The Sephardic Jewish community of Bucharest has a history spanning several centuries, but today their numbers are extremely small. Descendants of those expelled from Spain and Portugal at the end of the 15th century, the Sephardim found refuge in southern Romania and later contributed to the economic, social, and cultural life of the capital. Once visible and well-organized, they now number only a few hundred people, most of them living in Bucharest.

The beginnings of the Sephardic community in Wallachia

The expulsion of Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, following the Alhambra Decree of 1492, triggered a massive migration towards the Ottoman Empire and, from there, gradually into various regions of southeastern Europe. The first records of Sephardim in Wallachia date back to the late 15th century, and their settlement in Bucharest was officially recognized in 1730, through a document issued by Prince Nicolae Mavrocordat.

As they settled in Bucharest, the Sephardim preserved their traditions, the Ladino language, and their communal organization. Rabbis such as Eliezer Papo and Damasc Eliezer played an important role in consolidating the community’s religious and social identity during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Institutions and community life

Over time, the Sephardim in Bucharest built their own institutions, which became landmarks of their communal life. The most famous was the Cahal Grande Synagogue, built in 1819 and considered one of the most beautiful synagogues in Eastern Europe. It was destroyed during the Legionary Rebellion in 1941, an event that dramatically marked the history of the community.

Another important landmark is the Sephardic Jewish Cemetery of Bucharest, opened in 1865 and still existing today. Over the centuries, the community developed schools, cultural institutions, and charitable organizations, thus consolidating a strong identity in the capital.

Numerical decline and the impact of recent history

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Sephardic community was numerous and present not only in Bucharest but also in cities such as Craiova, Ploiești, Constanța, Brăila, and Galați. According to historian Iuliu Barasch, smaller Sephardic communities also existed in towns like Focșani and Alba Iulia.

However, the interwar period and the Legionary regime marked a turning point. Anti-Semitic laws, pogroms, and violence deeply affected the community. After 1945, the establishment of the communist regime accelerated Jewish emigration from Romania, with most choosing to settle in Israel. This trend rapidly reduced the Sephardic presence to just a few hundred people.

Sephardim today

Today, the Sephardic community in Romania is small and aging. Estimates indicate only a few hundred individuals, most of whom live in Bucharest. There is no longer a synagogue exclusively dedicated to Sephardim, but traditions are preserved through cultural events, commemorations, and the activity of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Romania.

In addition, a small number of Sephardic Jews have recently settled in Bucharest – students or businesspeople from Israel – giving a new dimension to this historic presence. Although no longer a visible community, the Sephardim remain an important part of the city’s urban and cultural memory.

The cultural heritage of the Sephardim

A distinctive feature of this community was the Ladino language, a variant of medieval Spanish passed down through generations. Although it is no longer spoken fluently in Bucharest, it remains a defining element of Sephardic identity.

The vanished buildings, such as the Cahal Grande Synagogue, and the surviving ones, like the Sephardic Cemetery, are testimonies of a community that shaped Romania’s capital for centuries. Their legacy also survives in family stories, archival documents, and scholarly works dedicated to the history of Jews in Romania.

Today, although few in number, the Sephardim of Bucharest keep alive the memory of a once prosperous and influential community that contributed to the city’s cultural diversity and to the broader history of European Jewry.