Routes

Jewish culture, history and art played major role in the history of Jarosław. In the 17th and 18th centuries Jarosław became famous for holding Jewish councils called ‘Waads’ or the ‘Council of Four Lands’, always during Jarosław fairs. This council was the only Jewish self-governing institution of this type in Europe. At that time the most prominent Jewish scholars who gave talmudic lecturers used to come to Jarosław. Over time, the council evolved into regular meetings of a self-governmental institution of all Polish lands. The council was in great numbers visited by authors and publishers of Jewish books as all publishing houses were obliged to hold rabbinic acceptance during the council meeting. And so in 1671, the council allowed to translate the ‘Scripture’ into German and print it in Amsterdam. It can be added that Jarosław was the place of birth of Ephraim Solomon ben Aaron – one of the most prominent preachers of the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, since 1604 a preacher in Prague. Lifschütz Arie Lajbisz – a prominent Talmudist and rabbi in Sieniawa. Tzadik Simon Maryles – a miracle worker, student of famous Tzadik Jacob Isaac of Lublin, the author of the work ‘Tarot Simon’, creator of the centre of Hasidism in Jarosław. These examples give a strong argument to be interested in the trail of the Jewish culture in Jarosław. In the area of the trail there are places connected with public function, martyrology and contemporary initiative aiming at preservation of the remaining traces of existence of this cultural group in Jarosław. The objective of the trails is also to develop dedicated tourism.