Cluj Jewish Community

Today we are going to the office of the Jewish Community to pay for tomorrow’s Seder.


It's as hard as converting. They are too small to have a presence in the temple so they have a small hidden office staffed by old people. This is significant for two reasons: only those under 40 typically speak English, and we were told that the 300 Jews left in Cluj are all senior citizens.

To get in contact with the Jewish Community, Jan went to the tourist office. They made three relatively lengthy calls and found that there are no Friday night services, Saturday morning services are held at a small building in the city center (downtown) and that there is a "dinner before Easter" that we can come to. So Jan walked to the small building as told--no sign, all locked up and all windows covered by curtains.

The next day Jan went back to the tourist office (they speak English and have access to a phone), and they called again. This time they were told Jan should come to the Jewish Community Office, also in the city center but about 3 blocks from the location of services. They told her that it is at the back of a courtyard, through an alley.

Jan went there and found a person who asked that she come back tomorrow morning because there was no one who either spoke English or who could take our reservation. Jan is not sure which.

The next day, Jan went back, walked in the door, but all 3 doors leading from the front hall were closed. People were briskly walking in and out of the doors and out of the building, there was talking behind all 3 doors. Jan didn't know what to do so she waited until a young person came, asked him and he ushered her into the main office.

It was all old wood, desks and counters in several places, at least 5 people working there and lines in front of most of the people. Jan walked up to the line with no people. You guessed it, he didn't speak English.

The young man who brought her in was recruited to see what she wanted. Jan explained, he explained and Jan was sent to the back of the room, which is where the young man was going too. He finish his business but sort of hung around for a second to help Jan. After about 5 minutes of explaining who Jan was, why she was here, yes she was Jewish (remember, this poor young guy was translating all of this), the staff explained that they knew they were having a Seder, probably on the first night at 7 p.m. but didn't know the location or how much until everyone signed up. Either Jan should come back later or they would get back to her.

While Jan had her "personal translator" with her, she asked if she could make an appointment to meet with an English speaking person to explain the local Jewish community and Temple. The woman told her translator to take her across the hall, which he obediently did. The man across the hall spoke English and was very busy but was interested in Jan’s story so he wanted to talk to her on the spot. Jan thanked her translator and tried to say good bye, but the Director said the young man should stay in case he couldn't find the right words! Jan explained that she didn't know the young man, but the Director said that's ok, he should stay!!

We chatted for a few minutes where Jan learned that there were 80,000 Jews in Cluj (now a city of 300,000. We don't know what it was pre-WWII) They were all deported (a word used everywhere we have been in Europe for what happened to the Jews.) After the war 8,000 were still alive. Most emigrated to Israel. The rest started over here because nothing was left of their land, homes or belongings. He explained that there are no young Jews because there are mixed marriages and children are not being raised Jewish, or the younger ones are moving out of Cluj.

Then he asked if Jan needed to buy matzo and wanted to come to the Seder. He walked her and her translating buddy back to the other office, got our names down on the Seder list, and put her in the line to buy matzo. It turns out that was the line she was in earlier and that's why the place is so busy. They sell matzo, kosher wine and kosher grape juice from their office.

Jan finished her visit and walked out with her buddy, her matzo and instructions to come back the Sunday before the Seder and pay for the Seder. She asked her buddy if he was Jewish. He told her his grandfather was, and he had just come to buy him a box of matzo!

P.S. We went back this morning. The women in charge of the Seder said “Jan Goldstein!!” with a thick Romanian pronunciation and both of us received double kisses as we left.