The Jewish presence in Sibiu probably dates back to the 15th century, when merchants worked with the city’s residents. However, it wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century that they were able to settle there on a permanent, unrestricted basis. Sibiu’s first synagogue was built in 1878, and a second twelve years later. The Shoah claimed many victims. Just over a hundred Jews lived in Sibiu in the following decades.

The Grand Synagogue of Sibiu has been declared a historical monument by the Romanian Academy. With its elegant interior and Renaissance facade enhanced by Gothic elements, it remains a popular tourist attraction. The city also has a Jewish cemetery .

In 2023, in the Great Synagogue of Sibiu, actors Alexandru Malaiku and Gabriel Muncuș perform in ‘A Secret About Joy’, a play written and produced by Sarah Brown. The play evokes Romania’s Jewish past through a series of characters from families in 1927. Happy days before the arrival of fascism. With only about 50 Jews remaining in Sibiu, this play is aimed primarily at the city’s population, in order to educate them about this part of Romanian history.