The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust is the condensation of the renowned Pinkas HaKehillot series published by Yad Vashem and much more. It provides the history of the shtetls and cities of your ancestors in almost every country of continental Europe (exceptions: Bulgaria, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland). It describes the distinctive culture of these Jewish communities lost during the Holocaust. It chronicles the history of its Jewish people, and as well as the habits and customs of the communities. There are more than 600 photographs and illustrations. No Jewish library should be without this important work.
Consider it not only for yourself but as a donation to your synagogue library.
Features* Community entries include alternate place names, geographic location, history of the Jewish tradition within that community, including its education, political, and economic life as well as its relationship with the broader community and its fate during the war.
* Cross-referencing within entries enables each reader to expand the scope of one's research.
* Features many never-before-published photographs gathered from personal collections as well as historical archives.
* Maps, created specifically for this encyclopedia, draw upon numerous historical sources to pinpoint the locations of towns with significant Jewish populations in Europe and North Africa, many of which disappeared during the war.
* The Chronology summarizes the sequence of critical events and helps the reader understand the context in which they occurred.
* The Glossary expands the reader's understanding of relevant terms in a clear and concise manner.
* The Index of Persons offers an at-a-glance listing of major figures with their communities of origin.
* The Index of Communities features alternate spellings in a variety of languages and dialects.