Sculeni ( yi, סקולען, ''Skulen'') is a commune in
Ungheni District,
Moldova
Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnistri ...
. It is composed of four villages: Blindești, Floreni, Gherman and Sculeni.
It is also a
border checkpoint to Romania.
History
The town had an important Jewish community before World War II to such an extent that a
Hasidic dynasty
A Hasidic dynasty is a dynasty led by Hasidic Jewish spiritual leaders known as rebbes, and usually has some or all of the following characteristics:
* Each leader of the dynasty is often known as an ''ADMOR'' (abbreviation for '' ADoneinu MOreinu ...
is designated after its name, the
Skulen Hasidic dynasty.
In June 1941, hundreds of Jews from the area were murdered in mass executions perpetrated by a
death squad
A death squad is an armed group whose primary activity is carrying out extrajudicial killings or forced disappearances as part of political repression, genocide, ethnic cleansing, or revolutionary terror. Except in rare cases in which they are f ...
of Romanian troops.
[http://www.pogromuldelaiasi.ro/gropi-comune/gropile-comune-de-la-stanca/]
Natives
*
Andrei Eșanu, historian
*
Eliezer Zusia Portugal Eliezer Zusia Portugal (17 October 1898–18 August 1982), the first Skulener Rebbe, was revered by his followers in Russia, Romania, Israel, and the United States for his personal warmth and his care for hundreds of Jewish youth and war orph ...
, rabbi
*
Yisroel Avrohom Portugal
Yisroel Avrohom Portugal (or Israel Abraham Portugal) (June 2, 1923April 1, 2019) son of Rabbi Eliezer Zusia Portugal and his first wife, Sheina Rachel, was the Rebbe (Grand Rabbi) of Skulen in Brooklyn, New York. He was the last Holocaust era R ...
, rabbi
*
Grigore Sturdza
Grigore Mihail Sturdza, first name also Grigorie or Grigori, last name also Sturza, Stourdza, Sturd̦a, and Stourza (also known as Muklis Pasha, George Mukhlis, and Beizadea Vițel; May 11, 1821 – January 26, 1901), was a Moldavian, later Romani ...
, politician and adventurer
*
Wincenty (Morari)
Vincent (Vinkenty, Vichentie, russian: Викентий; born Viktor Aleksandrovich Morar or Morari or Moraru, on December 4, 1953), is a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church. He serves as Metropolitan of Tashkent and Uzbekistan and he is a per ...
, metropolitan
Gallery
File:AlexanderYpsilantisPruth.jpg, On 22 February 1821 (O.S.), accompanied by several other Greek officers in Russian service, Ypsilantis crossed the Prut
The Prut (also spelled in English as Pruth; , uk, Прут) is a long river in Eastern Europe. It is a left tributary of the Danube. In part of its course it forms Romania's border with Moldova and Ukraine.
Characteristics
The Prut originates ...
into the Principalities.
Literature
Sculeni (battle of Sculeni) is mentioned by
Alexander Pushkin
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (; rus, links=no, Александр Сергеевич ПушкинIn pre-Revolutionary script, his name was written ., r=Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈpuʂkʲɪn, ...
in his short story
The Shot
The Shot was a basketball play that occurred during a 1989 playoff game between the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It took place on May 7, 1989 at Richfield Coliseum in Richfield Township, ...
.
See also
*
Battle of Sculeni
The Battle of Sculeni was fought on 29 June 1821 in Sculeni, Moldavia between Ottoman forces and the Greek revolutionary forces raised by the Filiki Eteria led by Prince George Katakouzenos. The battle came about as the result of Ottoman repr ...
*
Sculeni, Iaşi
*
Skulen (Hasidic dynasty)
References
Communes of Ungheni District
Moldova–Romania border crossings
Populated places on the Prut
Beletsky Uyezd
{{Ungheni-geo-stub