History
Jewish community before 1989 – Ukraina / Тернопільська область (obwód tarnopolski)
Buczacz is a specific place because together with Brodów, Tarnopol, Żółkiew and Lviv, it is the most important spiritual center for the Galicia Jews. Many world-wide known Jews come from this town. Today, this is a small town, situated 72 km southwest from Tarnopol and 94 km from Czernichów.
The first records about Buczacz are present in the documents from 1260 and 1379. The 13th century is the beginning of the town history, when Buczacz became a trade center with the East. That was the time when the first Sephardi Jews came to the town from Eastern Europe. After the addition of Red Ruthenia into the Kingdom of Poland, Ashkenazis from Germany and Poland could massively settle in Buczacz. King Casimir III the Great considered them to be the “governing people” who would help to develop Poland.
The settlement belonged to the Buczacki family of Abdank crest, who built the castle and the palace. They wanted to make Buczacz the greatest trade center. They invited many traders to Buczacz, including Jews and Armenians. In 1515, the town received the localization of the Magdeburg rights again. Michaiło Buczacki, a nobleman from this family, was a Galicia starost. King Władysław Jagiełło (earlier: Jogaila) also gave him the countryside of Zoczów. Katarzyna Buczacka was the last representative of the Buczacki family. She was a daughter of Jacob, who died in 1501. She married Jan Taburoski, who accepted her name. Her brother, Jan Krzysztof Buczacki, was famous of his fights against the Calvinists in Rzeczpospolita (The Republic of Poland).
At the beginning of the 17th century, the town became the property of the Potocki family. Under Stefan Potocki, the voivode of Bracław Voivodeship, Buczacz flourished during that time period.
Until 1664, Jewish kahal was only the subsidiary of the Lviv Jewish community. In 17th century, Jews built Hakodesh – Jewish hospital and Beth Midrash, a house where Talmud was taught. Then it was called the Old Beth Midrash. The Great Synagogue was also built at this time. It was called Bet Knesset and was designed by an Italian architect. In 1699, a law permitting Jews to live in the town was confirmed. The law also guaranteed them a Jewish court. Three buildings of the Hazan rabbi were exempt from tax collection. These included the synagogue center and a hospital. Jews also had to serve at the watchtower with Christians. One half of the people working there were Jews and the other half were Christians.
The Jewish community developed with the help of the Potockis' patronage. At the end of the 17th century, 150 Jewish families lived in Buczacz. Their main activity was trade, and this largely contributed the town's wealth and success. A Jew named Abrahamczyk was the main monopolist who imported tobacco to Rzeczpospolita (The Republic of Poland).
At first, Buczacz was built as a fortress and later became a town. It was the next alkazar after Kamieniec on Podolia, which was built as a defense against the Tatar horde and the Turkish military. The biggest danger for Buczacz was the Tatar and Turkish siege during the war in 1655-1667. At that time, Michael Korybut Wisniowiecki, a king of Rzeczpospolita, signed a treaty in 1672. According to this treaty, Podolia came under Turkish control. Additionally, Poland had to pay a high contribution. These provisions were not executed. In 1676, Turks seized Buczacz and the town was burnt down. However, Jan Sobieski, a hetman, and future Polish king, succeeded in fighting back the Turkish attack. In 1684, Jan Potocki rebuilt the town completely.
Another major benefactor of Buczacz was Mikołaj Bazyli Potocki. He built a town hall, which was one of the most beautiful town halls in Eastern Europe. He invited the architect Bernard Mereschin and the sculptor Johann George Pinzel (died in 1761) to town. They created many monuments of the late Baroque, which gave the town specific character: 1750 – the Saint John roadside monument, 1751 - building the town hall, and the Saint Anne roadside monument, 1751-1753 – Basilian monks monastery, 1761 – a parish church. Pinzel also created the sculptures of the saints to the care of the Mother of God Orthodox Church.
Buczacz became a place where Jewish saints and ascetics found their shelter from the hard war actions. There was a well-known legend that confirmed the town sanctity. The legend was told by Szmuel Josef Agnon, a Buczacz inhabitant, writer, and Nobel Prize winner:
“This is a story of a prayer book from the Great Synagogue in Buczacz. When a bad, evil person opens it, one letter from the book disappears. Therefore, the synagogue starost hid it. Because of our sins, the number of wrongdoers is growing. It is hard to imagine the day, when no letter would be found in this prayer book.” [1.1].
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[1.1] S.J. Agnon. Modlitewnik mojego dzieciństwa
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