Into The Country
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Jews settled throughout the entire Commonwealth, especially in the Ukraine, where the nobility were granted many concessions and large swathes of fertile land by the king.
Eager to develop their holdings, the landholders invited Jews to settle in their newly established market towns, where in time Jews formed a large proportion and even a majority of the town's population.It is here, protected by privileges issued by their noble lords, that Jews created the distinctive form of settlement and way of life that has come to be identified with the shtetl. In their vital role as managers of sections of noble estates, leasing everything from taverns to mills, Jews found themselves caught between the nobility and the peasants. Simmering tensions erupted with the Chmielnicki uprising of 1648. Despite massive destruction, Jewish life revived rapidly and flourished with distinctive forms of social, cultural and religious life.
Set against a vast panorama of the Commonwealth showing more than 400 Jewish communities is an immersive presentation of Jewish life in a private town. Life was organized around the marketplace and the synagogue. The centerpiece of this gallery is the painted ceiling and roof of the stunning Gwoździec wooden synagogue, which will be built to 85% scale by an international team of students and experts using traditional materials, tools, and techniques. Visitors standing beneath this exquisite structure will feel the unique atmosphere of Jewish life at the time.
The Jewish Historical Institute Association is solely responsible for the implementation and financing of the development and production of the Core Exhibition.
