History

Martyna Sypniewska /

The exact date of Jewish arrival in Jordanów is unknown. Since its founding in 1564,  the town saw many travelling Jewish merchants. However, their activities were limited because laws regulatated Jewish trade. For example, until 1744 Jews were banned from trading salt. It was not until the 18^th century, when plans to colonize Galicia (to foster economic development and germanization) were initiated by the Empress Maria Teresa, and later continued by her son Joseph II. These led to a larger influx of Jewish settlers.

Jews were settling in the vicinity of the town, among others in the so-called Mąkacz (it was incorporated into the town only in the 1920's), where they built their own cemetery in the nineteenth century. Jews from Sucha Beskidzka, Maków Podhalański and Zawoja also used this cemetery. What is interesting, the name Mąkacz comes from the name of the famous tzadik Munk, who was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Jordanów .

The website of The Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw informs that the Jewish community in Jordanów existed in 1870., and Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust says that the Jewish community was founded in the beginning of the nineteenth century. In the second half of the nineteenth century, Jews from the neighboring settlements, among others from Myślenice, were subordinated to Jordanów’s Jewish Community Co-operative. Quite rapidly in 1892, Jews from Myślenice became independent from Jordanów’s Jewish Community Co-operative.

The exact date of the erection of the synagogue in Jordanów is unknown. Presumably, it took place in the second half of the nineteenth century. This is indicated by the fact that the synagogue was built in the Neo-Baroque style, characteristic of the second half of the nineteenth century. Moreover, the official list of sacral buildings from 1870 lists the synagogue in Jordanów. The synagogue was located in the town center, at the crossroad of the present-day Piłsudski and Słowacki streets. During the Second World War, it was destroyed. Today, a house stands where the synagogue once stood.

Izrael Schreiber was the first rabbi in Jordanów. ].]]. He held this office between 1892 and 1929. After his death, his father-in-law, Elkune Zoberman, became the rabbi of Jordanów .

According to a census conducte

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Summary