Biharnagybajom Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish cemetery of Biharnagybajom was established as early as 1877, since the only tombstone found in the cemetery dates to that year. No additional tombstones which could supply further information about the cemetery’s period of operation have been found. The cemetery’s territory has been fenced.

Biharnagybajom is a large village in Hajdú-Bihar County. The Jewish community was founded in 1826. Prior to this, it belonged to the Chief Rabbinate of Oradea. The Jewish population began to grow rapidly and, by 1848, the community had 60 families and elected its first rabbi, Jakab Gottlieb, who previously worked in Huszt. After his death in 1860, Jicchok Eisig became the rabbi, who led the religious life for 20 years. Afterwards, Samuel Jungreisz and then Manó Szófer led the rabbinate. Between 1910 and 1926, the community did not have a rabbi, though the community’s institutions continued to grow during this time, especially the yeshiva (founded in 1848) and the Talmud Torah (1916). The community was however forced to close the elementary school under pressure. Religious life was strictly Orthodox in Biharnagybajom. The villages of Báránd, Sáp, Bihartorda, Nagyrabé, Bothanszeg, and Pancsháza belonged to its registry area. According to the database of the 1929 Jewish Lexicon, 149 people lived in 29 families, including 32 of whom were taxpayers. Its members included 1 farmer, 18 traders, 5 craftsmen, and others in different occupations. The annual budget of the community was 6,000 Pengő. In World War I, 5 members of the community who served in the war were killed in action. In 1944, there were 98 Jews living in the village, including 20 taxpayers. A synagogue, the rabbi’s apartment, a mikveh (ritual bath), and the shochet’s (butcher) apartment formed the property of the community. In 1880, 6% of the total population was Jewish (208 out of 3430), while in 1941 only 2% was Jewish (98 out of 4725).