Jews played a significant role in the development of the region. Jews appeared in the city before 1693. In 1697, they had a synagogue that burned down with 92 houses. (Another was completed in April 1863, built by Italian artisans in Dabrowa and designed by a Jew designer Abraham Stern Goldstein.) 1765 Jewish poplation was 823 engaged in trade, crafts, spirits and beer production, honey production and an inn. A Jewish school opened in 1788. At the turn of the 19th and early 20th century were the Jewish library, printing firm, and private bookstores. In 1921, 24 Jews were on the City Council. During WWII, the Nazis forced them into forced labor for the Germans. They were banned from trade, public transport, and sidewalks. Their property was confiscated and were forced to wear a Mogen David. A ghetto was established for the town and surroundings. In September 1942 most were deported to Belzec. About 180 left in forced labor were shot at the Jewish cemetery. The ghetto was liquidated in September 1943. More than 150 survived the Holocaust, hidden in thirty locations. Of those who have survived, two-thirds emigrated within two years after the war and in 1956 - 68 to the USA, Canada, and Israel. The post-war communist authorities refused to return the Jews' property including the synagogue despite a court order. Jewish institutions were lifeless. ShtetLink. [May 2009]
synagogue sketch. [2005] The landmarked synagogue is a large rectangular brick building. Severely damaged during WWI, it was restored by a Dabrowa Jew named Gold. Between 1936-37 the building was renovated by Tarnów architect Dorota Mertz. During WWII, the building was used for storage. From 1945-50, only a small room on the ground floor was used for worship. In 1971, it was to be the Treasury building. The interior of the synagogue had a gallery, a flattened vault-covered prayer hall, and an upstairs hall for women. In every corner of the square tower were staircases. The place was covered with rich wall-paintings and bas-relief. Today, part of the Hebrew inscriptions and restoration work at the facility revealed a second layer of painting. The owner now is the Tarnowska Dąbrowa community under the order of voivode Małopolskie at the end of December 2006. The plan is to create a museum with an exhibition about the common life in the area for Poles and Jews. In 2008, 800 thousand. zł. €. came from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. for the preservation work. If everything happens in accordance with the plans, work was to begin to stablize the floor, vault reconstruction, and walls and replace the roof to save the synagogue from collapse. They still seek further funding. www.dabrowa.okay.pl Photos and more restoration information. [Mary 2009]
CEMETERY: Called "kirchołem" by local residents, the cemetery located at the junction of ul. Warszawskiej and ul. Warsaw and ul. Berka Joselewicza was established at the turn of the 18th century. The site expanded in the mid-19th century was destroyed by the Nazis during WWII when the graestones were used for paving the yard of the then Wehrmacht headquarters and for paving streets of Dabrowa Tarnowska and the road in Oleśnie. About 1,500 tombstones were used to pave the courtyard of the gymnasium as well as the walks and swimming pool for Breña. After the war, a few burials occurred in the 1950s and 60s and matzevot found elsewhere in the city were moved back here. The congregation founded by Tarnowska Jews from Dabrowa and their descendants created a Holocaust memorial. In 1992, Rabbi Mendel Reichberg rebuilt the ohel of David (d. 1843), his son Joseph (d. 1876), and Moses Eliakim (d. 1917). In 1992 Jews in America built a new fence. Today, the 2.4 ha cemetery has only a few graves and gravestone fragments. The last Jew was buried in 1995. photos [May 2009]
MASS GRAVE: On July 22 , 1942 under the oaks growing today in the cemetery, 180 people were murdered. [May 2009]
US Commission No. POCE000019 The US Commission is not finished rechecking this file. [2000]
REFERENCE: Gruber, Ruth Ellen. Jewish Heritage Travel: A Guide to East-Central Europe . New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992. p. 44
Photos by Charles Burns [February 2016]