Région
The town, capital of the region of the same name, enjoyed rapid prosperity in the 1800s thanks to its geographical location. Railways and companies were built relatively early on. Jews worked in various economic sectors, notably as tanners, in the metal industry and in various forms of craftsmanship. The Jewish presence in the town of Siauliai probably dates back to the 17th century. They ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Tirksliai is a small town in northern Lithuania. The Jewish presence in Tirksliai probably dates back to the 18th century. Like most other regional religious establishments, the community built a wooden synagogue in the 19th century, which housed numerous manuscripts in Hebrew and Yiddish. It had several entrances, probably to allow separate entrance for men and women. The Jewish community ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Ziezmariai lies at the crossroads of the road between Vilnius and Kaunas, and was often crossed and attacked by troops during regional conflicts. The Jewish presence in the town of Ziesmariai probably dates back to the 16th century. Jewish life gradually took shape, with the opening of Jewish schools and venues for social and cultural activities, including sport and theatre. A wooden was ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Rezekne is built on seven hills, giving it its name. The Jewish presence in Rezekne probably dates back to the 18th century. The town’s Jewish population grew mainly in the second half of the 19th century, from 542 in 1847 to almost 6,500 in 1897. Most Jews worked as craftsmen and tradesmen. Their participation in the life of the city was facilitated between the wars. The community ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Ludza is famous for its ancient castle. The Jewish presence in Ludza probably dates back to the 16th century, but continued from the 18th century onwards. At the turn of the 19th century, there were 582 Jews in Ludza. By the end of the century, there were 2803. Their main activities at the time were as tailors and craftsmen. But they were also involved in the grain trade, timber and other ...
Plus d'infosRégion
The City of the Dukes is the historic capital of the States of Savoy. The Jewish presence in Chambéry probably dates back to the 14th century, following Count Edward’s call for their settlement in 1319. Most families lived on rue de la Juiverie, now . This street faced a two-storey tower attached to the castle. They often worked as bankers and pawnbrokers, both because the Church ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Annemasse, a town on the border with Geneva, developed mainly in the early 20th century. The Jewish presence in Annemasse probably dates back to the Middle Ages, but was quite small. This changed with the emancipation of the Jews of France following the Revolution, and especially with the arrival in the region of Jews from Alsace-Lorraine. By the turn of the 20th century, Jews were living ...
Plus d'infosRégion
This beautiful Alpine town between lake and mountains has been a favorite of residents and tourists alike for centuries. The Jewish presence in Annecy probably dates back to the Middle Ages. They lived on the right bank of the Thiou, outside the fortified city walls. Rue des Juifs (“Street of the Jews) later became Quai de l’Evêché. During the Great Plague, Jews were accused of ...
Plus d'infosRégion
As its name suggests, Aix-les-Bains is a renowned French spa. The Jewish presence in Aix-les-Bains probably dates back to the Middle Ages, but was quite small. This changed with the emancipation of the Jews of France following the Revolution, and especially with the arrival in the region of Jews from Alsace-Lorraine. The Jewish community of Aix is best known for its (“The Yechiva of the ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Hameenlinna is an old Finnish town, known for the many lakes that run through it and the surrounding area. But also for the traces of its medieval life and the Hame Castle. Before Finland’s independence, Russian soldiers, including Jews, were stationed here. The town’s , founded in the 1770s, has a Jewish plot. Russian soldiers of the Jewish faith are buried there, with most of ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Hamina is the easternmost town in the country and dates back to at least the 14th century. Today, it is known for its port, forestry industry and special climate. Russian soldiers were stationed here before independence, as the town lies a few kilometres from the present-day border with Russia. The town’s , founded in 1773, has a Jewish plot. Russian soldiers of the Jewish faith are ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Tampere is the second largest city in Finland and is located between two lakes. It is a relatively new city, founded in 1775 by Gustav III of Sweden, with the aim of facilitating trade in the region. A Jewish community was established in the city in 1947. However, this community, consisting of less than a hundred people, ceased to exist in 1981 due to numerous departures. Only nine members ...
Plus d'infosRégion
The Jewish community has existed since Visigothic times and grew considerably under the Muslim occupation. When the first Christian troops arrived in 1266 under the command of Alfonso X of Castile, there were many synagogues, but most of the Jews preferred to leave the city and take refuge in Granada, which was still in Muslim hands. A few years later, Alfonso X the Wise sought to repopulate ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Namur is the capital of the Walloon region and has a great cultural heritage dating back 2000 years. The Jewish presence in Namur declined from the 19th century onwards, contrary to other Belgian cities which witnessed a development of Jewish life, numbering at most a hundred people. Thus, in 1907, the Jewish community disappeared from Namur. Documents show that a rabbi and a hazan were ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Arlon is a very ancient town, dating back to the Gallo-Roman period. Since 1831, after the national independence, the Belgian constitution regulates the Jewish cult in the same way as the other recognised religions. Nevertheless, it was not until about thirty years later that the first official synagogues were built and inaugurated. In the meantime, prayers and religious festivals were ...
Plus d'infosRégion
The city of Ostrava is best known for its economic activity. It was one of the great coal mining regions and a major ironworks. The Jewish presence in the city was rather late, being limited by the local authorities. There are records of a Jewish resident renting a distillery in 1786. A community was slowly formed, officially taking shape in 1875 with about 60 members. A Jewish cemetery was ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Osoblaha is a Silesian village popular with contemporary tourists for its medieval buildings. The Jewish presence probably dates back to this period and was quite stable over the centuries until the 18th century. Jewish refugees from Vienna and Poland settled here. The Jewish community in Osoblaha included the presence of prominent rabbis. The number of Jews declined especially at the ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Olomouc was the capital of Moravia from the 14th to the 17th centuries and a major trading town at that time. The Jewish presence is very old and seems to date from the 11th century. Documents from the Middle Ages have been found which attest to the payment of taxes by the Jews to the local authorities. The Jews of Olomouc were expelled in 1454 and their property seized. Nevertheless, some ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Kojetin is a Moravian town that has been known as a commercial crossroads for centuries and now hosts many cultural events. The Jewish presence in Kojetin seems to date back to at least the 13th century, although the earliest documents found attesting to this date from 1566. They mention the presence of 52 Jewish families in Judengasse. In the 16th century there was a and a . The synagogue ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Brno is the capital of Moravia. The Jewish presence dates back to at least the 13th century, when the local authorities invited them to settle there without the discriminatory measures imposed in other places at that time. This warm welcome encouraged development and by 1348 there were almost 1000 Jews living there. Graves from this period have even been found. However, the Jews were expelled ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Austerlitz, Slavkov u Brna in Czech, is a town most famous for the Napoleonic battle of 1806. The Jewish presence in Moravia is one of the oldest, with a Jewish cemetery dating from the 12th century. Among the illustrious figures from the town is the author of the Sefer ha-Minhagim (1294), Moses ben Tobiah. There was also a yeshiva in Austerlitz at that time. At the beginning of the 17th ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Chodova Plana is a town known as an old trade route, for its mines and brewery and the long-standing fights between nobles to rule it. The Jewish presence probably dates from the end of the 16th century. A synagogue was mentioned in 1645, as well as an , where a few hundred graves are located. Threatened with expulsion on several occasions, a Jewish community continued to live there. About ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Zatec is an ancient royal city, dating back to at least the 11th century. The Jewish presence in Zatec is very old, dating back to at least the 14th century. However, following attacks and expulsion, their official return only took place at the end of the 19th century. Indeed, only two Jewish families lived in Zatec in 1852. A was opened in 1869 and a inaugurated three years later. At its ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Votice is a fairly old town in Bohemia. The Jewish presence dates back at least to the 16th century, with a document from 1538 referring to the town’s Jewish cemetery. About ten Jewish families lived in Votice at that time. A synagogue was built in 1661 (and demolished in 1950). About 50 Jewish families lived there at the turn of the 19th century, most of them working as seed merchants, ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Usti Nad Labem is a town of Czech nobility and is known for its chemical industry. The Jewish presence in Usti Nad Labem dates back to at least the 16th century, but was very irregular, as it was restricted by the authorities. It was not until 1848 that Jews were able to settle there officially. Thus the Jewish population of Usti Nad Labem increased from about 100 in 1880 to almost 1000 in ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Mlada Boleslav is an old Bohemian town that developed in the industrial age thanks to the automobile industry. The Jewish presence dates back to at least the 15th century, according to written documents of the time. About ten Jewish families lived in Mlada Boleslav in 1570 and had a synagogue. The dates from 1584. The Jewish population was 120 in 1615. They were mainly active in the transport ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Klatovy is a Bohemian town known for its old markets on the roads to nearby larger towns. The Jewish presence in Klatovy has been documented since the 14th century, but was not very present in the following centuries until the 19th century. In the middle of the 19th century, Jews, mostly from the surrounding villages, established a community in Klatovy. A synagogue and a cemetery were opened ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Carlsbad, Karlovy Vary in Czech, is a city famous for its spa complex and its festival. The Jewish presence in Carlsbad was “only intermittent” until the middle of the 19th century, being forbidden to stay there and mainly coming to work occasionally from surrounding villages. Others came on holiday. The Jewish communities in Vienna, Prague and Berlin contributed to the creation ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Benesov is a town in Bohemia, whose name is derived from its medieval rulers. The Jewish presence dates back to at least the 15th century, making it one of the oldest in the region. Nevertheless, the community consisted of only a handful of members until the middle of the 19th century. In 1893, the Jews of Benesov and the surrounding villages numbered just under 800 people. The number ...
Plus d'infosRégion
Bechyne is a fortified town in the Bohemian region near the Luznice River. It dates back to the Middle Ages and was an important regional centre. It is best known today as a thalassotherapy centre. The Jewish presence in Bechyne dates back to at least the 16th century, as evidenced by administrative documents showing a conflict of interest. The Jewish community consisted of 81 people in 1715 ...
Plus d'infos