Independent Moldova
During the events surrounding the independence of Moldova, the population of Jews declined sharply. At the end of 1993, there were an estimated 15,000 Jews in Republic of Moldova. During the same year, 2,173 Jews emigrated to Israel. There were two Jewish periodical publications, both published in Kishinev (Chişinău). The most widely circulated was наш голос Nash golos — אונדזער קול Undzer kol ("Our Voice"), in Yiddish and Russian.
The 2004 censuses in Moldova and Transnistria registered a total of 4,867 Jews in Moldova.
There are only two functioning synagogues in Chisinau. One of them is on Strada Habad Lubavici near Str. Eminescu, and is run by Chabad. In recent years messianic Jews have also set up a church in Buiucani. However there are other synagogues elsewhere in the country. There is a Holocaust memorial in Chisinau and a memorial to the victims of the pogrom in the early 20th century.
However, anti-semitism is still commonplace; several churches and political organisations still refer to anti-semitic rhetoric. In addition, far right and neo-Nazi groups are active in the country. Because religion was heavily restricted in Soviet times it is likely that there are many more people of Jewish heritage in Moldova than practice the religion, but many simply may not know about it.
Read more about this topic: History Of The Jews In Moldova
Famous quotes containing the word independent:
“We are independent of the change we detect. The longer the lever, the less perceptible its motion. It is the slowest pulsation which is the most vital. The hero then will know how to wait, as well as to make haste. All good abides with him who waiteth wisely; we shall sooner overtake the dawn by remaining here than by hurrying over the hills of the west.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)