Tarnow region - banana belt - the warmest place in Poland

In order to know the Jewish culture of our region we need be familiar with the past. The first Jewish settlers came during the Middle Ages; with the passing of time, the Jewish population rapidly increased as a result of Polish religious toleration. In 1939, there were about 25000 Tarnóvian Jews (45% of the town's residents). A significant part of them constituted the intellectual and cultural elite of Tanów as lawyers, physicians, musicians, teachers, and industrialists. The majority of Jews, however, were very poor and lived in crowded back-alley apartments, wooden houses, and annexes.

The city was once an important center of religious life, maintaining a few synagogues and a dozen small prayer houses known as shtibl and kloyz. There were Jewish schools, presses, cultural and social organizations, and a rich social life. Today, there are so few Jews in our region that it would be impossible even to have minjan; an assembly of 10 adult male Jews (over 13), essential to say public prayers ina synagogue.

Although the population of Jewish people has severely decreased since the time before WWII, their community has left a permanent and esteemed mark on the Polish culture. Cemeteries are the most numerous monuments of the Jewish culture in our region, but the synagogues, schools, baths, archives and places commemorating holocaust remain as the strongest testamonies to Jewish contribution. The most interesting collections are in the Regional Museum in Tarnów and the museums in Dąbrowa Tarnowska and Bochnia. The synagogue in Dąbrowa Tarnowska is especially interesting as the last private prayer home in the region, preserved as museum after its last user's death.

Tarnow Market Square - a witness of the martyrdom of local Jews during the German Occupation. On the corner building of Żydowska Street, a plaque commemorates (since 1997) those who suffered in the holocaust from the Tarnow ghetto. There are two streets leading east from the Market Square called Wekslarska and Żydowska (Jewish Street). Between them is preserved the oldest Jewish quarter of the city.

Żydowska and Wekslarska Street - the tenement houses still standing here were constructed in the 17 th and 18 th centuries. Some of the homes still have the iron shutters of the Jewish shops that once occupied these buildings. Also, on a few door frames one can discover traces of mezuzahs (a scroll of parchment containing two parts of Tora). At Żydowska Street we can find a gate that leads to the location of the oldest synagogue in Tarnow, which is now only survived by bimah.

Bimah

Bimah - the only preserved part of the oldest Tarnów synagogue erected in the 17 th century and destroyed by the Germans.

Goldhammera Street - named after Dr. Elijah Goldhammer, an attorney who was the vice-mayor of Tarnów from 1906 to 1911. The last functioning prayer house, which continued until 1993, was located at number 1 Goldhammera. The next building, 3 Goldhammera, is the former hotel of Herman Soldinger. Building number 5 housed the old Jewish Credit Society whose Supervisory Council President was Herman Merz. On the other side of the street, at number 6, there is a incomplete inscription written in both Yiddish and Polish.

Nowa Street - the highly acclaimed synagogue, the New Synagogue, was located on this street before WWII when it was destroyed by Nazis. It was built in the beginning of the 20 th century in the Mauritanian style and was the pride of Tarnovian Jews.

Mikvah - a Jewish ritual bathhouse, erected in 1904 in Mauritanian style, that later became the site for the first transport of Jews to Auschwitz. Many years after the war it still functioned as a bathhouse; presently, offices operate here.

Jewish cemetery

Jewish cemetery - located near the intersection of Słoneczna and Matki Bożej Fatimskiej Streets. This cemetery, established in the second half of the 16 th century, is one of the oldest and most interesting cemeteries in southern Poland. Devastated by the Germans, it was the location of the mass murder of Tarnovian Jews during WWII. In 1946 a monument was erected on the site of the mass graves, in the form of a broken column coming from the New Synagogue. Since 1989 it has been restored, leading to the uncovering of various tombstones and graves.

Ochronek Street - the Michalewicz Workers Home, built by the socialist Bund party which operated there. Still farther, on the left side is a former luggage factory which was once owned by Krzak and Szpiller.

Kołłątaja Street - on its right side, stands the building of the Jewish Orphanage whose inhabitants were murdured during the war; presently contains a kindergarten. On the left side of the street rises the impressive edifice of Henryk Szancer's mill.

Sienna Street - the tall building of the Talmud Tora, which is currently a nursing school.

St. Westwalewicza Street - the Baron M. Hirsch School was located there; today it is the Secondary School of the Arts.

Nadbrzeżna Street (Bank Street) - running along the Wątok where there once stood a Jewish ritual slaughterhouse. Here, over the stream on Jewish New Year ( Rosh Hashanah ) one can meet crowds of Jewish pilgrims saying traditional prayers.

Świętej Anny Street (St. Anne's Street) - at number 7 there was a large reform synagogue known as Temple. Up further, stands the school building of the Safa Berura Association now serving as a dormitory, where there was once a Hebrew secondary school and a library.