Tag #155853 - Interview #78262 (sophia vollerner)

Zhytomyr was an old town, 200 kilometers from Kiev. At the beginning of the 20th century its population was about 100,000 people. From the middle of the 16th century to the 18th century Zhytomyr belonged to Poland and then it became a part of the Russian Empire. There was a Russian, Polish and Jewish population in Zhytomyr. Jews constituted about 30% of the population. They traditionally lived in the central part of the town and their neighbors were rich and intellectual Russian and Polish families. Jews were involved in crafts and trades. There were also wealthier families of Jewish intellectuals. There was a big Jewish community in Zhytomyr. There were no nationality conflicts. There were a number of synagogues in the town. Even after the Great Patriotic War 2 and the period of struggle against religion 3 there were five synagogues left. There was a cheder, a Jewish secondary and a yeshivah. The Jewish community paid much attention to charity and assistance to poor families and lonely elderly people. There was a Jewish orphanage, an old people's home and a Jewish hospital.