Damian Jankowski Knihy

This book explores the mechanisms of Jewish community life and the policies of their authorities in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the 17th and 18th centuries, focusing on Poznań and Swarzędz. It addresses topics such as the election and responsibilities of community officials, the role of the rabbi, community courts, craftsmen's guilds, and brotherhoods. It also examines the control exercised by community authorities over residents, fiscal policies, and the dynamics between the principal community (Poznań) and its branch (Swarzędz), as well as the interactions between Jewish communities and non-Jewish authorities. The author, Anna Michałowska-Mycielska, is a historian at the Institute of History, Warsaw University, specializing in the history and culture of Jews in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Her notable publications include works on Jewish communal authorities, source texts related to Jewish communities in the former Commonwealth, and the Council of Lithuanian Jews.

The Council of Lithuanian Jews (Lithuanian Vaad) served as the central representative body for Jews in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1623 to 1764, influencing all aspects of Jewish community life. It played a vital role in advocating for its members at diets and dietines (nobility legislative assemblies), as well as in the courts of the King and significant magnates, and even in non-Jewish legal systems. This book explores the Council’s initiatives within the broader context of contemporary Jewish societal dynamics, highlighting the distinct identity of Lithuanian Jewry as a cohesive estate that transcended local affiliations. Anna Michałowska-Mycielska, a historian at the Institute of History, Warsaw University, specializes in the history and culture of Jews in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the 16th to 18th centuries. Her previous works include studies on Jewish community governance and social control in Poznań and Swarzędz, as well as various source collections related to Jewish life and legislative matters in the region. Her research contributes significantly to understanding the complexities of Jewish existence and governance in historical Lithuania.