The carved and painted wooden Aron ha Kodesh (Ark) from the historic Great Synagogue in Siret, Romania has been dismantled and taken to Israel, where it will be sold at auction on February 20. Photos show it was replaced in the synagogue by a replica within the past three years.
The Federation of Romanian Jewish Communities FEDROM, the official owner of the synagogue, denied knowledge of the removal and said it was acting to find out what happened.
In its auction advertisement, the Moreshet auction house in Jerusalem calls the Ark a “museum-worthy item of extreme historic value” that dates from the early 19th century — and sets the opening bid at $35,000.
The Moreshet web page says that the Ark was recently dismantled “in a complex operation and after great efforts” but does not say who carried out its removal from the synagogue. Nor does it give specifics about who did it and who is selling the Ark.
It states (this is a combination of the English and Hebrew web sites):
A few years ago, during a visit to the city of Siret, it became clear that the ancient Holy Ark, located in the area, was meant for some reason to be dismantled in order to create a new Holy Ark. A Jew with a warm heart and a developed sense of history decided to do something, he undertook instead to finance the new Ark, and in exchange for him to professionally and responsibly dismantle the old one in order to preserve it for future generations. In a complex operation and after great efforts, the Holy Ark was brought to Israel a few months ago and is now here before you Height: 5.4m without the stairs, width: 1.4 meters at the bottom, 2.2 meters at the top; depth: 0.7 meters, the Holy Ark was assembled again here in Israel, there are minor flaws and imperfections, general condition is good. Assembly and transportation will fall to the buyer.
In an email exchange, Moreshet said that the original Ark had been replaced by a replica already three years ago. It said it had documentation on the sale.
Photographs taken at the site this week confirmed that the Aron currently in the synagogue is a simplified replica of the original. Photos from April 2016 show that the original Ark was still in place at that time.
FEDROM expressed shock at the news and issued the following statement:
FEDROM (and implicitly the local Jewish Community), is the rightful owner, and the sole owner recognized by law, of all and any synagogues existing on Romanian territory, but as such, it has no knowledge about the selling, dismantling, replacement-replica, or taking the Ark (Aron Kodesh) out of the synagogue and out of the country. Furthermore there are no visible signs of forced entry or robbery on the site.
We will take all necessary steps of action to clarify this tangled issue.
Historic movable heritage objects like this cannot be exported legally without clearances, including from the Culture Ministry.
The Moreshet web site describes the Ark thus:
[It] was decorated with wooden beams with a Star of David with a caption bearing the inscription “And you made an offering of pure gold”, and above it the Tablets of the Ten Commandments with large wooden reliefs vases and flowers. The entire cabinet is decorated with wooden decorations, some of which are golden. In front of the ark is a hand-made metal railing. The curtain is a bright floral pattern, with the symbols of the Star of David on it embroidered: “This is evidence of the generosity of Mr. Manali Satungar and his son for the soul of his wife and their mother M. Yantu [Yenta] Rachel B. Elijah [daughter of Elijah] Pinhas Nef [died] [1944] in Mogilov (Mohilev-Podilsky-Ukraine)
Its web site provides pictures of the dismantled sections of the Aron, including the wooden portions, the metal railings, and even the curtain.
Click here to see a recent photo documentation of the synagogue by Daniel Gruenfeld/Centropa
Click to see a photo documentation of the Ark on the Center for Jewish Art web site
Siret is located in northern Romania’s Bucovina region, just south of the border with Ukraine. No Jews remain in the town.
The synagogue is believed to have been built in 1840 and is noted for its fine ceiling paintings of the zodiac and Talmudic animals. Carved and painted wooden arks feature in a number of synagogues in northern Romania, including Botosani, Iasi, Targu Neamt, Roman, and others. (See, for example, documentation of some on the web site romanian-synagogues.org)
Siret is also the site of three historic Jewish cemeteries, including one of the oldest in Romania, believed founded in the 16th century.
All three are situated near each other and feature very fine carved decoration.
In 2013, a tri-lingual signage was put up to mark the Old Jewish Cemetery and the synagogue, as well as other historic sites, in Siret. The signage, in Romanian, Ukrainian and English, has been placed as part of an EU-funded cross-border development project involving Romania, Ukraine and Moldova, apparently aimed to highlight shared heritage, culture and history in a region that has been carved up over time.
7 comments on “Further Updated with Statement from Romanian Jewish Federation: Carved wooden ark of historic synagogue in Siret, Romania dismantled & taken to Israel, where it is up for auction”
Where are the photos taken at the site this week of the so-called replica ark?
I have them and am waiting to have permission from the photographer to publish them.
Hard, to impossible to believe that nobody within the Jewish community of Romania did not know about this affair/gischeft. The local community, from the centre to most of the provincial towns, reeks of the most disgusting corrupt practices.
The Romanian Jewish Federation is ruled by the most vicious crooks, people who shame the otherwise respectable local Jewish fold.
I agree wholeheartedly with Catherine and wonder how a police inquiry could be started in Siret. A number of people would have had to be involved, this could not have happened secretly. It is appalling that Bukovina’s stunning Jewish heritage be stolen or sold off – and one of those two things happened in order for the ark to end up for auction.
The Federation is sending a representative to Siret today (Tuesday) to check the situation and wants to halt the auction. The auction house now says that a replica ark was in place already three years ago. As I was told, a heritage object such as this could not have been exported legally without official clearance, including from the Culture Ministry
the replica was put in place after April 26 .2016. we retrived few photos from Daniel Gruenfeld, of Germany , it is clear that his photos show the ark which is seen in your photos taken in 2006
Is this not a matter for the police in Israel, even Interpol?
There is a shameful history of local Jewish entities making a business or worse, practicing quiet extortion regarding sacred objects in their community.
As one example, in my parents’ home town the synagogue, which became a warehouse, was eventually renovated and became a music school. Somewhere along the way the marble pillars supporting the gallery “disappeared” and were replaced with steel beams. At the same time a self-appointed Jewish community leader was soliciting donations from abroad, pocketing the money and trying to sell off the Toras.
Perhaps moving deplorable practices such as the theft of this Aron Kodesh into the legal/criminal sphere will deter similar practices in future. G-d knows too much money has gone into the pockets of exploiters who prey on the remnants (usually Holocaust survivors) and descendants of once vibrant Jewish communities.