REZINA

REZINA, city in the region of Bessarabia, E. Moldova. Jewish settlement during the first half of the 19th century turned Rezina into an urban community. In 1847, 248 Jews were registered in Rezina; in 1897 there were 3,182 Jews (85% of the total population). A considerable part of the Jewish population engaged in viniculture and tobacco production, Rezina being the most important center for tobacco growing in Bessarabia. In 1925 200 Jewish families cultivated an area of 1,567 hectares, 1,400 of which were rented. Before World War II communal institutions included a hospital built in 1916, and a kindergarten and elementary school both maintained by the tarbut organization . In 1930 there were 2,961 Jews in Rezina (39.4% of the total population). The community was destroyed when the German and Romanian armies entered Bessarabia in July 1941. (Eliyahu Feldman) In March 1960, the only synagogue was broken into by the militia who stopped the services and confiscated two Torah scrolls and other religious articles. Upon protest Jews were informed that all the articles would be placed in a local museum. The synagogue was closed down by the authorities and converted into municipal archives.