Shtetl – a market town located in the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and later the Russian Pale of Settlement. Usually small and self-contained, for centuries Shtetls were vibrant centers of Jewish life and tradition. These simple definitions do not explain the importance and the influence of the Shtetl on the Jewish life and culture. In the first two sessions in our series, we explore answers to many questions about the phenomenon of the Shtetl: What was so unique about the…

Shtetl – a market town located in the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and later the Russian Pale of Settlement. Usually small and self-contained, for centuries Shtetls were vibrant centers of Jewish life and tradition. These simple definitions do not explain the importance and the influence of the Shtetl on the Jewish life and culture. In the first two sessions in our series, we explore answers to many questions about the phenomenon of the Shtetl: What was so unique about the…