Shershev Yzkor Book - Chapter 1

Preface

In the period of the former Polish Republic, Shershev belonged to the Voievodshaft (Province) of Brisk-Litovsk. Jews are already mentioned as being in Shershev in 1583. In agreement with the resolutions of the Lithuanian Council in 1623, Shershev belonged to the Area of Brisk. In 1766 there were 973 Jews in Shershev. In the Revision (Census) List of 1847 the Jewish community of Shershev numbered 3,773 souls. In the census of 1897 Shershev had 5,079 inhabitants, of whom 2,553 were Jews.

The Russian-Jewish Yevreyskaya Entsiklopedia of Brokhaus-Efron, vol.16, p.14 states that in 1910 there was a Talmud Torah in the town of Shershev.

In the chapter entitled "The textile industry in Bialystok up to 1880", which Mr. Avrum-Shmuel Hershberg published in the second volume of "Pinkes Bialystok" (New York, 1950), among other things, in pages 19-20 the following facts about textile factories in Shershev (province of Pruzhany) are given:

In the town of Shershev there was a wooden building, rented from a local inhabitant. The factory of the first merchant (of this guild), Shaul Levin, was set up in 1818 as a weaver’s shop with five looms. In 1828 it produced cloth, in dark-green, blue and black colors, of quality higher than that used for soldiers uniforms. Production included: 190 pieces, 4,750 arshin (a measurement of length 1 arshin = 28 inches); beyke [a kind of cloth] and flannel 22 pieces, 730 arshin; woolen blankets, each of them three arshin in length: 850 pieces. These wares were sold in various Russian towns. The number of workers hired was 41, of both sexes, (freely bargained for). Among them were 21 Jewish men and 12 Jewish women.

In the same town, Yosl Tukhmakher set up in 1828, in a rented house, a weaver’s shop with one loom. In 1828 it produced cloth in dark-green, blue and black of quality higher that that used for soldier’s uniforms: Production included 8 pieces, 184 arshin; flannel: 15 pieces 525 arshin; blankets: 500. The merchandise was sold in various Russian towns. The number of workers was 16, including Yosl Tukhmakher himself, who was the master. All the workers were Jews, 8 men and 7 women.