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from page 27
Department to issue a protest to the
Russian government.
The famous Jewish poet, Chaim
Nachman Bialik, was sent to Kishinev
on behalf of the Jewish Historical
Commission (based in Odessa) to
interview survivors and write a report
on the pogrom. The result was his
famous poem Bit Ha haregah (In the
City of Slaughter). In it, he describes
in gruesome detail the scene he found
in Kishinev.
Several important historical events
were driven by the massacre. One of
the first Jewish self-defense movements
was begun in Kishinev in the wake of
the pogrom and played a role during
future atrocities. It remained contro-
versial, with older community mem-
bers fearful it would incite further vio-
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yet suffered a terrible pogrom.
The 1903 pogrom was not the end.
In 1905, there was yet another mas-
sacre in Kishinev in which 19 Jews
were killed. In the wake of the 1903
pogrom, about 10 perecent of the
Jewish population emigrated and after
the 1905 massacre many more left.
The Kishinev pogroms also led to the
creation of the American Jewish
Committee in February 1906.
Massacres
In 1941, the Romanian army occupied
the city. The massacres started soon
thereafter, followed by the construction
of the ghetto, and the continued mur-
der of the Jews, followed by the even-
tual deportations to death camps.
Estimates indicate that in the ghetto
more than 10,000 Jews were massa-
cred; by the end of the
war, 53,000 of the
65,000 pre-war Jewish
inhabitants were dead.
Today, there are
approximately 15,000
Jews in Kishinev. They
have-their own
schools, synagogues
and cultural institu-
tions, and overall
appear comfortable.
The current Israeli
minister of transporta-
tion, Avigdor
Lieberman, who was
born in. Kishinev,
The gravestone of one of the victims of the pogrom
together with the pres-
ident of Moldova,
Vladmir Voronin,
took part in a ceremony commemorat-
lence and Zionist leaders, including
the future Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Moshe ing the anniversary of the 1903
pogrom and unveiled a new monu-
Avigdor Amiel, calling for emigration
ment dedicated to the victims. The
to Israel rather than local defense.
monument was created by a Moldovan
The Kishinev pogrom was also one
Jewish architect, Simeon Shiet, and
of the major impetuses for Theodor
has an inscription in Hebrew,
Herzl to present his controversial, and
Rumanian and Russian (but not in
eventually defeated, East Africa option
English). Unfortunately, we still need
(commonly called the Uganda Plan,
to commemorate dates such as this
although it actually involved present
because the root cause is not yet gone.
day Kenya) to the Sixth Zionist
Just one year ago, on Passover of last
Congress in August 1903. It was a
year, 50 tombstones in the Kishinev
shock to the Congress and it caused
cemetery were vandalized, many dam-
unprecedented divisions in one of the
aged beyond repair.
fiercest controversies in Zionist history.
The Kishinev Pogrom is now but a
Max Nordau defended the plan and
footnote in our history. But as has
insisted that the goal was and always
been pointed out by Rabbi Berel
would be Zion, but that there were
Wein, in 1903, the murder of fewer
Jews who needed a haven and could
than 50 Jews was enough to stir the
not wait. Jews throughout Eastern
entire world, from Roosevelt to Herzl.
Europe were suffering, but one of the
Unfortunately, the price for the attrac-
major impetuses was the horrific
tion of the world's sympathy has esca-
Kishinev pogrom. It was not the only,
lated greatly during the course of the
nor the largest, but it was a city that
20th century.
by 1897 was 46 percent Jewish and
❑
4/ 2 5
2003
28
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