The Jews of Zalău: the cemetery of Zilah and a community reborn
In Zalău, the county seat of Sălaj, a community of merchants and craftsmen lived until 1944. Its Jews were deported via the…
ZALAU · JEWISH HERITAGE
Jewish Zalău
Zalău (Hungarian Zilah), the county seat of Sălaj, was home to a Jewish community of several hundred merchants and craftsmen. From 1940 to 1944 the town was under Hungarian rule, and in May and June 1944 its Jews were sent to the collection camp at the brick factory in Cehei, near Șimleu Silvaniei, and from there to Auschwitz. The synagogue was demolished in 1970. The Jewish cemetery survives, and an independent Jewish community, registered with the Federation, has been active in the town since 2013–2014.
- 1 story
- Cemeteries
- Holocaust and Remembrance
- Jewish Communities
HERITAGE COLLECTION
1 storyStories from Zalău
Practical information
- Jewish Community of Zalău
- Str. Gheorghe Lazăr nr. 2, according to the Federation · arrange in advance
- Cemetery
- Traian district · no official address or hours published; by arrangement with the community
- Synagogue
- Demolished in 1970
- Nearby
- Șimleu Silvaniei (Northern Transylvania Holocaust Memorial Museum); Carei; Satu Mare; Cluj
- Kosher food
- We found no kosher food in the town · bring supplies
The Jewish community in Zalău
Jewish Community of Zalău
- President
- Dan Has
- Community office
- Str. Gheorghe Lazăr nr. 2, Zalău
- Website
- jewish-salaj.blogspot.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
Jewish cemeteries in Zalău
Ortelec
No address on the official list
Zalău
No address on the official list
Jewish cemeteries nearby
- Aghireș, about 4 km
- Vârsolt, about 11 km
- Diosod, about 12 km
- Chichișa, about 12 km
- Coșeiu, about 15 km
- Agrij, about 15 km
- Chilioara, about 16 km
- Jibou, about 17 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 Zalău
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 Zalău
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.