Story Summary:
The Opochna Progressive Society was established in New York by immigrants hailing from Opoczno, Poland. Jews were present in Opochna from 1646 on. They were given permission to build a synagogue and were granted land for a cemetery. The Jews of Opochna worked in trade, artistry, and in factories. Before World War I, there were over 4000 Jews in Opochna. Following German occupation on September 6th, 1939, the Jews of Opochna were subjected to harsh conditions in the ghetto. Following the ghetto's liquidation, the Jews of Opochna were transported to Treblinka. Their memories live on. ~Blog by Olivia Scanlon
Opochna Progressive Society Blog
The Opochna Progressive Society was established in New York by immigrants hailing from Opoczno, Poland. Jews were present in 1646, but according to records, they were in Opoczno prior to that but had been casted out and were permitted to resettle in 1646. At the same time, they were granted permission to build a synagogue and were allocated land for a Jewish cemetery. Sources vary regarding the Jewish population of Opochna, but by the 1850s, there were well over 1000 Jews in Opochna. This number increased to over 2400 by 1897 and just over 4000 in 1909. The Jews of Opochna made their livings most through commerce, peddling, artistries, and factories (beer and vinegar). They collectively owned two cemeteries, a synagogue, a cheder, and a bathhouse. The 19th century brought various Zionist organizations to Opochna, including Eretz-Yisrael Ha-ovedet, the General Zionists, He-Halutz (youth), and He-Halutz Hatzair (youth).
Germany entered Opochna on September 6th, 1939. Shortly after, they demanded 20k zloty from the Jews. Both a judenrat and a ghetto was established around November 1940, holding over 4000 people (Jews from Opochna and those from surrounding areas). About two years later, the ghetto was liquidated, its inhabitants transported to Treblinka. The Jewish community of Opochna was not reconstituted. The old cemetery did not survive the Holocaust.
https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/opoczno
https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/opoczno/opoczno.html
https://www.esjf-cemeteries.org/survey/opoczno-old-jewish-cemetery/
https://www.zchor.org/opocz.htm
https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/pinkas_poland/pol1_00047.html
https://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=56110
~Blog by Olivia Scanlon
