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. 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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