The Jewish Educational System in Romania in Yad Vashem Studies, Volume XX

The Jewish Educational System in Romania during World War II 1940-1944

In October 1940, all Jewish students were banned from Romanian educational institutions and Jewish teachers were not allowed to teach in Romanian schools. The Jewish community reorganized its educational system, establishing communal and private schools, and four colleges in Bucharest. Due to the efforts of the Romanian Zionist organization headed by Moshe Benvenisti, Hebrew education in wartime was strengthened until early 1944, when Zionist leaders and Hebrew teachers were arrested. A number of pupils and teachers were attacked or murdered by Iron Guard supporters; others were deported to Transnistria. The figures on Jewish education in Czernowitz and in the ghettos of Transnistria are given. This unique Jewish education network was able to carry on its work by the lobbying efforts of Jewish leaders such as W. Filderman and Rabbi A. Safran, and because of the opportunism of Antonescu and other Romanian leaders who were interested in avoiding a complete rupture with Western countries.