History of the Jews in Iași

The history of the Jews in Iași dates back to the late 16th century, when Sephardi Jews first arrived in the city. Iași has been the center of Jewish life in Moldavia for centuries. Once home to a thriving Yiddish culture, the first Yiddish theater in the world was founded in the city. The city's Jewish community was devastated by the Iași pogrom of 1941; one of the worst massacres of World War II, over 13,000 Jewish people were murdered during the pogrom. Today, the community has dwindled and has between 300 and 600 members and two operating synagogues.