Pinkas Hakehillot Romania: Bucecea (Pages 39-40)

“Bucecea” - Encyclopedia of Jewish
Communities in Romania, Volume 1
(Romania)
47°46' / 26°26'

Translation from Pinkas Hakehillot Romania

Published in Jerusalem, 1969

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This is a translation from: Pinkas Hakehillot: Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities, Romania,
Volume 1, pages 39-40, published by Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, 1969

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[Page 39]

Bucecea, Romania

Translated by Jerrold Landau

Donated by

Bucecea is a town in the Moldova province, Botosani region,
approximately 60 kilometers from the regional capital.

Jewish Population

Year	Population	% of Jews in General Population
1831	98	86.7
1838	172
1859	523	61.2%
1899	1,281	72.0%
1910	945
1930	848	59.9%
1941	758	59.5%
1947	300

Until the Outbreak of the Second World War

Bucecea was founded in 1828 through the authorization of the Prince Ionita Sturza. Jews settled there on the basis of the customary privileges. Between 1831 and 1930, most of the residents were Jews. They earned their livelihood from the raising of cattle, and they were also tavern owners, butchers, bakers, soap makers, shopkeepers and peddlers.

In September 1894, 200 of the 400 Jews of the town were liable to be expelled. However, the ruler of the region annulled the decree of expulsion due to the damage that the expulsion of the Jews would cause to the economy of the town.

The community was organized in 1900, and was headed by nine members. Three quarters of the income of the meat tax was used to strengthen the school. The other quarter was used to support those of meager means.

The authority of the local rabbi also encompassed the Jews of the region, through the power of the Hassidic movement which was powerful in Bucecea. In 1880, he appointed the rabbi of the town of Herta, with the authorization of the owner of the estate.

During the farmer's revolt, a thousand farmers from the neighboring villages broke into Bucecea on March 18, 1907. They pillaged the shops and homes of the Jews. Several of the Jews who fled to the forest were arrested on the way by the farmers, who even stole their personal belongings from them. During these disturbances, 154 Jewish houses were robbed, and 20 families were left without any means.

In 1910, there were 79 merchants, 11 tailors, 8 shoemakers, one tinsmith, 4 carpenters and 37 practitioners of other professions among the Jews. That year, the community did not have a school, but only several cheders.

In 1937, the local community had five synagogues, a school with two teachers, a kindergarten, and a kosher mikva (ritual bath). There was also a cemetery, which existed from the beginning of the existence of the Jewish settlement in Bucecea.

[Page 40]

During the Holocaust

In June 1941, with the outbreak of the war against the Soviet Union, all of the Jews of Bucecea were expelled to the regional capital of Botosani. The men were enlisted to forced labor. Many of them were sent to Bessarabia, were they worked in a quarry.

After the war, some of those expelled returned to Bucecea and renewed the community.