Smorgon's 300-year-old Jewish community weathered many upheavals—from Lithuanian dukedom to Russian Empire to Poland to Soviet. The Jews made their living by tanning and leatherworking, carpentry, manufacturing, knitting, baking (their bagels were famous throughout Russia), retail, and peddling. On the eve of the First World War, Zionist and Jewish socialist groups were active. There were two study houses, seven synagogues, three elementary yeshivot, and a Jewish hospital. The community gave rise to several renowned writers, artists, educators, and political figures.

In June 1941, The German army occupied the town. In October, they set up two ghettos, one near the synagogue and one near the Jewish farm settlement of Karka. Soon Jews from surrounding areas were being transported here. Later, the ghettos were destroyed, and the Jews transported to Oszmiana (Ashmyany), Vilnius, and Lukiskes, and concentration camps in Poland, Germany, and the Baltic states. Only a few Jews survived, some escaping to join partisan groups.

After the war, this Jewish community did not revive. But survivors and emigrés in Israel joined together, and shared their memories and testimony in this book.

This Yizkor Book serves as a memorial to all the victims of the Shoah from Smorgon.

For the researchers, this book contains a wealth of both genealogical and cultural information that can provide us with a picture of the environment our ancestors left when they left the town.