The Jews of Gherla: Szamosújvár’s Synagogue and the Deportation Memorial
In Gherla, the Armenian town between Cluj and Dej, an Orthodox community of about a thousand grew up in the 19th century.…
GHERLA · JEWISH HERITAGE
Jewish Gherla
Gherla (Hungarian Szamosújvár), a small town on the Someș between Cluj and Dej, was founded as an Armenian town, and Jews settled there only after 1848. The 1930 census counted about a thousand Jews, in an Orthodox community with a large synagogue, a Talmud Torah and a mikveh. In 1940 the town passed to Hungary, and in May 1944 its Jews were deported, via the Cluj ghetto, to Auschwitz. The synagogue on Strada Crișan stands derelict, with a 2016 memorial beside it bearing the names of 1,040 victims.
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- Holocaust and Remembrance
- Jewish Communities
- Synagogues
HERITAGE COLLECTION
1 storyStories from Gherla
Practical information
- Synagogue and memorial
- Strada Crișan 46, according to the Federation · not in use; exterior viewing
- Cemetery
- Orthodox, locked gate · no official address published; by arrangement
- Arrangements
- Jewish Community of Cluj or the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania
- On the way
- On the road and railway between Cluj and Dej
- Nearby
- Cluj; Dej; Bistrița; Turda
- Kosher food
- We found no kosher food in the town · bring supplies
The nearest Jewish community to Gherla
The Federation’s directory lists no Jewish community in Gherla. The nearest registered community is in Dej, about 15 km away as the crow flies.
Jewish Community of Dej
- President
- Yael Gross
- Community office
- Str. Înfrățirii nr. 3, bl. C3, ap. 2, Dej
- Phone/fax
- 0264 215 179
- comev.dej@gmail.com
Details from the community directory of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania (FCER), checked on 5 November 2026. Contact the community before visiting to arrange access to the synagogue or cemetery and to ask about a minyan and kosher food. FCER community directory
Synagogues in Gherla
Synagogue
str. Crișan 46 · Built in 1911
From the list of synagogues of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania (FCER), checked on 5 November 2026. Synagogues marked “In use” are listed as functioning. The others still stand but may be closed or used as a museum or hall. Arrange visits with the community in advance. FCER list
Jewish cemeteries in Gherla
Gherla
str. Dumbravei 95
Jewish cemeteries nearby
- Șic, about 11 km
- Mahal, about 12 km
- Batin, about 12 km
- Aluniș, about 13 km
- Dej, about 13 km
- Diviciorii Mari, about 13 km
- Bonțida, about 15 km
- Urișor, about 16 km
From the Federation’s cemetery list (2007). Arrange visits in advance with the community, which holds the keys.
Map of Jewish cemeteries in RomaniaHalachic times in Gherla
Astronomical calculation for the town-centre coordinates, sea-level horizon, Romanian time: dawn 16.1°, tallit & tefillin 11.5°, nightfall 7.083°, candle lighting 18 minutes before sunset, Shabbat ends 8.5°. For orientation only; consult a rabbi on questions of halacha.
Kosher products in Gherla
Supermarket chains in town
We could not verify branches of the large chains in town. Check the store locators:
Packaged products: our kosher catalogue
Hundreds of products from Romanian supermarkets with a recognised hechsher. In the catalogue you can filter by the chain you shop at.
Open the kosher catalogueWhat you can buy fresh in any supermarket
- Fresh, whole fruit and vegetables — no kashrut issue, but leafy greens, cabbage, broccoli and strawberries must be checked for insects.
- Fresh, whole fish — a fish where you can see fins and scales, such as carp, trout, whole salmon or sea bream. Ask the shop not to clean or cut it with its own knives, or clean it at home with kosher utensils. Fillets without skin, smoked or seasoned fish — only with a hechsher.
- Eggs — permitted; check each egg for blood spots before use.
- Staples — water, sugar, salt, rice and oil — preferably from the catalogue or with a kosher symbol on the pack.
- Meat, poultry, dairy, cheese and bread — only under recognised supervision. You can order kosher meals from Moise House or ask the local Jewish community.
General guidance for travellers. For any kashrut question, consult a rabbi.