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Vacations were a luxury most Bałuty residents couldn’t afford. Instead, people enjoyed their leisure time in local parks, such as Julianów Park, where they engaged in winter and water sports. Traveling circuses included some Jewish performers and…

Jewish women traditionally managed the household and raised children, a major task in a world of large families and limited conveniences. Observing kosher laws added further demands to their daily routines. Women also outside the home as servants,…

The rhythm of life in Bałuty was marked by the Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Łódź had six synagogues, but most residents worshipped in one of the hundreds of shtibelekh (small prayer rooms). Friday evenings and Saturdays were a time of rest, with…

During World War I, Jews fought for the Poland's independence in the Polish Legions and later took part in the Polish-Soviet War. In the interwar period, Jews, like other Polish citizens, were drafted for military service. Jewish soldiers took part…

The living conditions in Bałuty were very difficult. Families crowded into small apartments, and the streets were filled with filth. The Bałuty district was predominantly inhabited by Jews, but some buildings were multiethnic and inhabitants…

The Goldbergs remember their first date, and the song “The Forgotten Alley” by Albert Harris, written in Soviet exile during World War II, recalls the home and family he left behind. These memories set the stage for exploring the history of the…