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. Skilled merchants and craftsmen, as well as innovative artists, they once developed a good share of the city, the one that stretched from the actual Camil Ressu - Mihai Bravu crossing and all the way to Piața Unirii (En. Unirea Square). This article refers to all this area, trying to put together a longer walk across it.

The walk: start in Dristor (to get there, take the subway to Dristor 1 or 2, then go out and follow the Camil Ressu until it ends upon meeting the Mihai Bravu, at the Mc Donald’s), walk West along the Calea Dudești, with an option of doing side strolls, first along the Vasile Toneanu (left as you walk along the Calea Dudești) to see Credința Synagogue and then along the Andrei Bârseanu (right as you walk along the Caldea Dudești) to see the former Ajutorul Synagogue. After passing by the impressive, red brick, early 20th century post office at the crossing of Calea Dudești and Lucian Blaga, turn right and then left along Unirea Avenue all the way to the crossing with the Mircea Vodă, turning right along it to the crossing with Strehaia Street.

1. ➡Another option would take you from the Lucian Blaga and Unirea Avenue crossing straight across Unirea Avenue to the North, along Ion Pillat Street, then turning left along the Maximilian Popper with its right side bordered by old houses and the left one - by Communist era structures; you could then walk along the Maximilian Popper with mixed Neo-Classical and Modernist buildings, followed by the Anton Pann to the crossing with the Căuzași and Filibiliu; after a short side stroll along the Filibiliu (to the right as you go) to see the ruined, desolated structure of the former Mosaver Zekenim Synagogue (25 m. W along the Filibiliu from N44 25.731 E26 06.932), you could then go on all the way to the crossing of the Anton Pann with the Mircea Vodă where you would turn left to the crossing with Strehaia Street.  Both walking options follow the same route then.
   

You can continue exploring at ease the main piece of the Jewish Quarter, including its synagogues and theatre. A possible itinerary there would take you along the Strehaia to the Jewish Theatre, then - along the Olteni to the back of the dull, grey apartment buildings bordering the Sfânta Vineri to the Great Synagogue and eventually along the Mămulari with its Holy Union Synagogue and fine cluster of old houses. Walk on following the Sfânta Vineri to the Choral Temple across the Corneliu Coposu. Then continue along the Sfânta Vineri and then 50 m. more to the right along the Calea Moșilor, casting a glance at the Synagogue of Beit Hamidraș. Just a little farther on along the Calea Moșilor, across the street from Răzvan Church there is the former Jews’ Inn. For the Yeshua Tova Synagogue at the end of the article, you can take the subway to Piața Romană and it’s a 3 minute walk from there across Magheru Avenue and along the Take Ionescu.

What to see: many former merchant houses, with colourful small shops hosting various businesses; however, while some of these businesses have survived, most of the people living there are no longer Jews. Also, a few fine and diverse synagogues and - at least for the first part - places tourists do not go to.

Having a bite: there is a good pastry shop along the Calea Dudești (by the crossing with Gheorghe Manea Street). Then, there is next to nothing worth noting until reaching the Mircea Vodă - Matei Basarab crossing. Pastry shops and small restaurants appear afterwards, yet for a good restaurant meal I would recommend a short detour North, along the Hristo Botev to the Rossetya. With the fine Băcănia Kosher down the Strada Mântuleasa closed down as of summer 2016, there are no specific Jewish eateries or shops around to speak of.

Duration: 3-4 hours, depending on the time you spend at the Great Synagogue and at the Holy Union Synagogue (both hosting museums).

Note: the two nowadays separated parts of the walk (Dudești area, respectively the area around the Sfânta Vineri) can be joined by walking through the Romulus and Remus area, instead of following the uninspiring Unirea Avenue.

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 years 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, even now that an extensive part of the former Jewish quarter was demolished during the Communist regime and most of the Jews left, mainly 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. But many heritage buildings still stand, so it is well worth exploring them.

Credința Temple. Credința Society was founded in 1926. Its purpose was to provide better education and to support the cultural background of the poor Jewish population in Dudești District. Credința / Hevrah Emuna Temple was built on a plot of land of the former Radorin Park, in 1933. The temple was built in Modernist style, with a strictly functional, rather sober interior. In front of it there was set a flower garden, while the hall was rather small, which granted a homey, convivial touch. Next to it there was a shelter for the poor. The temple provided a canteen and had special religious services for pupils at two nearby schools (one still standing, even though in very bad state, being abandoned, on 127 Calea Dudești). As of 2012, the temple has been abandoned, but one can peek through the metal bar fence and see its facade; find it on 48 Vasile Toneanu.

GPS - N44 25.234 E26 07.686

A 10 minute walk across the Calea Dudești takes one to the structure of the former Ajutorul / Haazara Synagogue (pictured to the left), built in 1932 by a society equally meant at helping poor people in the Dudești. Since 1986 it has not served the Jews any more and its facade was changed, being turned into a warehouse and currently hosting a private company; find it on 6 Andrei Bârseanu (the simple, white building).

GPS - N44 25.452 E26 07.508

Mosaver Zekenim Synagogue (literally ‘the Elderly Home Synagogue’, as this used to be the synagogue of Regina Elisabeta Rest Home for the Elderly). The rest home was also known as Elisabetheu Rest Home. The property was meant for poor, old people that could not care for themselves. On premises there were the main rest home quarters, a synagogue, the administration offices and various annexes. It was built, as far as I could dig for information, by Regina Elisabeta Society, founded by Queen Elisabeta of Romania in 1881 with the purpose of assisting the poor, in the absence of a charity system in Romania at the time. Beginning with 1951 the property no longer served the Jewish community, hosting the Institute for Medical Expertise and Work Capability Recovery, a branch of the Communist Government social insurance apparatus. The whole compound lay abandoned and was constantly looted for wood and endowments as of early January 2012. It lies on 7-9 Ion Filibiliu, between Anton Pann and Romulus streets, stretching all the way to the crossing with the latter.

GPS - N44 25.743 E26 06.886

The Jewish Theatre. The first Jewish theatre worldwide was founded in Iași in 1876 by Avram Goldfaden. The theatre in Bucharest was built towards the end of the 19th century. It was built by Doctor Iuliu Barasch and had initially meant it as a clinic, but eventually raised a cultural house for the community. The 1940s that saw the Jewish oppression and the Romanian Holocaust did not allow acts in Yiddish or Jewish actors on Romanian theatre stages, so that a few actors, writers and musicians founded here the Barascheum Theatre, where they acted in Romanian. The theatre had two halls, one on the ground floor for plays and a smaller one on the ground floor for musicals. Like all private business in the country, the theatre was nationalized in 1948, while the building was restored in 1954-1955. I recommend attending an excellent performance at the Jewish Theatre, featuring Maia Morgenstern or Rudi Rosenfeld (performances are held in Yiddish, always translated in Romanian through earphones).

GPS - N44 25.759 E26 06.623

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 Holy Union Temple (also known as Ahdut Kodeș / Ahdut Kodesh, Ro. Unirea Sfântă 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

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

Beit Hamidraș / Beit Hamidrash Synagogue (also spelled in different sources as Beth Hamidraș / Beth Hamidrash, Bet Hamidraș / Bet Hamidrash, Beth Midrash or Beit Midrash) was founded in 1781 in a building donated to the Jewish community by a local lady; initially it bore her and her husband’s name, ‘Bet Hamidraș - Naftale and Taube Synagogue’. The building lay next to the aforementioned 18th century Jews’ Inn. Between 1812 and 1817, the synagogue functioned in the basement of a jeweler’s house and shop, hence its change of name changed to: ‘Bet Hamidraș - Dania lui Haim Ioines Giuvaergiul’ (En. Bet Hamidraș - Haim Ioines the Jeweler’s Donation’. A distinct building was raised by the Jewish community in 1830, but it burnt down during the great fire of 1847 and it was rebuilt towards the second half of the 19th century, bearing a fine rosetta above the main entrance. Hit by the 1940 earthquake, it was destroyed and burned down during the Legionary Rebellion of January 21-24, 1941 (read more on the Romanian Holocaust here), when 23 faithful caught inside during the religious service were killed. It was restored in 1947, when a much simpler facade from the initial one was achieved. It was repaired again in 1955 and it was used by the Jewish community for service until 1978, when it was no longer used by the community, being turned into a warehouse.

During its existence it was also known as the Bet Hamidraș Vechi (En. the Old Bet Hamidraș) or the Sinagoga de la Sfântu Gheorghe (En. the Synagogue at St. George, with reference to the quarter it lay next to, the Mahala of St. George). It lies on 78 Calea Moșilor. On can see it from the Calea Moșilor if looking carefully (it lies between the bookshop and a car service, on the Southern side of the street, just off the small square with a tramway junction). A little farther NE along the Calea Moșilor from the synagogue there is a line of buildings: first there is the 1867 Hristo Georgiev House (set by a Bulgarian merchant) and right after it, the building with arched patterns above the windows, there is what still stands of the former Hanul Ovreesc / Hanul Evreiesc (En. Jews’ Inn, pictured next to this paragraph). As points of reference, the ground floor of the former inn hosts a naturist shop with a purple facade, a mountaineering gear shop, a florist and another shop selling plastic window frames.

GPS - N44 25.937 E26 06.366

Yeshua Tova Synagogue was built in 1827, also being called "Podul Mogoșoaiei Synagogue" (as a reference to Calea Victoriei Avenue it lies 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

Click here for an album of pictures shot along this walk, with their respective GPS coordinates; I have arranged them in the sequence mentioned in the walk description above.