The earliest mention of Jews in Beresteczko dates back to 1569. In 1648, their number amounted to 1,000. Around 200 families died during pogroms perpetrated by Khmelnytsky's Cossacks; only 12 Jewish households survived. Approximately one thousand Jews fought on the Polish side against Cossacks and Tatars in the great battle of 1651.

During the period of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, there was a Jewish kehila with 872 members in 1765. It included 632 members living in the town itself. At the beginning of the 18th century, the rabbi was Szaul ben Jaakow, in the 1850s and 1860s - Eliezer Lipman, and at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries - Chaim-Mordche Margaliot (died in 1818). Almost all Jews perished in the plague epidemic at the end of the 17th century.

In the 19th century, the community revived, taking advantage of the gradual improvement in the economic situation in the territories of the Russian Partition. In 1847 it had 1927 members, in 1897 - 2251. Approx. in 1850, there were 4 synagogues in the town, including two Hasidic ones. In the period 1881–1937 the rabbi was Mosze-Lejb Kliwaner, while Nachman Zwagiler was considered the leader of the Hasidim. In 1901, according to records, there was a Jewish Kahan’s school for boys and a hospital. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Bund and youth Zionist organizations became active.

In the interwar period less than half of the town's population was made of Jews, but they must have been visible, since Mieczysław Orłowicz, in his guide from 1929, recognized Beresteczko as almost entirely Jewish. The same author stated that Jews lived at the market square and the neighbouring streets, including old mansions with attics, dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. They were mainly involved in food processing for the local market, trade and crafts. They owned 177 shops out of the total of 234; 28 out of 30 tailors and 18 out of 19 furriers were Jews. In 1917, a Jewish self-defence unit and a Zionist club were formed. In 1918, a Hebrew school started its activities, and in the 1920s it was incorporated into the Tarbut network. One of its first teachers was I. Lamdam. There was also a Jewish public library. In 1930, the Jewish People's Bank was opened. One of the leading representatives of the local community was Boruch Forer, who at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s served as the deputy mayor.

Before the outbreak of the war, there were 6 synagogues, including 3 Hasidic ones. After the service of rabbi Mosze-Lejb Kliwaner, which lasted 56 years, his function was taken over in 1937 by the last rabbi of Beresteczka - Aron Zabarski (died 1941).

The Soviet occupation which began in September 1939 was a serious blow to the community. All commercial and manufacturing activities were nationalized, political parties and social organizations were banned, and all independent institutions were closed. The Hebrew school was converted into a school with Yiddish as the language of instruction.

Germans entered the town on June 23, 1941. A number of repressive measures against Jews were immediately introduced, such as: the obligation to wear a mark on clothes in the form of the Star of David (later the yellow armband); being forced to work hard without any pay; looting and rapes, committed in particular by the Ukrainian police. As early as August 8 of that year, the German police (SD from Lutsk), assisted by the Ukrainians, carried out a mass execution of 300 men of Jewish nationality near the Beresteczko castle. A Judenrat was established, with the task of collecting a high contribution. On October 5-14, 1941, a ghetto was established. Jews from nearby towns were also driven there, while some craftsmen were allowed to stay outside the closed district. The ghetto was liquidated on September 7-9, 1942. SD units, supported by the Ukrainian police, shot about 3,000 people. The place of extermination was primarily Jar, located 2 km from the town. Only a few who managed to escape survived the crime of genocide.

A few Jews appeared in the town after the entry of Red Army troops on April 24, 1944. They found that their homes were destroyed.

Bibliography:

• Krugłow A. I., Bieriestieczko [in:] Hołokost na tieritorii SSSR. Encikłopiedija, ed. I. A. Altman, Moscow 2009
• Orłowicz M.,Ilustrowany przewodnik po Wołyniu, Łuck 1929.
• Weiss A., Spector S., Berestechko, [in:] Encyclopaedia Judaica, Second Edition, ed. F. Skolnik, M. Berenbaum, Vol. 3, Detroit–New York–San Francisco–New Haven–Waterville–London 2007.