First mentions of Jews living in Druja (currently Druya, Belarus) date back to the third quarter of the 16^th century, but there was no permanent Jewish settlement in the town at the time. The local Jewish community was only founded in the late 17^th century or the early 18^th century. According to the municipal chronicle, A. Sapieha confirmed the privileges previously granted to Jews. Many Jewish people from Druja worked in the local soap-making industry. In 1766, the town had 1,305 Jewish residents, in 1847 – 2,366, in 1897 – 3,006 (that year, Druja had a population of 4,742). In 1921, the number of Jews living in Druja amounted to 1,011 (41% of the population), and in 1925 – 1,800. The main synagogue was erected in 1766. It was designed by Italian architect Antonio Paracco. Druja was the birthplace of prominent writer, editor, and Zionist leader Alter Druyanow.

On the eve of World War II, Druja had ca. 1,500 Jewish residents. In the period between October 1939 and June 1941, the town was occupied by the Soviets. It was taken over by the Germans in late June 1941, after Nazi forces had broken the front. Soon after they seized the town, they killed a large group of people for their alleged collaboration with the Soviets. A ghetto was set up in Druja in the spring of 1942. On 17 June 1942, the quarter was surrounded by German forces and its liquidation commenced. The ghetto prisoners were trying to break the German cordon, but only a few groups managed to reach the nearby forests. Germans sought to stop Jews from escaping from the ghetto en masse by shooting at people at will. They eventually set fire to the quarter. Those who managed to escape would later join partisan units fighting against Germans in the nearby forests. A total of ca. 50–60 Jews from Druja survived the war.[1.1]