[Pages 221-222]

Jewish population	General Population	Year
201	906	1880
293	936	1900
224	896	1921

In 1366, King Kazimierz the great authorized the establishment of the settlement of Jasliska .that is located to this day at the same location near the village of Posado Jasliska. The place was a royal city until 1432. In this year, the city passed into the hands of the bishops of Przemysl and remained under their control until the end of the18^th century. The place was surrounded by a fortified wall during the 15^th century. Jasliska was known as a wine trading place from the middle of the 15^th century until the middle of the 17^th century. It had a large wine warehouse, especially for Hungarian wines. The place was also known for horses. During the 18^th century, Jasliska began the economic decline for the demand for imported Hungarian wines declined. During the 19^th and 20^th centuries the economic decline continued. The fact that the place was rather isolated greatly hindered the economic situation of the place. . Jasliska is located at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains and is 24 kilometers from a railway station and 17 kilometers from the main road. The city lost the municipal status following WWI.

During the 16^th to 18^th centuries, Jews were forbidden to live in Jasliska. The municipal council adopted this policy during the years of 1593, 1630, and 1608. The decision received the backing of the bishops of Przemysl. The latter even forbade the renting of rooms or stores to Jews. Jews were only permitted to stay in Jasliska during market or fair days. Even this interpretation was violated by the city leaders of Jasliska for the Jews of Rymanow and Rzeszow complained in 1611 that Jews were not permitted to trade or stay during fair days.

With the cancellation of special privileges for cities that belonged to the church during the Austrian rule, Jews began to move to Jasliska. There were two families (9 people) in 1808. The Jewish population grew with the proclamation of the Austrian Emancipation bill in 1867. There were two synagogues in Jasliska, one followed the rules of the Sandzer Hassidim and the other one followed the rules of Sadigora or Rezin. The place was however too isolated to continue to grow and soon the decline set in. The Jewish community was at best, a poor community and kept declining until it was obliterated by the Shoa.

Towards the end of the 19^th century, Jasliska had a well organized community. Following WWI, Jasliska was attached to the Jewish community of Rymanow. The spiritual leader of the community at the end of the 19^th century and beginning of the 20^th century was Rabbi Shimon Tessler. He was followed by Rabbi Itzhak Zeew Forer. Between the two great wars, Rabbi Ephraim Dawid Halbershtam, the son of Yehiel Nathan Halbershtam was the Rabbi of Jasliska. He was followed by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Halbershtam. Rabbi Ephraim Dawid Halbershtam left Jasliska to become the Hassidic rabbi of Myszlenice and Dawid Halbershtam became the Hassidic rabbi of Szebnie. Both rabbis and their families perished in the shoa.

On the first day of the war, September 1^st 1939, the Poles evicted about 100 Jewish families from Jasliska to Rymanow. The reason for the expulsion was that the Jews were not loyal enough to Poland and the area was near the front lines. When the Germans occupied the area, they tried to push the Jews to the Soviet controlled areas. Then, many Jews decided to return to their native Jasliska. The place had a Judenrat but no mention of a ghetto.

The Jews of Jasliska managed to live in relative peace for three years under German occupation. There were no actions or shootings like in other places. Many Jews were forced to work. The Jews continued to trade with the local surrounding population and were able to feed themselves. This situation lasted until September 1942. Then, the first day of the month of Elul in 1942, the Jews were ordered to assemble in the city square, the young men, women and children were forced to march to the nearest railway station in Iwonic, a distance of 28 kilometers. They were then sent to the death camp of Belzec. The old and sick people were led to the nearby city of Dukla where they shared the fate of that community, namely they were all shot in the forest of Barwinek.

In 1942, there was a Jewish labor camp in Jasliska. They cleared forested areas about 8 kilometers from the hamlet of Jasliska. The harsh labor conditions of the workers were beyond descriptions.

Only 5 or 6 Jews from Jasliska survived the war.

Bibliography:

Yad Vashem Archives, 016/245;03/3350

Central Historical Archives of the Jewish People in Jerusalem; HM/7921, HM/7099

 Yizkor Book Project    JewishGen Home Page  

Copyright © 1999-2024 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 16 Aug 2009 by LA