Răducăneni:
 
A township in Moldavia,
 
previously in the County of Fălciu,
 
now in the County of Iaşi

Răducăneni

Jewish population

 Note: In the adjoining village of Bohotin there were 37 Jews in 1899

Before the Outbreak of World War II

Răducăneni was founded in the years 1838 – 1839 during the rule of Prince Mikhael Sturza who sought to promote trade in agricultural areas. To do so, he encouraged the settlement of traders from across the border, among them Jews probably from Galicia, so they could establish and develop commercial and business centers. Răducăneni was built on the estate of the landowner, Răducanu Roset,  hence its name.  During that period, Jews were obliged to pay a tax, "the tax on the Jewish nation." In 1846, the concession to collect the money was granted to two Jews, Saul Aronovici and Aharon Mendelovici. According to the sums that were collected that year, at that time, there were tens of tax-paying Jews in the township.

Raduceneni avant la seconde guerre mondiale

Răducăneni fut fondé entre 1838 – 1839 sous le règne du Prince Mikhael Sturza qui chercha à promouvoir le commerce dans les régions agricoles. Pour ce faire il encouragea l’implantation des commerçants au-delà de la frontière, parmi eux des Juifs probablement de Galicie, de façon à ce qu’ils puissent s’établir et développer de centres de commerce et d’affaires. Răducăneni fut construit sur les biens d’un propriétaire foncier, Răducanu Roset,  d’où son nom.  Pendant cette période, les juifs furent obligés de payer une taxe "l’impôt sur le peuple juif." En 1846, la collecte de cet impôt fut concédée à 2 juifs Saul Aronovici and Aharon Mendelovici.  Compte tenu de la somme collectée cette année là, il y avait à cette période quelques dizaines de juifs s’acquittant de cet impôt dans cette ville.

En 1859, il y avait 378 Juifs dans la ville. Leur nombre augmenta considérablement si bien qu’à la seconde moitié du XIXème siècle ils représentaient la majorité de la population. En 1899, 1190 juifs vivaient à Raducaneni.

Le 11 mars 1907, lors de la révolte des fermiers, il y eut des troubles à Răducăneni. Les fermiers demandaient des terres, mais la propagande anti-sémite exploita les troubles pour ses propres buts. En conséquence probable de cette propagande, les gitans de la ville voisine de Pietris envahirent Răducăneni dans le but de piller les maisons juives.
http://www.maplandia.com/romania/iasi/pietris

Les fermiers de la région, la plupart catholiques, s’armèrent de haches et pistolets et vinrent au secours de leurs voisins juifs sous la houlette de leur prêtre : Bernardin (Jacob) Just ¹,
(born 22 July 1867 - Raducaneni Parish Priest 1898-1907) et repoussèrent les maraudeurs. Contrairement au
traitement favorable de la population, les autorités étaient hostiles au juifs.
Le 30 décembre de cette année là (1867), la municipalité décida d’expulser 6 familles juives sous le prétexte qu’elles troublaient l’ordre public. Ces familles ont même été déchues de la nationalité roumaine afin de les empêcher d’avoir recours à la justice.
Au début de 1908, la municipalité essaya d’expulser tous les juifs, mais n’y arriva pas.

En 1900, les Juifs s’organisèrent en communauté. En 1910, ils étaient 989 à Răducăneni : 72 étaient commerçants, 50 étaient tailleurs, 32 cordonniers, 5 forgerons, 6 charpentiers et 99 dans diverses occupation.

Au début du XXème siècle, le nombre de juifs de Răducăneni diminua en raison de son isolement et du manque de transport.

Entre les deux guerres et malgré la diminution du nombre de juifs, une branche sionniste fut active à Răducăneni. Et en 1927 une branche de la banque coopérative de Husi s’y installa avec l’aide du Joint.

Dans le cimetière on trouve les tombes de deux rabbins
Rabbi Asher Zelig Ben Yehuda Leib - Died 16th Adar 5629 = 1870.
Rabbi Chaim Ben Ha'rav Shmuel - Died 12th Tishrey 5634 = 1874.

In 1894 Rabbi Shalom Halpern, descendant le la dynsatie Roszhyn s’installa à Răducăneni  et y resta jusqu’en  1909 ouis déménagea à Vaslui.

Rabbi Manashe Rabinzon, servi la communauté entre 1907 et 1911. Il naquit à Moineşti en 1833 et mourut à Iaşi en 1935.  Son fils est le poète, Haim Rabinzon. 

Rabbi Moshe Gedalya Reines, servi la communauté entre 1911-1920. Il naquit à Ştefăneşti en 1886 and mourut à Iaşi en 1946.

A la veille de la 2ème guerre mondiale, il y avait 5 synagogues à Răducăneni, un mikveh, un cimetière et une école.

La période de l’Holocauste

Durant l’été 1940, avant même qu’ Antonescu ne prenne le pouvoir (à l’Automne, 1940), la persecution des juifs par le parti national anti-democratique "La garde de fer" commença.  D’abord, les boutiques tenues par des commerçants juifs furent fermées par les autorités, puis le gouverneur militaire ordonna que tous les juifs quittent la ville. Seules 8 familles furent autorisées à rester. Le boulanger, le boucher, un marchand d’outils en fer, le propriétaire de la taverne, celui du journal restèrent, ils devaient assurer les besoins en provisions des troupes.  Le reste des juifs furent forcés de quitter la ville et ne furent autorisés à n’emporter que quelques affaires personnelles. Certains voyagèrent à cheval et carioles d’autres à pied. Ils furent d’abord conduits à Vaslui puis à Bacău, tout en étant battus, pressés avec des coups et des balles tirés en l’air par des gendarmes.
 
En Septembre 1940, le General Antonescu arriva au pouvoir et fit coalition avec "La Garde de fer", appelés aussi les chemises brunes ou "Legionnaires".

Quelques temps après, les juifs furent autorisés à revenir à Răducăneni, mais lorsqu’ils furent sur place, ils trouvèrent leur maisons et leurs magasins pillés. Comme si ce n’était pas suffisant, les legionnaires basés à  Huşi venaient régulièrement à Răducăneni pour harceler et frapper les Juifs. Certains Juifs furent même forcés de se rendre à pied à Husi situé à une distance de 40 à 50 kilometres pour y subir un interrogatoire. La situation des Juifs se détériora à un tel point qu’ils décidèrent de quitter la ville et petit à petit se replièrent qui sur Husi, qui sur Iasi.
Lorsque la guerre éclata en 1941, il n’y avait plus un seul juif à Răducăneni. La synagogue fut détruite et les locaux de l’école confisqués par les autorités.

Après la guerre, seuls quelques juifs revinrent  à Răducăneni.

En 1947, il restait 170 Juifs à Răducăneni. En 1995 plus aucun.
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source : textes extrait de « The Repository of Information on Jewish Communities in The Museum of the Diaspora » et de Pinkasei Hakehillot in the Beth Ariella library.
The compilers of the entry give their sources:  (the archives of Yad Vashem, the archive of Fielderman  and the archive of M. Karp)

Les textes furent traduits de l’hébreu vers l’anglais et une synthèse faite par Dr. Stella Statman.

¹  Jusqu’en  1907, Rǎducǎneni n’avait pas de curé attitré à sa paroisse, le curé venait depuis Huşi – Information grâce à Ovidiu Bisog

Information données par la Communauté juive de  Husi:
Rǎducǎneni fut fondée en 1830.
En 1846 il y avait 96 Juifs.
En 1859 il y avait 371 Juifs  (Le décalage entre les chiffres peut être du à la difficulté d’obtenir un recensement précis)
En 1869 il y avait 480 Juifs.
En 1899 il y avait 1,190 Juifs.
En 1890 une école juive fut ouverte et au fur et à mesure que la communité se développa s’y adjoint 5 synagogues, une mikvah (bain rituel) et un cimetière.

Merci à Karla Steimberg, Husi, Romania.

.

Galicia north west of Moldavia

The land owner Raducanu Roset 1762 - 1838 (Hatman in 1806) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_Romanian_ranks_and_titles Lascar Rosetti 1816 - 1884 the third son of Răducanu Roset Lascar Rosetti built a school  Link  for beginners in Răducăneni with his own money. http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasc%C4%83r_Rosetti Pietroso Hemeiosu original location of the village Rosetti Court Rǎducǎneni in the Botanical Park Hatman Raducanu Roset According to historical records, the Roset family originated in Genoa Italy and lived in Constantinople from the 13th century. The Rosets of Romania were descendants of Lascaris Rosetto who married the daughter of Bella Ioan Contacuzina in 1620.   The name Rosetto changed its form in the passage of time. Rosseto or Russeto (Greek influence) became Ruset, sometimes Roset, in Moldava  and finally Rosetti (German and French influence) from the year 1840.   The coat of arms of the Roset family can still be seen above the front door of the Roset mansion. The motto on the coat of arms reads Sereno aut nubilo sospes (Calm in sunny and in cloudy times) Rosetti Court Rǎducǎneni Rosetti blazon                                   Photos courtesy of Madalina Carp Grave of Lascar Rosetti founder of the High School Located in Iaşi After the fire on Easter Monday 9.4.2012 Photo by Ovidiu Bisog Hatman Raducanu Roset was born in 1762, the son of Lascarache Roset and Ileana Dimache.  Legend has it that Raducanu and his sister, Zoe, were kidnapped when they were very little by some gypsies and taken to Ardeal, a region in the North of Romania. They were brought back by their father after he had  paid the ransom money. Rosetti Family tree: www.ghyka.com/Familles/Rosetti/Rosetti_01.pdf Courtesy of: Coca Codreanu Head teacher Liceul Teoretic Lascar Rosetti, Rǎducǎneni Link Photos courtesy of Coca Codreanu Link to History of the Rosetti family   & Aspasia Manos a Princessof Greece & Denmark was a descendant of Raducanu Rosetti - See link: http://www.enotes.com/topic/Aspasia_Manos Hatman Răducănu  Rosetti  In the book, The Rosetti family (1938), General  Radu R. Rosetti relates that Răducănu Rosetti was born in 1762, son of  Lascarache and Ileana Dimachi. He married twice, his first to Elencuţa ''Ileana'' Iordache Balş (died 1799), the second  in 1806 to Eufrosina  Manu. He spoke fluent Greek and Turkish and although he understood German and French, he was not literate in these languages. After the death of his parents, he was raised by his uncle, Manolache Dimache. A very poor  man, Răducanu was taken into the care of Iordache Balş, who arranged Răducănu's marriage to his daughter, Ileana, with whom he received a substantial dowry. In the years 1783. 1785, 1786 and 1789, he gradually increased his importance and social standing and during the rule of his brother-in-law Alexandru Moruzi, his fortunes also grew. He held the following official posts: vel stolnic in 1783, comis in 1785, 1786 and 1879, căminar in 1786 and 1789 and later became ispravnic. He received the area of  Bohotin (Fălciu) from his sister Zoe Moruzi, and finally was appointed hatman in Moldavia during the second period of rule (1802 -1806) by Alexandru Moruzi. In 1790 he was  involved in the siege of Ismail by the Russian army, for which he was  awarded with the Sfântul Gheorghe cross. After his Involvement in the political struggle at the court of Ioan Sandu Sturdza  (1822/1828), Răducănu and his family moved to Cernăuţi, where his sons attended public school. During the Russian occupation of 1828, he  became a member of the provisional government. In the last years of his  life, he lost most of his fortune, when he endorsed a loan made by another brother-in-law, Ioan Balş, who was unable to pay it back. Forced to foreclose, Răducănu Rosetti took legal action against Balş in the  courts in the province of Bessarabia, where the law suits were heard. Rosetti's legal action was successful and the senate of Petersburg gave him the Balş estates. But in fact, as Bals was chamberlain to the Russian Tsar, he was  reinstated by imperial decree without any need for legal decisions. Răducănu Rosetti passed away on the night of 3rd of August 1838, in the  town of Iassy, from a liver disorder. He was buried on Friday, 5th of August,  at Sfântul Spiridon church. Courtesy of: ŞEFUL SERVICIULUI ISTORIC AL ARMATEI  Comandor dr. Marian MOŞNEAGU   Rosetti Family tree: Roumania & the Jews Radu D. Rosetti I.V. Socecu, 1904 Link to: Chronicle of Bohotin Radu Rosetti 1905

On March 11, 1907, at the time of the Farmers' Rebellion, there were disturbances in Răducăneni. The farmers had demanded land but the anti-semitic propaganda exploited the unrest for its own purposes. Possibly as a result of anti-semitic incitement, gypsies from the neighboring village of Pietris http://www.maplandia.com/romania/iasi/pietris

Village sign		Old house in Pietris

 
broke into Răducăneni with the clear aim of plundering the Jewish homes. The local farmers, in the main Catholics, equipped themselves with axes and pistols and under the leadership of their priest, Bernardin (Jacob) Just ¹,
(born 22 July 1867 - Raducaneni Parish Priest 1898-1907)

they came to the defense of their Jewish neighbors and repelled the marauders.  But, in contrast to the favorable treatment of the local population, the authorities were hostile. On December 30 of that year, the local council decided to expel 6 Jewish families on the pretext that they were causing a disturbance of the peace. These families even had their names erased from the list of Romanian nationals in order to prevent them from seeking legal defense. At the beginning of 1908, the local council tried to drive out all the Jews but the attempt failed.

In the year 1900, the Jews organized themselves into a community. In 1910, there were 989 Jews in the township of whom 72 were traders, Link 50 were tailors, 32 shoemakers, 5 smiths, 6 carpenters while 99 others worked in different occupations.

From the beginning of the 20th century, the numbers of Jews in the township began to dwindle mainly because of its rather remote, isolated position and lack of transport facilities.

Between the two wars, in spite of the reduction in the number of Jewish inhabitants, a branch of the Zionist movement was active in Răducăneni and in 1927 a branch of the Cooperative Bank from Huşi was set up with the help of the Joint.

In the cemetery we found the graves of two Rabbis:

Rabbi Asher Zelig Ben Yehuda Leib - Died 16th Adar 5629 = 1870.
Rabbi Chaim Ben Ha'rav Shmuel - Died 12th Tishrey 5634 = 1874.

In 1894 Rabbi Shalom Halpern, (Click for link to family album) a descendant of the well-known Roszhyn dynasty came to settle in Răducăneni  and stayed until 1909.  From there, he went to Vaslui.

Rabbi Manashe Rabinzon, (Click for link to family album) served the community in the years 1907 - 1911. He was born in Moineşti in 1833 and died in Iaşi  in 1935.  His son is the poet, Haim Rabinzon. 

Rabbi Moshe Gedalya Reines, (Click for link to family album) served the community between 1911-1920. He was born in Ştefăneşti in 1886 and passed away in Iaşi in 1946.

On the eve of the outbreak of World War II, there were 5 synagogues in Răducăneni, a mikveh, a cemetery and a  school.

The Holocaust period

In the summer of 1940, even before   Antonescu rose to power (in Autumn, 1940), the persecution of the Jews by the so – called national, anti-democratic party "The Iron Guard" began.  First, Jewish stores were closed down by the authorities, then  the local military governor ordered all the Jews to leave the township. Only 8 families were given permission to remain. They comprised the baker, the butcher, a dealer in iron tools, the owner of the tavern and  the owner of a newspaper stand as they were needed  to ensure a regular supply of necessities  to the troops there.   All the rest of the Jews were forced to leave the place and were allowed to take with them only a few possessions. Some  travelled by horse and cart while others journeyed on foot. They were led first to Vaslui then to Bacău, all the while being beaten and hurried along by blows and shots in the air by the gendarmes.

In September, 1940, General Antonescu came to power and joined forces with the "The Iron Guard", whose members were called "Greenshirts "or "Legionnaires".

After a while, the Jews were allowed to return to Răducăneni but when they came back, they found that their homes and businesses had been looted.  As if this were not enough, the legionnaires stationed in Huşi used to come frequently to the township to harass and beat the Jews. Some of the Jews were even forced to walk to Huşi (a distance of 40 - 50 kilometers) for interrogation. The situation of the Jews deteriorated to such an extent that they despaired and decided to leave the township and little by little they went, some to Huşi and the rest to Iaşi. When the war broke out in 1941, not a single Jew remained in Răducăneni. The synagogue was destroyed and the school premises were confiscated by the authorities.

After the war, only a few Jews of the original population returned to Răducăneni.

In 1947, there were 170 Jews in Răducăneni.  By 1995,  there were none.

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The information above was taken from texts in The Repository of Information on Jewish Communities in The Museum of the Diaspora and from Pinkasei Hakehillot in the Beth Ariella library.

The texts were translated from the Hebrew to English and combined by
Dr. Stella Statman.

¹  Until 1907, Rǎducǎneni did not have its own parish priest, the priest
used to come from Huşi - Courtesy of Ovidiu Bisog