1. Radzyń Podlaski - Centrum miejscowości

Jews in Radzyń Podlaski - Until 1918. - The first Jewish merchants probably appeared in Radzyń in the 16th century. Or even in the 15th century., i.e. Soon after the city was founded. In 1661. Three Jews, including two butchers, settled in the city. The independent municipality was probably established in the second half of the 17th century. and for a long time maintained close contacts with the main Jewish community of Międzyrzec in the area. Its position and importance can be evidenced, among other things. The fact that it had representatives in the Diet of the Four Lands. After 1752. The Radzyn community increased in size by including Jews from nearby towns.Jews made their living mainly from crafts, trade and alcohol propination. In the 19th century. The Radzyn municipality was developing demographically.By the end of the 19th century.Jews dominated commerce, and many families also made a living in crafts (tailoring, butchering, shoemaking) and innkeeping. By the end of the century, Jewish entrepreneurs owned numerous properties, two metalware factories, two mills, a dye house and five oil mills.In the 19th century. Radzyń became an important center of Hasidism, among other things. Thanks to the tzaddikim of the Leiner family. During the years of World War I, a branch of the Mizrachi was established in Radzyn, at which in 1916. The youth organization Ceirei Zion was founded.Interwar period - Most families made a living in small trade and crafts, a few wealthier Jewish entrepreneurs owned small industrial plants. Under the community's management were a synagogue, a communal beit ha-midrash, two cemeteries, a mikveh and a ritual slaughterhouse. There were also charitable organizations under the auspices of the municipality, including. Linas ha-Cedek, dedicated to providing medical aid, and the Gemilut Chesed self-help organization, founded back in World War I. In addition to the communal Talmud-Torah and numerous private cheders in the early 1920s, Jewish children studied in a four-class Jewish comprehensive school, the Hebrew school of the Tarbut network and the Tarbut School, established in 1929. Under the auspices of the Aguda religious school for girls Beit Yaakov. In 1928. The Union of Jewish Merchants and the Jewish Cooperative Bank were founded, providing low-interest loans. Although the municipality's authorities were dominated by supporters of orthodoxy, affiliated with the Orthodox Church, which had been active since 1921. a cell of the Aguda party, the Zionist movement was gaining influence among the younger generation. In addition to the Mizrachi branch, cells were established, among others.: General Zionists and the Zionist Labor Party "Hitachdut" (1929). Poale Zion-Left, the Zionist-Revisionists and the youth organizations Gordonia, Beitar, Ha- Shomer ha-Cair and He-Chaluc had their local branches. Since 1930. Under the auspices of Gordonia, a training farm was established in a village near Radzyń for pioneers wishing to emigrate to Palestine. Zionist organizations also ran a library, serving, among other things. as a meeting place for a theater group.The Bund also had supporters here, along with the youth annex Cukunft and the children's organization SKIF (Socialist Children's Union). Since 1923. The Radzyn branch had a Jewish Gymnastic Society "Ha-Koach" (Strength).In Jewish community council elections in 1924 and 1929, the Agudah won half of the seats. In 1931. The General Zionists seized power, forming a coalition with Mizrachi and craft circles.Jews also had representation on the city council. In the 1924 and 1930 elections., in proportion to the number of Jewish residents of Radzyń, won nine of the 18 seats on the council. In the 1939 elections., despite the fact that various Jewish parties and parties formed a joint "Civic Bloc" list, managed to win only six seats. Great fire in 1930. destroyed some of the Jewish buildings in the city center. In late 1935 and early 1936., in a wave of deepening economic crisis and growing anti-Semitic sentiment, there was violence directed against the city's Jewish residents. In 1937. youths originating from Polish nationalist circles organized an action to break windows in Jewish homes and stores.The city officially condemned the action, and its organizers were arrested. .