Children’s education

Children’s education

Jewish education in Bałuty traditionally started in the cheder, where young boys learned Hebrew and later studied the Torah; sometimes even girls attended these lessons. After Poland regained independence, compulsory education was introduced in Łódź, where a large portion of the population was illiterate. Jewish children attended szabasówki (schools closed on Saturdays), where the language of instruction was Polish. These schools emphasized Polish history and literature, reflecting an effort to integrate Jewish children into the broader Polish society. The audio includes excerpts from “Oyfn Pripetshik” (perf. Naum Coster) and Chopin’s Polonaise Op. 41 No. 1 (perf. Ignacy Jan Paderewski).