Lviv Jewish heritage tour

The history of Jewish people is a special and vague page in the world history. The history of life of Jewish people in Lviv is also full of different events, not only joyful and happy ones but also sorrowful and painful ones. In this tour we will travel to both well-known and little-known places of the city and its suburbs, which keep memories in its walls and stones that are not always visible, but can and should be felt.

ABOUT THE TOUR

There was something special about the Jewish community Lviv: there were two of them in Lviv. The first one was inside the city. Another one was on the outskirts, on the territory of so-called Krakivsky suburb. Each community in Lviv lived its own life and had separate rights and privileges. Up to the 18th century, the communities were actually conflicting: marriages between them were virtually impossible, and the Jew from the outskirts would never move to the downtown, and vice versa. Although the Community that lived on the outskirts was in a somewhat better economic situation than the urban one, it was not so protected from hostile attacks.

The most painful chapter of the Jews in Lviv is also connected with this settlement on the outskirts. It was here that following the German invasion during World War II, a Jewish ghetto was intentionally established, and as a result over 100,000 people died. Today, the Jewish community in Lviv tries to preserve and, if possible, restore its historical heritage, which can be regarded as an integral part of the history of the royal city.