Who are the Jews? - a short introduction www. tikvahedu.ro Jews around the world Some facts Jews are an ethnic and religious grouping Currently estimated 14 million Jews in the world, with over 80% being in Israel and the United States There are about 1.5 million Jews in Europe, the largest numbers are in France, the UK and Germany In Romania there are just a few thousand Jews Where did they come from? Location According to the Bible Abraham led his people from the city of Ur to Canaan about 1900 BCE and stayed there for about 100 years and organized themselves into the famous 12 Tribes. About 1800 BCE a drought began, forcing the Hebrews to move to Egypt. Many years later, following enslavement in Egypt, Moses led them (out of slavery) across the Sinai Desert back to Canaan. Moses died shortly before they arrived, but Joshua led them safely to what they called "the Promised Land." Timeline c BC: The Israelites enter the land of Canaan: the age of the Judges starts c : The Israelites establish a kingdom, first under Saul (c ) and then under David (c ) c. 970: David's son Solomon becomes king. He builds the Temple in Jerusalem c. 931: After Solomon's death, Israel divides into two kingdoms: Judah in the south, Israel in the north When did they leave and where did they go? Early invasions When your country is invaded you may choose to leave it, but often you are forced to leave it. 722 (BCE) - The Assyrians The Assyrians, a powerful people from northern Mesopotamia (today northern Iraq), invaded the northern Kingdom of Israel and deported the Jews to other parts of the Assyrian Empire 586 (BCE) - The Babylonians After the fall of the Assyrian Empire the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar II, conquered Jerusalem. The most influential Jews of Judea were deported to Babylon (today Iraq) 538 (BCE) - The Persians King Cyrus of Persia (today Iran) conquered the entire Babylonian Empire, allowed the exiled Jews to return from Babylon, and accepted a form of Jewish home rule in Jerusalem Later invasions 332 (BCE) - The Greeks Greek-Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great destroyed the Persian Empire and gained control over Judea. After the death of Alexander his Hellenistic (Greek) Empire was divided into three parts, and the Jews were squeezed between the competing Greek rulers. 63 (BCE) - The Roman Conquest Romans conquered the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire and later the Romans turned Judea into an ordinary Roman province CE and CE Rebellions and eventual disappearance of Israel There followed a succession of Jewish rebellions during which the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and later renamed the territory Palaestina. Early migrations Source: Jewish presence on Romanian territory Some facts The first material records (artefacts) of Jewish presence of the territory of Dacia date back to the Roman occupation period; Jews probably arrived on this territory together with the Roman legions th centuries Jews from Hungary moved towards Moldavia and ara Romneasc to escape persecution th centuries Jews cross Moldavia, ara Romneasc and Bukovina both for commerce and to act as mediators of the Ottoman diplomacy. Jews were, in many cases, mediators between Romanian rulers and Western Christianity. Documents confirm the settlement of Jews in Bucharest in 1550 and a little later in Iai. Jews in Transylvania: 2000 in 1766 rising to 4166 in 1789 Jewish presence on Romanian territory Some facts In Maramure, after 1800, Jews gain the right to own land and so they become shepherds and peasant farmers (as well as merchants and tradesmen). Main trades carried on by Jews: pottery, metal and wood working, tailoring. Education remained a constant priority for the Jewish population. For the first time since their settlement in the Carpatho-Danubian regions, Jews gained civil rights under the Constitution of Romania in 1923 (rights which were subsequently restricted and cancelled through measures adopted during the dictatorial regimes occurring after 1938). Were they always welcomed? Diaspora and expulsions Source: Expulsions Some examples 13th Century - Jews expelled from England 14th Century - Jews expelled from France 15th Century - Jews expelled from Spain 16th Century - Jews expelled from Saxony and Prague 17th Century - Jews expelled from France (again) and Vienna 18th Century - Jews expelled from Ukraine/Russian provinces 19th Century - Jews expelled from Moscow Discrimination As well as expelling Jews, many countries encouraged discrimination against Jews. Here are some examples of things Jews were not allowed to have or do: Nazi persecution and the Holocaust The persecution progression Under Nazi rule from 1933, Jews suffered increased persecution year by year and were banned from taking part in normal life saw the first outbreak of mass violence against Jews in Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass. Worse was to come as the Nazi regime began implementation of their Final Solution to what they called the Jewish question. Source: The Final Solution A plan for the systematic extermination of the Jewish peoples in Nazi- occupied Europe through genocide To be achieved through: mobile gassing vans, mass shootings forced labour of able-bodies Jews until of no commercial value detention in concentration camps until death by hunger or disease detention in extermination camps until of no labour value when murdered by gassing By the end of World War II it is estimated that 6 million Jews lost their lives Persecution in Romania Summary During the Octavian Goga government rule (December 1937 February 1938) anti-Semitism became State policy. For example, the withdrawal of citizenship from 225,222 Jews. Anti-Jewish measures are maintained during the Royal dictatorship (February 1938 September 1940) and are complemented by new ones, such as the confiscation of land owned by Jews in rural areas. In September 1940, Ion Antonescu becomes Head of the Romanian State and continues repressive measures against the Jews in conjunction with the Legionary Movement (the Iron Guard). Antonescu later crushes the Legionnaires in January 1941, but not before a massacre of Jews takes place in Bucharest. Antonescu continues to act as the Head of State until 1944 and during his rule the Iai pogrom and deportations of Jews from Bessarabia and Bukovina (in 1942) take place to Transnistria. Commemoration days 27 January as of 2005, the United Nations designated this day as International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. This day in 1945 saw the liberation of Auschwitz (in occupied Poland) by Soviet troops. 9 October Romanian National Day of Commemorating the Holocaust. This day marks the beginning of the Romanian deportations of Jews to Transnistria in There are annual commemoration events in cities and towns in the northern part of Transylvania, which was under Hungarian rule between and from where Jews were deported to Auschwitz Memorials Eva Heyman Memorial created in memory of Jewish children deported from Oradea to Auschwitz (a volunteer project of Asociatia Tikvah). Sculptor: Flor Kent Location: Blcescu Park, Oradea Holocaust Memorial, Bucharest Architect: Peter Jacobi Jewish culture A short overview Jewish identity is defined by: A distinct (monotheistic) religion A distinct set of traditions, holidays, rituals, calendar A distinct language (Hebrew) A set of community values A common outlook on what is considered their historic homeland Israel Jewish calendar The teachings of the Torah provide rules on how everyday day life should be conducted (religious life, household customs, rules on education, childrens upbringing, birth, marriage, funeral traditions and more). Inevitably, variations in the cultures of the Jewish peoples have also been influenced by their host nations. A person can be Jewish by birth or by conversion and traditionally, Jewish status passes through the mother. Reading from the Torah Jewish images Menorah Kippah Orthodox Synagogue in Oradea Yad Mezuzah Bibliography Victor Neumann, Istoria evreilor din Romnia holocaustului.htmlholocaustului.htmlShalom! On Judaism and Jewish Life, exhibition produced by Asociatia Tikvah Resource produced by Asociatia Tikvah With financial support from: Joods Humanitair Fonds Bernard Charitable Trust