In 1275, Duke Bolesław Wstydliwy chartered the city on Magdeburg Rights, which meant exempting the settlers and investors from taxes. This attracted a large number of settlers, mostly Germans, but also Jews, who found here particularly favorable conditions. A mention of a Jewish quarter in Kraków comes from the year 1304. The first Jewish institutions, a synagogue, bathhouse and hospital, were located in the vicinity of present Św. Anny Street (then called Żydowska (Jewish) Street).
In 1335, King Kazimierz Wielki (Casimir the Great) chartered near Kraków, on the site of Bawół village, on the opposite site of the Vistula River, another city – Kazimierz. At the same time, more Jews began to settle in Kraków, which started to be considered as an even more significant center of trade with Silesian towns, Moravia, Czech Republic, Ruthenia and Hungary. The Jewish newcomers mostly settled near Kraków: in the town of Kazimierz and in Kleparz (a borough of Kraków). In 1364, King Kazimierz Wielki established in Kraków the first Polish university - Kraków Academy, located in the neighborhood of the Jewish quarter in Kraków. With time, the Jews were compelled to leave the area they occupied and move a few streets farther, and a little time later, to the nearby Kazimierz.
The first synagogue, called the Old Synagogue, was erected in Kazimierz probably around 1407, when a pogrom, resulting from an alleged ritual murder, took place in Kraków. Events that had similar background also happened in 1423. Regardless of massive attacks on Jews in the center of Kraków, the Jews were regularly forced to pay different kinds of charges – e.g. they paid so-called kozubalec to the Kraków students.
In 1495, by the decision of King Jan Olbracht, the Jews had to leave Kraków and most of them settled in the neighboring town of Kazimierz. The reason for expelling the Jews were unexplained circumstances of the fire that broke out in the center of Kraków and charges against the Jewish residents concerning this case.
In the 16th century, Kazimierz became the biggest and most important Jewish agglomeration in Europe. The first prominent scholar and rabbi was Jakub Polak ben Josef, founder of a yeshiva that quickly started to attract students from distant towns. His disciples and successors were Szalom Szachna, Mosze Fiszel, Mojżesz Isserles, alias ReMUH, Meir Ben Gedalia from Lublin (MaHaRam), Joel Sirkes ben Szmuel (BaCh), Jom Tow Lippman Heller and Eliezer Aszkenazy ben Elijahu were also active in the 16th-century Kazimierz. A famous cabalist Natan Nata Spira ben Szlomo, known as Megale Amukot from the title of his work, lived (and is buried) in the center of Kazmierz. A large group of Sephardic Jews from Spain, including Samuel Kalahora – the future doctor of King Stefan Batory, arrived in Kazimierz in the 16th century. In the subsequent years, the number of Jews in Kazimierz grew, for example, because of the arrival of the Jewish population from the Czech Prague.
In the 16th-18th centuries, Kazimierz belonged to the richest Jewish agglomerations in Poland. Trade and financial activity guaranteed prosperity. The most common items in trade were leather, wax, honey and goods imported from the East: textiles and carpets. In the mid-17th century, people purchased and sold lead, salted fish, wool, Russian vodka and eastern spices: cinnamon, ginger and sugar. Besides, oxen, Silesian cloth and wine were traditional tradable goods. Hebrew books became more and more popular, and the Halicz family (three brothers Szmuel, Aszer and Eliachim [Eliakim]) became famous for printing them in Kraków. Numerous tradesmen, e.g. the wealthiest Lewek Landau, Wolf Bocian, Szlomo Melles and Szlomo Jakubowicz dealt with credit operations. Since 1613, a Jewish furriers’ guild existed in Kazimierz, and soon thereafter, another guilds were formed whose members were butchers, barbers, goldsmiths, or brewers. The significance of Kraków decreased after 1596, when the king’s residence was being relocated to Warszawa. When the process was over in 1609, the Jews took the ownership of the shops located near the center, and even at the square of Kraków.
In 1608, the Jewish quarter in Kazimierz was extended three times, and, finally, the so-called Oppidum Judeorum was established. The Jewish town was surrounded by Miodowa, Dajwór, św. Wawrzyńca, Wąska, Józefa Streets and Plac Nowy (New Square). It was an autonomous enclave governed by rabbis and the council of elders, which was only subject to the authority of the king, which was exerted on his behalf by the Kraków Province governor. Kazimierz was not the only Jewish agglomeration in the Kraków region. Following the example of rich nobility and royal court, the prosperous Jews, including many royal bankers, owned residences in suburban villages.
Kazimierz
[Yiddish, Kuzmir]
A city founded in the fourteenth century by Kazimierz III the Great; by the early nineteenth century, it had became one of Krakow's constituent neighborhoods. According to the historical records, Jews had been living in Kazimierz since 1389. The Community's population began to grow in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, when Jews who had been forced to leave(...)
Kazimierz
[Yiddish, Kuzmir]
A city founded in the fourteenth century by Kazimierz III the Great; by the early nineteenth century, it had became one of Krakow's constituent neighborhoods. According to the historical records, Jews had been living in Kazimierz since 1389. The Community's population began to grow in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, when Jews who had been forced to leave(...)
Kazimierz
[Yiddish, Kuzmir]
A city founded in the fourteenth century by Kazimierz III the Great; by the early nineteenth century, it had became one of Krakow's constituent neighborhoods. According to the historical records, Jews had been living in Kazimierz since 1389. The Community's population began to grow in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, when Jews who had been forced to leave(...)
Kazimierz
[Yiddish, Kuzmir]
A city founded in the fourteenth century by Kazimierz III the Great; by the early nineteenth century, it had became one of Krakow's constituent neighborhoods. According to the historical records, Jews had been living in Kazimierz since 1389. The Community's population began to grow in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, when Jews who had been forced to leave(...)
Lublin
[Yiddish, Lublin]
In the fourteenth century, Lublin became an important political and economic center. Beginning in 1413, Polish-Lithuanian congresses took place there; in 1474, Lublin became the voivodship capital, and in 1578, the seat of the Crown Tribunal, the court of last instance for the nobility. In addition, the sejms (parliaments) would convene there.
The city played(...)
Rabbi
[Hebrew, rabi = my master]
A scholar who is an expert in the Scriptures and religious questions. A rabbi is a yeshiva graduate who has been issued a smicha [Hebrew, authorization] upon completion of his studies, which grants the right to teach and decide disputes of a religious nature regarding Jewish law.
A rabbi was the religious leader of a Community, and one of its officials.(...)
Trade
The first Jews to arrive in Poland were merchants, the Radanici who came as early as the tenth century. Merchants who established trade colonies also became the first permanent settlers. The Jews' trading and mercantile activities are confirmed by the oldest known records noting any Jewish presence in the Polish lands. By the twelfth century, the Jews had become so important that they were named(...)
Trade
The first Jews to arrive in Poland were merchants, the Radanici who came as early as the tenth century. Merchants who established trade colonies also became the first permanent settlers. The Jews' trading and mercantile activities are confirmed by the oldest known records noting any Jewish presence in the Polish lands. By the twelfth century, the Jews had become so important that they were named(...)
Yeshiva
[from the Hebrew, "to sit"]
A religious school for older boys. After finishing cheder, at thirteen or fourteen, they could continue their schooling, studying the Halakhah [Hebrew, "the way"] contained in the Talmud. They remained in the yeshiva until they married. Some of them were granted a smicha [Hebrew, "authorization", i.e., rabbinical ordination], giving(...)
Shalom Shakhna ben Joseph
A learned rabbi and eminent Talmudist; he was born in about 1510 in Lublin to the rich merchant Joske Szachnowicz, a lessee of duty and toll in Ruthenia. His Talmudic studies in Cracow were supervised by Jakub Polak. From 1530 he was a rabbi in Lublin, where he protected the Jewish merchants coming to the market from the insults thrown at them by competing Christian merchants. Due to Szachna’s intervention the Polish king Zygmunt I Stary appointed a court, which consequently developed into the Jewish Tribunal. In appreciation of his talents the king appointed him the head rabbi of Małopolska Region (Lesser Poland) in 1541. Szachna was mostly well known for establishing the yeshiva in Lublin, which was acknowledged by entire Europe. Szachna’s yeshiva received a royal charter in 1567 from king Zygmunt II August, which elevated the school to the level of other contemporary academies. Meir Szapir, who, inspired by Szachna, established a Yeshiva of Wise Men in Lublin, revived...
Moses Ben Israel Isserles
(ca. 1525-1572) Known also as Rema.
A rabbi who specialized in religious law, which he codified in Poland. He came from a wealthy Jewish family in Krakow, where his father Izrael was the leader of the Jewish Community. In 1553, after being granted royal permission, he had a synagogue built in memory of his deceased wife. That synagogue, known as the Remuh synagogue, still stands today. Members of the Isserles family, including Moses - Rema, are buried in the adjacent cemetery.
The social position of Moses family, its wealth, and Moses own broad knowledge led him to be regarded as an authority. He studied in Lublin, and then founded a Talmud school in Krakow that became renowned throughout Europe. He served as Krakow's chief rabbi until the end of his life, and was famous for his kindness towards people who had fallen on hard times.
He wrote numerous commentaries on the Bible and Talmudic literature. He became especially well known as the result of his w...
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