History of the Jews in Poland

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Part of a series of articles on the
History of Judaism
in Poland
 
Timeline of Jewish Polish history
History of the Jews in Poland
Origins to 17th century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
The Holocaust in Poland
Nazi German death camps in Poland
Rescue of Jews by Poles
during the Holocaust
1989–Present
List of Polish Jews
Polish Righteous among the Nations

Part of a series of articles on
Jews and Judaism
 
Who is a Jew? · Etymology · Culture

The history of the Jews in Poland dates back over a millennium.[1] For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. Poland was the centre of Jewish culture thanks to a long period of statutory religious tolerance. This ended with the Partitions of Poland and persecution especially by the Russian authorities. There was nearly complete genocidal destruction of the Polish Jewish community by Nazi Germany in the 20th century after the German and Soviet occupation of Poland in 1939 and the ensuing Holocaust. Since the fall of communism there has been a Jewish Revival in Poland, characterized by the annual Jewish Culture Festival, new study programmes at Polish high schools and universities, the work of synagogues such as the Nozyk, and the Museum of the History of Polish Jews.