past. It has an alley where the graves of dozens of people who were part of the Jewish elite are lined up: a former banker, a mill owner, a landlord who gave land to peasants, famous doctors and a rich man who financed an old foster care, all have imposing monuments, brought back then from Italy.
g e ho sed wit and no it w s bu an be buried on top of him, as the Christian religion allows.
A funerary monument, adorned with written inscriptions, and later, a small mausoleum, used to be
The more important the buried person was, the more imposing the mausoleum was made.
Inside the tomb, next to the body of the dead, placed either on the ground, directly on the stone slab, or in a stone sarcophagus, a series of objects used by the person in question, while he was alive, were deposited. Traditionally, instead of flowers, stones were placed on top of the grave .
According to tradition, monuments in the form of a tree trunk with cut branches were installed at the graves of Jews who did not have children to differentiate themselves from the Jews who had children.
Brochure made by the students of class
9th "A" and "C" from Public Institution
Theoretical High School
,,Ion Luca Caragiale " , Orhei Saracovici Catalina
Surchicin Doina
Muntean Elena
Stratulat Radu
Coordinator: Golovatiuc Regina- Professor of History and Education for society
Thanks to: Izislav Mudreanu-The president of the Orhei Jewish Culture Association
Sources: 1.Izislav Mudreanu-The president of the Orhei Jewish Culture Association (interview)
2.https//www.ziarulnational.md/cimitirul-uitat/
3.https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/Orhei/
4.https://www.jewishcemeteries.eu/youthcompetition-2022/?
fbclid=IwAR2uRJ4PxKHBZURCtQ8VZFT1wN5JZ
HylAvnyQRzJYbV1I6MHC3CbjGSk2k8
5.Orhei – Trans.History Audiowalks (centropa.org)
