The economic situation of the Jews before the war, as in many other cities and
towns of equal status, was not particularly good, for they worked in small
trade, mostly of agricultural products, and they were also employed in crafts
(tailoring, shoemaking), as well as in smalland medium-scale industry (milling,
agricultural tools). Relations with the local population were relatively
good. Despite a boycott campaign launched by a well-known group of ONR
members, the Jews maintained business relations with the landed gentry and
the rural population. The attitude [2] of both state and local authorities was
also beyond reproach, because the Jews were represented everywhere proportionally to their number.
Despite all that, the Jews led a separate life, as they had their own organisations,
trade unions, banks and their Jewish Community. Existing for more
than 700 years,¹⁶⁶² the Community was one of the oldest in Poland and, as
all communities in our country, it had limited authority and was managed
by the council and board, whose members were elected from different parties,
from the rightist Orthodox faction to the Bund. Thus, all Jews and their
different world views were represented in the Community. Apart from religious
issues, the Community was engaged, officially and unofficially, in campaigns
to aid the poor. It ran a winter aid campaign — independently of the
municipal and national programmes, a holiday aid campaign, and in individual
cases it offered constructive help. All those activities were dependent
[3] on the financial situation of the Community and the funds it received
occasionally from compatriots from across the ocean. Independent of the aid
campaigns conducted by the Community, there were different institutions in
the city which provided financial help and health care to the Jewish population.
Depending on its financial reserves, each organisation and union tried
to aid its members. There were two interest-free loan funds, the Charitable
Association,¹⁶⁶³ the Ezras Cholim Association,¹⁶⁶⁴ the Union of Craftsmen,
and the Union of Merchants. Each institution helped its members however
it could, offering legal assistance, intervening with the authorities, as well as
1662 The first mention of a Jewish presence in Płock dates back to 1237.
1663 The Jewish Charitable Association (Towarzystwo Dobroczynności) at Zduńska Street 5 was established in 1902.
1664 The Ezras Cholim Association for Medical Assistance to Poor and Sick Jews (Towarzystwo Niesienia Pomocy Lekarskiej Biednym Chorym Żydom „Ezras Cholim”) was established in 1922 and was headed by Aron Juda Kenig.
