The Earliest Years 1300 - 1795
According to tradition, Jews began to settle in Vilkovishk already in the fourteenth century, but in the old Jewish cemetery tombstones were found dating only from 1575. At the beginning of the sixteenth century Queen Bona (wife of King Zigmunt August the second) donated timber to the citizens of Vilkovishk for building prayer houses. Jews too were among the beneficiaries and built their synagogue in 1545, which existed till World War II, having been renovated several times over the years. It contained a grandiose oak "Aron Kodesh" (Holy Ark), three stories high (11 meters), decorated with artistically engraved wooden ornaments, which housed several scrolls brought by those expelled from Spain as well as the usual Sifrey Torah allowed to build a cemetery for themselves.
At the beginning of eighteenth-century deceased Jews from Koeingsberg (Prussia) were brought to Vilkovishk for burial, because they were not allowed to build a cemetery for themselves.
In the middle of the eighteenth century a cholera epidemic hit the town of Vizhan (Wizajny - now Poland) about 35 km south of Vilkovishk. Jewish refugees from there who were not allowed to enter Vilkovishk, settled in a forest nearby and the community of Vilkovishk supplied them with food. Many of them died and were buried near the forest. Descendants of these Jews later settled in Vilkovishk and lived there till the Holocaust. The majority of this material is taken from the article by Josef Rosin.Mr. Rosin has kindly given his permission to use this material.
From: "Our Homeland Vilkaviskis"
"Jewish residents built a small synagogue to the memory of a man called Pacas's wife, Ann. Further, smaller snagogues synagogues were built during the Interwar period. On the 7th April in 1679 the Jews were granted permission to enhance trade and were allowed to sell drinks and various goods. Tradesmen, such as goldsmiths, tinsmiths, tailors etc., were allowed to work in the town. They also could have a school and three houses alongside. They could have their own cemetery and practice their own customs. They could build a slaughterhouse, where they had the opportunity to sell meat without limits. In 1732 Vilkaviskis had streets named: Dvaras (Zamkowa), Gudeliai (Gudelska), Kaunas (Kowienska), Naumiestis (Wladyslawowska), Aukštoji (Wysoka), Varšuva(Warszawska) and Gardinas (Grodzienska). ????) Vilkaviškis had a Market with 25 stands. However, in 1747 the market grew to 31 stands. Moreover, two new streets and backstreets appeared off or behind Kaunas street.
Unfortunately, during June and September of 1781 and during October of 1782, Vilkaviskis suffered several fire outbreaks. 47 houses, warehouses, and public houses were destroyed in the flames. However, the people were determined and started to rebuild their properties. In 1790, the town got permission to build a brickyard."
Pinchas Hakehillot 1692
Jewish Community Records of Vilkaviskis 1692
A community committee consisting of the Rabbis and the respected personalities of the community administered public life. This committee managed all the religious, educational and welfare institutions. State rule in general did not intervene in interior issues of the Jews, thus the Rabbis were authorized to register births and deaths, to collect taxes for community needs and also to act as judges in conflicts among community members. The notebook (Pinkas) of the community from the years 1692-1833 is located in the Central Archives of the History of the Jewish People in Jerusalem
1782 Fire in Vilkaviskis
A document discovered by Dr. Ruth Leiserowitz
Documents about the inventory of fire damage in Vilkaviskis 1781. The inventory took place on October 31, 1782. What we learn from this document are names of Jewish residents whose houseseither burned down or suffered great damage. Some of the Jews also had tenants in the houses. Their names are also given.
Forty houses of Jews suffered serious damage. Houses of 7 Christian owners were also damaged, but insignificantly
Dr. Ruth Leiserowitz
1784 Census of Jewish Vilkaviskis
At the Union of Lublin in 1569, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland joined to form a Commonwealth whose territory included contemporary Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine and parts of Poland. The Commonwealth was ruled by a parliament, the Seym, composed of noble landowners. The noble or gentry class accounted for approximately twelve percent of the population during the 18th century, or about one million people. They elected a Lithuanian Grand Duke and a Polish King.
The Commonwealth government granted considerable autonomy to the Jews in its territory. Jewish taxpayers - about 25 percent of the heads of household who lived in each kahal (Jewish community)--elected representatives to the Council of Four Lands in Poland and to the Lithuanian Council. These Councils mediated between the Jewish communities and the Commonwealth government. By the latter half of the 18th century, due to the growing interference of the Austrian and Russian Empires seeking to expand their territories, the Commonwealth had become weak politically and economically. Corruption was widespread in the state government and in the kahal leadership, and many kahals were insolvent.
Transcribed and partially translated by Ralph Salinger of Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin from material kindly provided by a most generous anonymous donor. With the kindest assistance of two very good friends, Janusz Justyna of Zlotow Poland who I fear may have damaged his eyesight and patience with his superb assistance and Dr.Marek Kaminski of Fall Creek, Wisconsin