America) :Jewish Periodical
Thursuuy, ,.:14.c444.er 4, 1050
DETROIT JEWISH CIIRONIELL.
Page 48
father is in Israel. t one time state control, and the anti-Semi-
Anna tried to get him 'liquidated,'Itisin still widespread in the coon-
but apparently changed her mind I try saw to it that Jews got few
and let him go. Her two children of the official licenses that would
also are not in Romania. One of have permitted them to remain as
them is in Russia. The where- managers of their own businesses
abouts of the other is a mystery. On behalf of the government.
Warsaw and Paris figure among • * • •
By YOCIIANAN RAMATI
THE KIND OF PROCEDURE
many guesses.
Then the talking acquires a followed with Jewish shopkeep-
in
Romania,"
says
Chaim
Festinger,
imprisoned
EL AVIV—"Thousands of Jews are today
more somber note. People re- ers and businessmen is perhaps
as he stands in the queue of new arrivals at Shaar Aliya Camp.
member their children. They re- best illustrated by an actual ex-
"Yes," says Chaim, "thousands are in prison. Some because they are Zionists; some be- member the indoctrination to ample. Of the 2,500 drug stores in
cause they had factories or shops, and so they are Jewish bourgeoise and must be locked which they are subjected in the Romania, 80 per cent were owned
up; some simply because they are Jews, and some anti-Semitic Romanian official decided he Communist schools. "We must get by Jews. In almost every case,
them out quickly," says a man; this is what happened:
did not like the shape of their noses."
enter the
i s wou
"Unless we do, they will all be ment ol ca
`Take my own rabbi, the rabbi (!
his
search.
As
for
our
rabbi,
he'd
made
into
good
little
Reds
and
it
pharmacy
and
give
the
owner
24-
house has to have two keys,
of Lugosz," says Chaim, "I had al
never set his eyes on a dollar in will be too late." hours notice to hand it over to the
grocery there, sold everything I and one of the keys must be left
state. The order to clear out ap-
• • •
could buy from eggs and jam tol with the local security police. So his life. But they wanted him in,
plied usually not only to the
jail, and that was an easy way
FROM THE DISJOINTED stor- pharmacy itself but also the own-
pots and pans. The Communists whenever the police wanted to to get him. The official waved the
.
came and took it. They made me search your house, they could bill in the air and shouted that ies of new arrivals and reports of ers , living
quarters, which were
sell it to one of their state-owned just walk right in any time, day the rabbi wanted to cheat the local conditions received from often in the same building.
undertakings for next to nothing, or night. Once my wife and I Romanian Republic by smuggling the Israel Legation in Bucharest
A few shops managed to escape
'schlichim' h
we a s
for less than they pay to a com- were both out together, and when foreign currency. Up came a as
worked or are working in Rom- this fate, but instead were sub-
we
came
back
we
saw
they'd
mon laborer for a month's work."
been there. They turned every- couple of policemen, and hey ania, it is possible to complete a jected to periodic searches dur
took him off. I don't know what depressing picture of Jewish life ing which money found on the
Chaim looks at the journalist thing upside down too.
they gave him, but the usual is in a country that has for con- premises was confiscated as "be-
Interviewing him. "Something
But I'm forgetting, I was telling six months. I guess they used the turies past been one of European longing to the state." The sale of
else they did too," he says fierce-
their possessions became the sole
ly, " a few months before we you about our rabbi. He is a fine same bill to get hold of several Jewry's main center.
There are still 280,000 Jews in means of livelihood for more than
]eft. They passed a law that man, our rabbi. Ile was never others they wanted."
what they'd call a Zionist, but
• • •
95 per cent of the Jewish popula-
Romania—more than in any tion. One "bourgeois" sector after
deep in his heart he always want-
CHAIM
FESTINGER
is
a
small
country in the world except another was attacked. Private
ed to go to Israel. He used to
teach our young boys and girls man, with sparse greying hair. Israel, Russia and the United property and houses were confis-
His wife is middle-aged, buxom States. It was their tragedy that is
Hebrew.
and homely, with teeth covered 1947, when the Romanian govern- cated.
Anyhow, our rabbi was on the with silver crowns that glisten
Theoretically, the object of all
ment was ready to permit them
list to go with us on the "Transyl- when she smiles. She is worried
this activity was to force the
to
emigrate
freely
and
take
their
vania. But they search everybody about her daughters, who have
Jewish population into "produc-
before letting them on board, and stayed behind in Romania. They belongings with them, he Briish tive work." But in practice it did
authorities
in
Palestine
kept
the
they searched him. A big lout of will probably arrive on the next
not work out this way. First of all,
an official put a closed fist into boat. Unless, of course, someone gates of their promised land nobody who was a known Zionist
closed
to
them.
his pocket, and brought out a 10 decides to lock them up at the
can get work.
In December 1947, the last ship
dollar
I was standing next to last moment.
A few of the rank and file of
555 FARNSWORTH AVE. him at bill.
left
Constanza
to
run
the
British
the time, and I saw a bit
the movement were permitted to
The
men
and
women
in
the
blockade.
The
Communist
auth-
of
the
bill
sticking
out
from
the
TE. 1-2256
man's fist before he ever started line have begun to take part in orities clamped down on Zionism. work after signing an official re-
the conversation. Almost all of The Zionist movement was de- cantation, but this was not a pop-
them are Romanian Jews from clared illegal and the 'schlichim' ular course.
Secondly, few Jews were skill-
the Transylvania.
from Israel were asked to leave.
artisians. Hence they could only
They
did
not
leave.
Instead,
the
"Romania," says a dark-haired
be used as unskilled labor, once
L'Shono Tova
man with black horn-rimmed Romanians jailed them.
Greetings ....
their businesses were taken from
In spite of persecution at times
glasse, "Jews can't stay in Rom-
them. This often meant being
Tikosevu
ania. There are still more than amounting to terror, the Zionist conscripted for vast schemes car-
GENERAL
a quarter of a million there, and movement coninued is acivities ried out by what were to all in-
almost all want to get out. Even underground. Secret meetings tents and purposes slave workers.
SIMON KLIEN
ELECTRIC SIGN
the Shede, the Jewish Commu- were held, and letters were sent
On the other hand, people who
MYER KLIEN
nists, would go if they could. by messengers to maintain con- earn no wages or salaries are not
COMPANY
teat
between
the
various
parts
of
INSURANCE AGENCY But they are scared for their
the country. The government's eligible for ration cards, and thus
skins."
have to buy their food in the
16915 LIVERNOIS AVE.
2451 GRAND RIVER AVE.
Stories are bandied about. Anna call to all Jews to join the Com- black market. After being dis-
munist
party
and
to
forsake
their
Pauker, Romania's Jewish foreign
possessed, the majority of Rom-
UN. 3-6760
WO. 2-4456
minister, is a favorite butt. Her "bourgeoise, reactionary, anti- anian Jews found, therefore, that
Socialist Zionist movement" was
sell
not heeded, in spite of the sup- not only did they have to
■■•■•■••■••■•■•••
their furniture and valuables in
••■11■••■■•••• ■•■•■•■•••••■•• ■••■••••
4101••
■•■041■
••■ ■•■•■•••■••■•■■•■•■
port it received from the Commu- order
to live at all, but also had
nist Jewish press.
to pay considerably more for
At the same time the economic
GREETINGS
situation of Romanian Jewry be- their maintenance than the aver-
age citizen.
came desperate. Most Jews be-
It is hardly surprising that the
•
longed to the middle class or
community,
which even in 1945
were small traders. Both of these
was still quite a prosperous one,
sectors were earmarked for ex-
tinction. Communist Romania did has become rapidly impoverished
and is now on the verge of desti-
not admit the right of a man to
tution, Chances of obtaining other
keep a store he had worked all
kinds of employment are for the
his life to buld up, or even to
majority negligible or non-exis-
maintain some petty livelihood
8928 Twelfth TR. 2-3636 derived from peddling wares. tent.
Everything had to come under
■001
■•■■•■
■•■•••■•■■•■•■
IIISTADRUTII BANK
■ ■
■••■•■■■••■•••■•■
■
■
■ ■
■•■••■
TEL AVIV—(ZOA)—A central
financial institute has been est-
ablished, at the initiative of the
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Arab Department of the General
Federation of Labour (Hista-
druth), to popularize the coop-
erative movement among the
TY. 6-8220
5440 GRAND RIVER
Arab population.
OMMOala0M1• ■••■•■ •••• ■••■•■••■■•■•■•••■••■■•■■•■•
Romanian Jewish Coininunity Left
Destitute by Communist Regime
T
Greetings
NATIONAL
LAUNDRY
■••
Compliments
of a
Friend
•IIIMM>=1•10.
•••••
•••• 11,1
SHECTER
Furniture Co.
=.1 . 11.1■1041■.•■•■••■•••■■•■•=1000MB.M1016■00MIMM
• MM.
SELF SERVE
ICE-0-MATS
ANYTIME--DAY OR NIGHT
• CUBE
• BLOCK
• CRUSHED
ICE
•• ••Onal”.•
•...1
0.1••
••••=.
14••
••=1,0 MM. MO.0
UNION TIRE COMPANY
■ •••• ■ •=11011MDMIIIIM
•••■••■••■•■■ •101“MNONOMIIMIMONIN ■•■■••
•■••■0■ 0=1• ■
ROSH HASHONAH GREETINGS
from
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
ZEDAKAH CLUB
Oakland
Glass Company
■•■•■•■ •■■■• ■••■■ •••• ■ •• ■ ••••• ■ •••••• ■ •• ■ 11.100 ■•■■•■•■■■••■•■■■
10101 Grand River
THERE'S ONE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
9645 Jefferson at Pennsylvania
605 Ten Mile Rd. at G. T. R. R.
2779 Cass at Temple
16810 Grand River at Ferguson 22500 Van Dyke at Hupp
3394 So. Fort at Peters
22111 Fenkell at Rockdale
5515 Tireitan at Northfield
WE. 3-4950
4t0 W. MCNIChOIS at Second
BORIN BROS. INC.
FUEL
ICE
TO 8-8800
.. .. . . 10111 • •••••/'
The Officers and Members of
HOLIDAY GREETINGS
The Hebrew Ladies Aid Society
from the
RELIANCE
PAINT & VARNISH
MANUFACTURING 1
COMPANY
Wish a Happy, Prosperous and Peaceful
New Year to the Community and
to the People of Israel.
433 Leland TE. 1-5143
■•■
••••••• ■ •••10