46°57' N 23°08' E, 225.1 miles NW of Bucharest and 60 km from Zalau. The alternate names: Almaşu, Almaşul, Varalmás, and Hungarian names Nagyalmas and Varalmas.
Story about the town that mentions two cemeteries. [Dec 2012]
The cemetery is located at the end of the village, code 4733. Town's current population is 500-1000 with no Jews. Jewish History and photos. Apparently, two Jewish cemeteries existed. [January 2010]
- Local authority: mayor Udvari Eugen, tel. 604901, Almasu
- Local religious authority: The Jewish Community of Oradea, Mihai Viteazu str., No. 4, 3700 Oradea, Romania, tel. 0040-59-134843 (132587)
- National religious authority: Federation of Jewish Communities Romania, Str. Sf. Vineri 9-11, Bucureşti, Tel: (40-1) 613-2538, 143-0010-100. Contact: Mr. Alex Silvan
- Interested: Dr. Moshe Carmilly Institute for Hebrew and Jewish Hitory, Universitatii str., no.7-9, Room 61, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, director: Ladislau Gyemant
- Caretaker with key: Ferencz Istvan, Almasu
The Jewish population by census is eleven in 1880, 51 in 1900, 51, 35 in 1910, and thirty in 1930. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the Cehei ghetto, then in Simleul Silvaniei and were deported to Auschwitz on May 31, June 6, 8. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery dates from 19th century. The last known Jewish burial was 20th century.
The isolated rural/agricultural hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by a public road, access is open with permission via a fence and locking gate. The pre- and post-WII size is 40 m x 30 m. 20-100 gravestones are in cemetery with 1-20 in original location and 20-100 not in original location. Less than 25% of the stones are toppled or broken. No stones were removed from the cemetery (probably.) Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a seasonal problem preventing access. Water drainage is good all year. No sections.
The oldest known gravestone dates from 19th century. The tombstones date from 16th and 17th century. They are boulders and flat shaped common gravestones with Hebrew inscriptions. No known mass graves. The national Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery and an orchard. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop at the never-vandalized cemetery. Clearing of vegetation and cleaning stones is the past care. Care now is occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals and unpaid caretaker. No structures. Weather erosion is a moderate threat.
Cosmina Popa, Tatra str., no. 4, tel. 064/ 128764, Cluj ?Napoca, 3400 and Ioana Oprea, Bd. 21 Decembrie, 13-15, 064/190849, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 completed the survey and visited the site on September 27, 2000.
- Recensamantul din 1850. Transilvania (The Census from 1850. Transylvania) coord. : Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1996.
- Recensamantul din 1857. Transilvania (The Census from 1857. Transylvania) coord. : Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1997.
- Recensamantul din 1880. Transilvania (The Census from 1880. Transylvania) coord. : Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1997.
- Recensamantul din 1900. Transilvania (The Census from 1900. Transylvania) coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj, 1999
- Recensamantul din 1910. Transilvania (The Census from 1910. Transylvania) coord. : Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1999.
- Moshe Carmilly-Weinberger, History of the Jews of Transilvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian, Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
- Recensamantul general al populatiei din 29 decembrie 1930 (The General Census of the Population from December 29, 1930), vol. II, Bucuresti 1938
- Szilagy megye ? Salaj zsidosaganak emlekkonyve, ed. Giladi David, Tel Aviv, 1989.
- Recensamintul general al populatiei din Romania din 7 ianuarie 1992 (The General Census of the Population of Romania from January 7, 1992), vol. I, Bucuresti, 1994
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The historical dictionary of localities from Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
- Ernst Wagner, Historisch Statistisches Ortsnamenbuch fur Siebenburgen, Ed. Bohlau, 1977