As one can read more in depth in the dedicated section, Jews have played an important part in the history and development of Bucharest. Therefore, even after a not at all friendly period, one can still experience the legacy they created. For a description of the walk I recommend across the former Jewish District (from Dristor to Piața Unirii), refer to my Jewish District article.

The Jewish Quarter. The Jews in Wallachia came especially from South-Eastern Europe and the Ottoman Empire; this is about the Sephardic Jews that had been thrown out of Spain and Portugal in the 15th century. First there came merchants and moneylenders from the Ottoman Empire, as early as the 16th century. The first record of Sephardic Jewish communities in Bucharest dates from 1550. Bucharest started to develop in the 17th century and the Jews South of the Danube, especially in Nikopole (Bulgarian town on the Danube), which belonged mainly to the Sephardic confession, crossed the river, settling intense trading activities in this city. The same period saw the coming of the Ashkenazim Jews from Ukraine and Poland. Involved mostly in trade, money lending and crafts, Jews developed a strong community in Bucharest.

In 1794 Historian Gheorghe Ionescu Gion notes a synagogue in Nicolescu Inn, in front of Răzvan Church, and a significant Jewish population around which upset the Patriarch of Jerusalem and had the synagogue closed down. He also mentions that most of the Jews lived in the district called the Mahalaua Popescului (around the crossing of Căuzași Street and the actual Mircea Vodă Avenue), where they had synagogues ever since the 17th century. In 1787 Phanariote Prince of Wallachia Nicholas Mavrogenes (Nicolae Mavrogheni) granted the Jewish community a plot of land to build a synagogue in the same mahala and decreed Jews as tax exempt. The same 18th century saw the building of the so-called Hanul Ovreesc / Hanul Evreiesc (En. Jews’ Inn), also known as Hanul Zisu (En. Zisu Inn) along the actual Calea Moșilor, across the street from Răzvan Church. The 19th century saw a great development of the Jewish community in Bucharest, with districts where its members lived in majority or had a major role, such as the ones around the Calea Dudești, Calea Văcărești, parts of the Calea Moșilor (including the actual crossing of the Calea Moșilor with the Dacia and the one around the Foișorul de Foc), the quarter of Sf. Gheorghe. In 1800 there were 204 families, while the number of the Jews grew in the year to come, reaching 2600 in 1835, 5934 in 1860 and 23887 in 1889. The number of synagogues and houses of prayer also evolved, from 10 belonging to the Ashkenazim community and 1 to the Sephardic one in 1832, to the 30 in 1861. In 1912 there were 44,000 Jews (and around 70 temples) in Bucharest, in 1921 their number rose to 70,000, it got to 98,000 in 1941 (with 32 temples), reached the peak of 150,000 after WW2, in 1948, just to fall afterwards to 15,000 in 1966 (with 23 temples), respectively 4,000 nowadays (with 2 temples holding service, 2 hosting museums, 1 abandoned and a few others no longer serving the community). The heritage of the Jewish community in Bucharest is still impressive, given the fact that an extensive part of the former Jewish quarter was demolished during the Communist regime and most of the Jews left to Israel or the USA.

Given the once extensive Jewish population in Bucharest, this quarter used to be quite large. Starting at nowadays Piața Unirii, it used to go all the way to Dristor Quarter (Dristor metro station area nowadays), with the poorer located farther from the Târg. Dudești, Vitan, Nerva Traian and their whereabouts hosted many Jews. Many of them set their houses in the neighbourhood of very rich boyars of the 18th century, the Dudești which had big houses, a famous garden set on an English park pattern and a pond. In this area the Jews set picturesque houses that opened to small patio-like inner yards. The trading and crafting life of the former Jewish District was thriving: in 1940 the Calea Dudești - Calea Văcărești area counted 47 delikatessen and spice shops, 33 haberdashers, 25 tailors, 20 haircutters, 12 butchers, 8 grocers, 8 technical painters, 7 shoemakers, 4 glassware shops, 4 hat makers, 4 tinsmiths and 7 different other craftsmen.

It is important to note that, before the Systematization program during the Communist regime, the Calea Dudești used to stretch farther West, meeting the Mircea Vodă close to the Calea Văcărești, getting not far from the Piața Unirii; that old part of town, including the stretch of the old Calea Văcărești would totally disappear in the 1980s. A part of the Jewish heritage was demolished, together with churches, residences and other historic monuments during the aforementioned 1980s, as President Ceaușescu wanted to develop his urban systematization project. Just a mere example, the area between Piața Unirii (W), Mircea Vodă Avenue (E), the actual Unirea Avenue (S) and Calea Călărașilor once hosted 20 synagogues, of which only 2 still stand nowadays. After the Legionary Rebellion of January 1941, the Holocaust and the postwar Jews' leaving to Israel, most of the colourful soul of the area has disappeared. It is still interesting, however, to walk along nowadays abandoned streets SE of Unirea Square, or to attend an excellent performance at the Jewish Theatre, featuring Maia Morgenstern or Rudy Rosenfeld (performances are held in Yiddish, always translated in Romanian through earphones).

GPS - N44 25.759 E26 06.623

The Holy Union Temple was built in 1850 by the Jewish Tailors’ Guild of Bucharest. The structure is sustained by steel columns and the facade is decorated with alternative layers of bricks and white plaster. The whole composition gathers Moorish, Romanesque and Byzantine elements, with obvious influences from the religious and laic Wallachian architecture. Nowadays the temple hosts the Jewish History Museum (tel.: (021)3110870, open 09.00-13.00, closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays; ring the bell on the gate and wait for someone to come open it, have your ID or passport in hand), exhibiting proof of the once large Jewish community existence, as well as a memorial for the deportation and extermination years. Those interested in the study of the Jewish community even further can go to the Jewish History Institute nearby (ask the museum caretaker for directions).

GPS - N44 25.712 E26 06.475

Other still surviving synagogues in Bucharest, apart from the ones below, include Credința Temple (48 Vasile Toneanu between Dudești and Vitan avenues, raised in 1926 in a mainly Modernist style and still in use for religious service), Bet Hamirdaș Synagogue (78 Moșilor Avenue, initially founded in 1781 and nowadays no longer serving the Jews), Ajutorul Synagogue (6 Andrei Bârseanu, behind the phone company office at the crossing of Dudești and Vitan avenues, raised in 1906 and hosting a warehouse since 1986), respectively Mosaver Zekenim Synagogue (7-9 Ion Filibiliu). Find more details on these synagogues on the Jewish District walk page.

The Great Synagogue was raised in 1845 by the Lech (Polish) Jews Community. Its actual looks are a result of the multiple changes and restorations over the years: it was repaired in 1865, redesigned in 1903 and 1909, repainted in Rococo style in 1936 by Ghershon Horowitz (coming from a painters’ family of Focșani), then it was restored once again in 1945, as it had been devastated by the extreme right Legionaries. It is one of the largest synagogues in the country and possibly the one with the most beautiful interior. For all these, it was included by the Romanian Academy on the list of the historic monuments, fact that probably saved it from the demolition that covered most of the area around in the late 1980s. It has been hosting, ever since 1992, an exhibition entitled the Memorial of Jewish Martyrs “Chief Rabbi Dr. Mozes Rosen” (open 10.00-13.00, closed on Saturday and Monday, ask the guard in the little kiosk opposite the gate for directions or, if there is nobody, ask in the above-mentioned Holy Union Temple for directions to get inside). Inside, ask for Mr. Aristide Streja, for a tour; there is no entrance charge, but donations are appreciated. Just like Mihai Vodă Church, this synagogue has been virtually fenced off with concrete buildings, so as to hide it from public sight. GPS - N44 25.794 E26 06.508

The Choral Temple is the best known monument of Jewish heritage in Bucharest, generally open only for services, but you could try your luck with the guards at the gate. The temple was designed by Enderle and Freiwald, inspired by Ludwig von Förster which was drawing the plans for the Leopoldstadt-Tempelgasse built in Vienna in 1855-1858. Being plundered by the Legionaries, the building was refurbished in 1945. The building has contra-forts and small towers in the corners, while the rosettes existing on the front facade nicely process cruciform concepts, also existing in the model of Vienna. In front of the monumental building there is a monument of the Holocaust, a great Menora that well balances the small yard. There are services weekly on Fridays (the hour changes), as well as on Saturdays at 08.30 and 18.00. GPS - N44 25.846 E26 06.380

Yeshua Tova Synagogue was built in 1827, also being called "Podul Mogoșoaiei" (as a reference to Calea Victoriei Avenue it lay close to). This is the oldest synagogue in the city still in service. It was modified later, being added the facade along the street, which follows the monumental triptic concept. The synagogue has thrones placed to the sides of the Chivot, meant for important guests. On the street facade, it bears a relief depicting the ten commandments. It can host 300 people inside and it is only open when there is service inside. GPS - N44 26.664 E26 05.837