International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

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Alternate Hungarian names: Aranyosgerend and Gerendkeresztur. Located at 46°28' 23°57", 50 km from Cluj-Napoca in Cluj county, Transylvania region. The cemetery is at 3364 sat Luncani, com. Luna, jud. Cluj. Present total town population is 1362 with no Jews.

  • Local officials: Primăria Comunei Luna, 3364 Luna, Jud. Cluj, Romania; Ana Sasu- mayor; Vasile Popa - vice-mayor; Lucretia Patrut - secretary. Jewish Community of Cluj-Napoca, str. Tipografiei, nr. 25, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Ph.: 40-64-196600.
  • Regional officials: The Federation of the Jewish Communities of Romania, str. Sf. Vineri, nr. 9-11, sector 3, Bucharest, Romania, Ph.: 40-01-6132538 / 6132538, fax: 40-01-3120869, telex: 40-01-10798.
  • Interested: Dr. Moshe Carmilly Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, str. Universitatii 7-9, cam. 61, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Director: Professor Ladislau Gyemant This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Mircea-Sergiu Moldovan, PhD. Professor and architect, str. Paring, nr. 1, bl. A4, ap. 12, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Ph.: 40-64-161261 and Cluj-Napoca Jewish Community, str. Tipografiei, nr. 25, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, ph.: 40-64-196600
  • Caretaker with key: Burian Nicolae - nr. 141, sat. Luncani, com. Luna, jud. Cluj

The earliest known Jewish community was in 1850 with 3 Jews of a total population of 1101. In 1857, there were 2 Jews of a total population of 1050. In 1880, there were 41 Jews of 980. In 1930, there were 30 Jews. The Jews were confined to in the ghetto of Cluj in May 1944 and were deported to Auschwitz on May 25, 29, 31 and June 3, 8 and 9. The Orthodox Jewish cemetery was established in the 19th century. Other towns used the cemetery, 5 km. away. The isolated rural (agricultural) site, at the crown of a hill, with no sign or marker is reached by turning directly off a public road. Access is open with permission. A continuous fence and a usually unlocked gate surround the cemetery. The approximate size of cemetery before World War II and now is 880 sq.m. 10 gravestones are in their original locations. The oldest known gravestone date from ?. The limestone and/or volcanic tuff flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, or flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew inscriptions. No known mass graves, no structures or special sections.

The Federation of Jewish Communities of Romania owns and uses the site as a Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are agricultural and residential. Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries enclose smaller area due to the present extension of houses. The cemetery is visited rarely by private visitors. The cemetery may possibly have been vandalized during World War II, but not in the last ten years. Care has included clearing vegetation, fixing wall and gate after 1970 by Cluj-Napoca Jewish Community. It was done in the 1970s and annually after controls ended. The Cluj Jewish congregation pays a regular caretaker. Weather erosion and vegetation are moderate threats.

Mircea-Sergiu Moldovan, PhD. Professor and architect, str. Parîng, nr. 1, bl. A4, ap. 12, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Ph.: 40-64-161261 completed survey on April 13, 1999 after a visit on April 2. He interviewed Nicolae Burian, in Luncani.