Galatz

Christian churches of all denominations, the Jewish synagogues as well as the local mosque remained the main providers of social services in the city of Galaţi. On the basis of religious feelings of charity and philanthropy they undertook to support the poor, the sick, the infirm, the old and everything that looked unfavoured. The monasteries were usually such places that offered shelter to these social categories, and the church had charity boxes from which it funded charitable activities.

There are several details regarding the institutions supported by the Jewish religious communities, as they all had statutes preserved in local archives and libraries. Thus, there were many professional societies that provided mutual benefits for their members. The “Society of Israelite Craftsmen” had 16 members in 1875, but it got to 300 by 1906. It was organised around a synagogue with the role to provide mutual support to its members, but also for supporting poor people[1]. The “Maimonides Society”, established in 1879, provided support to its members in case of disease and supported their families, but it also had philanthropic attributions. The “Committee of Ladies for the School for Girls” had in 1899 fifty members who were also involved in other types of philanthropic associations[2]. The “Fraterna Organisation of Tailors” was established in 1898 for supporting its members and the temple[3]. “The Popular Israelite Romanian Cookshop”, organised in 1899 under the patronage of the Committee of Ladies, had 360 members, and the funds of the society were used to provide meals to poor peoples[4]. The Philanthropic Society “The Youth of Israelite Craftsmen” organised mutual support and philanthropy, distributed wood and food to the poor people[5].

The Society of the Romanian clergy Solidaritatea (Solidarity) was a philanthropic society with a cultural and philanthropic role established in 1902. It supported its members and their families, and had an asylum for widows and orphans[6]. The catholic community also organised a society of mutual help called “Mariana”.

Other associations were: The Benefaction Society of Jewish Craftsmen (1881), The Society of Mutual Help of the Chabad Synagogue, Caritatea Israelite Society, The Moritz Helder Philanthropic Circle, The Max Nordau Philanthropic Society, The Baron Mauriciu de Hirsch First Philanthropic Society of Mutual Help, The Philanthropic Society Oiel, The Society of Israelite Craftsmen (1875) etc.

[1] Monografia comunităţii israelite din Galaţi. Din cele mai vechi timpuri până în prezent. Lucrare prezentată la expoziţia jubiliară, anul jubiliar 1906 (Galaţi: Lito-Tipografia Moldova, 1906), 51.

[2] Ibid., 52.

[3] Ibid., 53.

[4] Ibid., 52.

[5] Ibid., 53.

[6] Anghel Constantinescu, Monografia Sfintei Episcopii a Dunării de Jos: alcătuită la plinirea a 40 de ani de domnie a M.S. Carol I, Regele României (Bucharest: Editura Socec, 1906), 298.

References

Websites:

Archival sources:

Bibliography:

Constantinescu, Anghel, Monografia Sfintei Episcopii a Dunării de Jos: alcătuită la plinirea a 40 de ani de domnie a M.S. Carol I, Regele României [The Monograph of the Holy Bishopric of the Lower Danube: Written at the Celebration of 40 Years of Reign of H.M. Charles I, King of Romania] (Bucharest: Editura Socec, 1906).

Monografia comunităţii israelite din Galaţi. Din cele mai vechi timpuri până în prezent. Lucrare prezentată la expoziţia jubiliară, anul jubiliar 1906 [The Monograph of the Jewish Community of Galaţi. From the Earliest Times until Now] (Galaţi: Lito-Tipografia Moldova, 1906).

Pacu, Moise N., Cartea Judeţului Covurlui. Note geografice, istorice şi în deosebi statistice [The Book of Covurlui County. Geographical, Historical and Mainly Statistical Notes] (Bucharest: Stabilimentul Grafic I. V. Socecu, 1891).

Păltănea, Paul, Istoria oraşului Galaţi de la origini până la 1918 [The History of Galaţi from Its Beginnings to 1918], second edition, edited by Eugen Drăgoi (Galaţi: Editura Partener, 2008).