SCULENI (ro) / SKULYANY (ru) / SKULEN (yid)
(Not to be confused with Sculeni district in Chișinău!)
Sculeni was first mentioned in 1432. In 1847, the Jewish community listed 624 people. In 1897, Jews constituted 1.555 of 3.375. In early 20th century, there is a synagogue and a private school for boys. Prior the WW2, in 1930, there were 1.204 Jews of 3.237. In 1940-41 several Jewish families, along with the others, were condemned to exile or prison. Being the border town between Soviet Moldova and Romania, Sculeni were occupied very soon after beginning the war. In the very first day after occupation Romanian officers found and killed hiding Jewish families, then the rest 400 Jews were taken behind the Prut river, tortured and killed there. After the war survived Jews succeeded to emigrate to the US and founded there the famous Skulener Hassidic court.
Today an unusual andheartwarming monument can be visited there: a headstone style monument to the memory of the vanished Jewish community placed at the site of the demolished Jewish cemetery. Besides, there are other Jewish and non-Jewish landmarks in Sculeni, it’s an absolutely worth visiting place.
© Jewish Heritage Moldova (Maghid NGO) Research, Education, Guiding