TELENEȘTI (ro) / TELENESHTY (ru) / TELENESHT (yid)
The location was settled in ancient period, the town of Telenești exists here since Middle ages (the data vary from mid-15th to late 17th century). Jews are believed to appear here after 1812. In 1847 the Jewish community here listed 1637 people. In 1897 Jews constituted 3876 of 4379. There were at least 3 synagogues and 2 prayer houses, a beit midrash. In 1930 Jews constituted 2811 of 3801 people. In 1941 some Jews were drafted to the Soviet Army, some succeeded to escape, in July at least 150 people were shot and buried in 3 mass graves. In 1940s more than 100 people from Teleneshti, mostly Jews, were imprizoned or exiled by the Soviet power. Large part of the community perished in Holocaust, few Jews survived.
In Telenești we should visit the Jewish cemetery, dated back to at least early 20th century, and remains of the older one; and the Jewish neighborhood is still recognizable.
© Jewish Heritage Moldova (Maghid NGO) Research, Education, Guiding