In I got It!
Poland – Here We Shall Rest
Poland was a home to the Jews for over one thousand years, until WWII when the Polish Jewish community was almost totally extinguished.
N. Lieberman 01/12/2009 10:00
Despite the fact that Poland's approach to the Jews was unmistakably extremely anti-Semitic before, during and even after the Holocaust, it was actually the Polish authorities that encouraged the Jews to immigrate to Poland during the Middle Ages as they believed the Jews could substantially contribute to the strengthening of the fragile economy of the country.
Jews began settling in Poland during the early Middle Ages, and by the 8th and 9th century many Jews were trading and conducting business in Poland, although Jewish settlement was only officially registered there in the 10th century. During one thousand years, Poland served as a comfortable home to the Jews, who would interpret the word 'Polin' (Poland) as 'Poh Lin' – 'Here we shall rest'.
The Polish authorities, whose aspiration was to become integrated in Central Europe by developing their economy and their country, offered the Jews to settle within its borders. In order to persuade them of the feasibility of immigrating to the country which was at the time considered undeveloped and with a faltering economy, they offered several special benefits, such as the "Existence Right", bestowed upon the Jews by King Boleslaus the III during the 12th century. This right provided the Jews with governmental protection – a phenomenon which the Jews were sorely lacking during the Crusades in the rest of Europe.
The high standard of acceptance which the Jews enjoyed in Poland reached its climax during the 16th century, as is evident in the fact that Rabbi Shaul Wahl, who served as one of the king's ministers, was appointed King of Poland for one night – a situation which he took great advantage of by annulling several decrees that were forced upon the Jews, and legislating new, beneficiary laws in the Jews' favor.
In the year of 1580\5340, the Council of the Four Lands was established, which granted the Jews full autonomy. The Council was active until 1764\5524, and during the years 5680-5700 one can find many leading Rabbis who were members of the Polish Sejm, such as Rabbi Aharon Levin – Chief Rabbi of Raisha, as well as the Maharam of Lublin.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that during those thousand years of Jewish settlement in Poland, the Jews did periodically experience anti-Semitic persecution, such as the Khmelnytsky Uprising, during which over 100,000 Jews were slaughtered, the discriminating poll taxes which the Jews were requested to pay, and many other decrees.
In the beginning of the 20th century, there were approximately 1000 Jewish communities in Poland, numbering 3.4 million Jews. Polish Jewry was wiped out during WWII – 1939-1945\5699-5705 by the Nazis, while implementing the 'final solution'.
As of today, the Jewish community in Poland numbers a mere 10,000 Jews.
Jews began settling in Poland during the early Middle Ages, and by the 8th and 9th century many Jews were trading and conducting business in Poland, although Jewish settlement was only officially registered there in the 10th century. During one thousand years, Poland served as a comfortable home to the Jews, who would interpret the word 'Polin' (Poland) as 'Poh Lin' – 'Here we shall rest'.
The Polish authorities, whose aspiration was to become integrated in Central Europe by developing their economy and their country, offered the Jews to settle within its borders. In order to persuade them of the feasibility of immigrating to the country which was at the time considered undeveloped and with a faltering economy, they offered several special benefits, such as the "Existence Right", bestowed upon the Jews by King Boleslaus the III during the 12th century. This right provided the Jews with governmental protection – a phenomenon which the Jews were sorely lacking during the Crusades in the rest of Europe.
The high standard of acceptance which the Jews enjoyed in Poland reached its climax during the 16th century, as is evident in the fact that Rabbi Shaul Wahl, who served as one of the king's ministers, was appointed King of Poland for one night – a situation which he took great advantage of by annulling several decrees that were forced upon the Jews, and legislating new, beneficiary laws in the Jews' favor.
In the year of 1580\5340, the Council of the Four Lands was established, which granted the Jews full autonomy. The Council was active until 1764\5524, and during the years 5680-5700 one can find many leading Rabbis who were members of the Polish Sejm, such as Rabbi Aharon Levin – Chief Rabbi of Raisha, as well as the Maharam of Lublin.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that during those thousand years of Jewish settlement in Poland, the Jews did periodically experience anti-Semitic persecution, such as the Khmelnytsky Uprising, during which over 100,000 Jews were slaughtered, the discriminating poll taxes which the Jews were requested to pay, and many other decrees.
In the beginning of the 20th century, there were approximately 1000 Jewish communities in Poland, numbering 3.4 million Jews. Polish Jewry was wiped out during WWII – 1939-1945\5699-5705 by the Nazis, while implementing the 'final solution'.
As of today, the Jewish community in Poland numbers a mere 10,000 Jews.
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