In the first half of the 19th century a few hundred Jews lived in Vișeu constituting less than 9% of the local population. The Jewish community grew considerably in the next century. In the first four decades of the twentieth century, their number kept increasing continually more than 4000 in 1941. During the nineteenth century more and more Jews were engaged in logging and timber processing. Most of the Jews worked in the large Jewish - owned timber processing plants and mills. The largest sawmill, which employed approximately 150 workers, belonged to the president of the congregation, Șandor (Alexander) Elefant who was also a member of Maramureș County’s general assembly and played an active role in the Transylvanian Orthodox Bureau. The present forestry rail way and Mocănița train station is located in Elephant’s former lumber plant. A Jewish house was rebuilt on the spot and an exhibition about the Jewish community can be seen there.