Story Summary:
The First Bukowiner Congregation was established in New York by immigrants hailing from Bukovina (Bukowina), a region today divided between Romania and Ukraine. The earliest Jewish settlement in Bukovina dates to the 14th century. The Jews of Bukovina worked as merchants, craftsmen, and workshop owners, facilitating the economic and industrial growth of the town. The Jewish population of Bukovina rose steadily, with there being over 11,000 by the 1840s. The Jewish community of Bukovina mostly perished in the Holocaust following German and Romanian invasion in 1941. Its survivors emigrated to Israel or the United States. May their memories live on. `Blog by Olivia Scanlon
1st Bukowiner Congregation Blog
The First Bukowiner Congregation was established in New York by immigrants hailing from Bukovina (Bukowina), a region today divided between Romania and Ukraine. Jewish presence in Bukovina dates to the 13th century however they only began to settle by the 14th century. In 1408, the Jewish community of Bukovina was granted freedom of mobility and commerce rights. From 1710-1834, the Bukovina Jewish community had an independent Hakham Bashi (Turkish for “Chief Rabbi").
The Jewish population of Bukovina steadily increases throughout the years, with there being about 2000 Jews in 1775, to over 3000 in 1802, and ~11,500 in 1846. The rise in population can be explained through the waves of immigration from Galicia, Ukraine, and Moldova to the town. The Jews of Bukovina worked as merchants, craftsmen, moneylenders, and owners of taverns and industrial workshops (timber and cement). The community was also very politically engaged, participating in the towns’ Zionists groups and the Bund.
The incorporation of northern Bukovina into Western Ukraine resulted in severe political and economic hardships for the communities. Ultimately, Jewish cultural and social life ceased. In 1940, the Soviet Union occupied northern Bukovina. Occupation switched to the German and Romanian armies in July of 1941. Anti-semitic legislation such as the wearing of the yellow badge and confiscation of property was enforced onto the population. In October, a ghetto was established in Chernovtsy (Chernivtsi; Cernăuƫi). Its inhabitants (~75,000) were deported to Transnistria. Survivors left for Israel or the United States. Today, less than 200 Jews reside in Bukovina.
https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/bukowinabook/bukowina.html
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/bukovina
https://jewisheritage.org/maramures-bukovina-family-roots-journeys
https://encyclopedia.yivo.org/article/54
~Blog by Olivia Scanlon
