Story Summary:
The 1st Buzeur Benevolent Society was founded in 1904 in New York by immigrants hailing from Buzau, Romania. The society held various social and charity events, and provided financial support in cases of illness and death. The society has subsidized burial at Mount Hebron and Mount Zion Cemeteries. Jewish presence in Buzau dates to the 16th/17th century. Many worked as merchants and craftsmen, contributing to the town's development. The Jews of Buzau (and those from nearby towns who were expelled to Buzau) perished during the Holocaust. Their memories live on. ~Blog by Olivia Scanlon
1st Buzeur Benevolent Society
The 1st Buzeur Benevolent Society was founded in 1904 in New York by immigrants hailing from Buzau, Romania. The society held various social and charity events, and provided financial support in cases of illness and death. The society has subsidized burial at Mount Hebron and Mount Zion Cemeteries.
Buzau is a town located in Central Romania. Jewish presence dates to the 16th/17th century. Having formed an organized community in the 1830s, they became especially prominent for their contributions to the town's development during the 19th/20th centuries (Buzau became a railway hub). In 1831, there were three Jewish families (about 15 people) in the town. This number grew to over 1600 by 1899. Many worked as merchants and craftsmen. By the outbreak of WWII, there were still about 1600 people in the town. In 1873, a Jewish school was established in Buzau. In 1885, the Great Synagogue was built. Shortly after, an elementary school for both boys and girls was established, in addition to a kindergarten and a bath house. In 1896, a new Jewish cemetery was established. The Great Synagogue erected in 1885 was replaced by the Temple during the early 20th century.
Following German occupation in 1940, the Jews of Buzau (including those from surrounding areas who were expelled to Buzau) were subjected to forced labor. In April 1944, about 900 orphans arrived in Buzau. They were taken care of by the community until they were deported to Transnistria. A man by the name of Anghel Anutoiu notified people about the Nazi raids, helping many escape before deportation. After the war, some returned but eventually migrated overseas. The Temple was repaired in 1946 with help from the Joint Distribution Committee. The Temple is no longer active as of 2019.
https://archives.cjh.org/repositories/7/resources/22389
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/buzau
https://cja.huji.ac.il/home/pics/events/Romania_2019.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buz%C4%83u#:~:text=Still%2C%20during%20World%20War%20II,Sterian%20and%20philosopher%20Ludwig%20Grunberg.
~Blog by Olivia Scanlon
