1. Kurów - Centrum miejscowości

Jews in Kurow - Until 1918. - It is not known exactly when the first Jews appeared in Kurow. Perhaps as early as the mid-16th century., and certainly by the end of that century several Jewish families lived here.In 1568. An independent municipality was established. In 1648 and 1649. Most of the local Jews were slaughtered by Khmelnytsky's Cossacks, and in 1656. - By the Polish troops of Hetman Stefan Czarniecki. In 1668. The town's owner, Boguslaw Jan Zbąski, granted Jews a privilege that made them equal in rights to the Christian population. They were given legal protection, and were allowed to live near the market, acquire property, and engage in trade and crafts. These privileges were confirmed by subsequent owners from the Szczuka (in 1713) and Potocki (in 1742, 1782) families. The Jewish quarter developed in the southwestern part of the city, between the city pond and the Old Market, in the quarter between Deep, Dworska, Stawna and Tylna Streets. There were butcheries and stalls near the market, and a Jewish-run distillery and winery in the western part of the market. Between Stawna and Tylna Streets stood a synagogue, probably built in the second half of the 17th century., next to it was a cemetery.At the end of the 18th century Kurow was a local center of Hasidism.In the 19th century. Jews accounted for more than half of Kurow's population.Their main sources of income were trade in leather, textiles (linen, silk), wood, grain, meat, salt, sugar and eggs, the production and sale of alcohol. There were many artisan workshops and several small businesses producing, among other things. candles and tallits.At the beginning of the 20th century. Jewish entrepreneurs established two flooring businesses. In 1808. Ignacy Potocki, the town's owner, signed an agreement with the local municipality to lease mills, inns and sell alcohol. During the Austrian partition, the Duchy of Warsaw and World War I, the production and sale of liquor by Jews was severely restricted, leaving many families without a source of income. In 1886. The part of the city inhabited by Jews (including Boznicza, Dworska and Pulawska streets) burned down in the fire. In the early years of the 20th century. The Zionist Organization was established in Kurow, and in 1908. - Union of Small Merchants and Traders headed by Hersh Wurman. In 1916. Jews from Klementowice, Abramow, Glinik, Wolica and Wielkie were subordinate to the Kurow community. Under its management were a synagogue, a beit ha- midrash, a mikveh, a ritual slaughterhouse, an old, disused cemetery on ul. Boznicza Street and the new cemetery on Boznicza Street. Blich.Interwar period - Jews lived within the market and the following streets: Bożnicza (now Nowa Street), Dworska (now I Armii Wojska Polskiego Street), Dzika (now Kilińskiego Street), Klodzka (now Glowacki Street), Szumowska (now Kosciuszko Street), Lubelska and Zabia. The sources of income for most were trade and crafts (shoemaking, tailoring, furriers). Jewish entrepreneurs ran several major businesses, including. sawmill, oil mill, soap factory, windmill, water and motor mill with power plant (owned by Oskar Urlich and Mordka Finkielsztejn). At the municipality, charitable activities were carried out, among others. founded in 1929.Gemilut Chesed and the Linas ha-Cedek Society. The Aguda, which dominated the municipal government until the late 1930s, enjoyed the greatest political support from the local community. Many supporters were Zionist organizations - including. Poale Zion party, whose branch was founded in Kurow in 1927., established in 1930.Poale Zion-Left and the Zionist-Revisionist grouping. Since at least 1929. There was a branch of Mizrachi here. Under the auspices of the Zionist organizations were the schools of the Yavne and Tarbut association networks, the Agudah ran the Beit Yaakov religious school for girls, and there were also several private cheders. From 1925 to 1933 there was a Zionist Society for Workers' Evening Courses, and in 1928. a branch of the Society for the Unification of Jewish Schools was established, supporting education in the spirit of Orthodoxy. There was also the Society of Friends of Working Palestine.