Socially and ethnically speaking, it is known that before the Second World War, the number of jewish families in Romania was about 20.000.
After the War, in communist times, they were "bought" by Israel, the sum paid being according to their intellectual level and university degrees. Today, after the Revolution, their number is of only 9.000 persons,
The majority being very old people. Excepting the Yiddish theatre, and the Synagogue, there are no schools or colleges for jews; the danger of losing traditions for the young jews left is evident.
The political orientation and the socio-economical factors have eroded the historical role of the jews i.e. their contribution to culture and trades in Romania. The remaining jews themselves have no social or economical positions{excepting Petre Roman}. Moreover, there is no real interest in giving them relative power, at least the power given to the Hungarian community living in Romania.
In today's context, the people's choice is strongly affected by the lack of schooling and social and/or political indifference, shown by the the Government itself.
If in the past the Sephardic jews played an important part in the cultural
field, i.e. poetry and prose, today they are a simple memory even for the
Jewish Community in Romania. The few Sephardim left have been assimilated
by the Askenazim and the only thing left is the Sephardic cemetery, which
is a proof of their glorious past.
Adriana Iosub Caras teaches at the University of Bucharest
