The History of the Synagogue in Tarnogród as an Example of the Development of the Jewish Community in the 18th Century on Polish Lands

Abstract

The synagogue in Tarnogród still exists but has changed its nature and its function. It does attest the extraordinary position the Jewish community had achieved in this city. The history of the Jewish community and the synagogue started in the mid-sixteenth century with the privilege of Stefan Batory. Th e history of the Jewish community in this town is an example of the relationship between the ruling authorities, but also between the non-Jewish inhabitants of Tarnogród and the Jews. The state of the Jews was mainly determined by the privileges which this group received at that time. The Tarnogród synagogue is an example of how economics and social relations shaped the image of a small town. This is reflected in the constant modernization of the building due to the growth of the Jewish community. The synagogue was originally made of wood, repeatedly destroyed and once burned down, at the end of the seventeenth century it was given the form of a brick building. The functionality of the synagogue referred to the architectural patterns that prevailed at that time. The history of the synagogue in Tarnogród and its form can be perceived as a proper example of the formation and the development of the Jewish community in Eastern Poland.