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Romanian Cemetery Preservation
As reported here late last year (Dec. 10, 2010), the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe issued a strongly worded statement in London on November 23 stating that "this was the first time ever that a national government is openly declaring its intention to proceed in the disturbance of the graves of Holocaust victims."
This was in reference to a mass grave discovered in the town of Popericani, near Yass (Iasi), Romania. As described here last month (March 11), "The general area is known to be the place of several mass massacres of Jews during the Holocaust and presently abuts a military domain. Romanian authorities immediately secured the area and allowed no entry.
"The remains of hundreds of bodies were unearthed and brought to laboratories for 'forensic testing.' The bodies are those of men, women, and children. Many bodies were clothed in identifiably Jewish garments. The laboratory pathological work is required by law in Romania whenever an unattended body is found, to determine whether a crime was committed and, if so, to prepare for prosecution, if possible. In addition to human remains, live World War II munitions were found there as well."
Formal ceremony at reburial in Yass, Romania
Several months had passed and the human remains had not been returned to their resting place, as required by Jewish law.
As we noted last month, "After protracted diplomatic efforts, a proclamation was issued in November 2010 by the Rabbinical Board of the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe, led by the Rabbi Elyakum Schlesinger, greatly respected London Rosh Yeshiva, and joined by Romanian Chief Rabbi Menachem Hacohen."
That was followed by the reception on March 3 of a delegation of Admas Kodesh by Marian Parjol, consul general of Romania, at his offices in New York.
The delegation was led by Rabbi Sholom Eliezer Teitelbaum, brother of the Satmar Rebbe and Rav of the 15th Avenue Satmar Beis Medrash in Boro Park. Also participating in the meeting was Jules (Yitzchok) Fleischer, member of the United States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad; Rabbi Yoel Landau, board member of Admas Kodesh; Rabbi Benzion Loeb, Satmar Dayan and chairman of the Rabbinical Board of Admas Kodesh; Gary (Gershon) Schlesinger, executive board chairman, United Jewish Community Advocacy Relations and Enrichment (UJCare); Moshe Vizel, political liaison for the United Talmudical Academy School Systems of Satmar; and this writer, as director of the Rabbinical Alliance of America.
The consul general gave the delegation a warm welcome and personally assured the representatives that he would intercede on their behalf with the relevant officials.
The consul and his wife were invited to the forthcoming Satmar-Chakova wedding of Yoel Ashkenazi, son of Rabbi Chanoch Henich Ashkenazi, to Rechama Halberstam, daughter of Rabbi Yekusiel Zalman Lipa Halberstam, Chakova Rav, in Williamsburg. Rabbi Chanoch Henach Ashkenazi, father of the chassan, is a son-in-law of Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, Satmar Rebbe.
The wedding took place in the heart of Williamsburg on Monday evening, March 7.
The Wedding Invitation
Thousands of chassidim participated in the beautiful wedding. The much anticipated high point of the wedding was the mitzvah tantz (dance) of the Satmar Rebbe. Chassidim were perched on the forenches (bleachers for standing) that ran along both sides of the length of the huge beis medrash, 14 levels high on each side. Enthusiastic singing accompanied the Rebbe as he danced.
The wedding featured a multi-tiered dais that ran the entire width of the beis medrash. Upon the dais sat the Rebbe, his brother, Rabbi Sholom Eliezer Teitelbaum, and rabbinical family members of both the chassan and the kallah. In the midst of the important spectrum of chassidic rabbis and leaders on the dais sat Consul General Parjol. Directly across from him, at the other end of the large beis medrash, sat his wife amid the chassidishe ladies flanking the kallah - her mother, mother-in-law, grandmothers and great-grandmothers - on her right and on her left.
The living history of Siget and Satmar, cities in Romania, came to life before the eyes of the Romanian consul general and his wife. They were seeing and feeling what Jewish life looked like in Romania 100 years ago. The songs were the same, the dress was the same, the dancing was the same and the intensity was the same. The distinguished Romanian couple left the wedding that night imbued with a taste of Romanian Jewish vibrancy that, even after the Holocaust, miraculously endures.
Governmental Decision and Official Broadcast
On Sunday, April 3, the decision of Romanian authorities to immediately rebury the remains taken from the mass grave in Popericani was confirmed by Admas Kodesh. The remains had been painstakingly identified as to exact location of burial and meticulously stored. The reburial was scheduled for Monday, April 4, at 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. in New York). The event, with its attendant regulatory formalities and religious ceremonies, was officially broadcasted on government channels live throughout Romania and over the Internet.
