Jews began to settle in Mszczonów at the end of the 17^th century[1.1]. The first Jewish inhabitants of the town were most probably innkeepers. An independent Jewish community (synagogue supervision) in Mszczonów emerged towards the second half of the 18^th century[1.2].

It is generally agreed on that the Jewish community of Mszczonów was established in 1763. A document confirming the right to open a Jewish cemetery in Mszczonów was issued in August of the same year. The necropolis was to be located outside the city, by the road to Słabomierz, on a plot owned by the district governor with the area of 70 x 70 ells. Governor of Mszczonów Aleksander Ossoliński also granted the community permission to erect a synagogue, which was to be located in the vicinity of the cemetery, in the house of Daniel, a recently deceased Jewish merchant. At that time, a wooden beth midrash had already existed in the town[1.3].

The Jews of Mszczonów ran inns and were engaged in petty trade and craft. Several people traded in grain and forest products and ran distilleries and beer breweries. The most popular professions among craftsmen were tailors and shoemakers, but there were also many Jewish blacksmiths in the town[1.4].

At the end of the 18^th century, the Jewish population was Mszczonów was granted burgher rights, which largely strengthened the position of local Jews. At the time, the town was on the brink of financial collapse, brought upon by years of armed conflicts and natural disasters, which is why Christian townsmen decided to grant the Jews of Mszczonów municipal privileges. In return, they were obliged to accept all duties of burghers. The agreement was concluded on 14 December 1778[1.5].

The only restrictions still imposed on Jews were the obligation to settle within a designated area and the ban on the production of alcohol and lease of propination rights. Detailed provisions and motives of both parties were set out in the following excerpt of the December Agreement:

“[...] The renowned Magistrate, with its Council, jurors and common people, seeing the considerable size of the Jewish population gathered in the town of Mszczonów and their handsome buildings erected at a great cost, considering the fact that they had been living and performing various trades in the town for many years, with the permission of the court and considering the fees paid to the court so far, and taking into consideration the shortage of Christian citizens of the town engaged in trade and with the view to build up the numerous, large, empty squares despite the frequent non-payment of public taxes resulting from the poor condition of the Catholic population, has, upon deliberation, unanimously decided that Jews who possess buildings in the town of Mszczonów shall be recognised as citizens of our town, entitled to the rights, freedoms, and privileges conferred upon burghers by the Polish Kings and shall be submitted to the jurisprudence of the town, and has further decided the following:

1. Jews shall be allowed to trade with Catholic townsmen in all goods, both foreign and domestic, as well as sell all kinds of comestibles.
2. Jews shall be allowed to own and build houses in the Market Square in two sections only, one section being where the mayor’s house stands, including Warszawska and Wiskicka Streets, the other section being where the Szycowska tenement house stands, up to the street that leads from the parish church to the St. Lawrence Church.
3. Three Jewish houses in the Market Square (in the section from the parish church to St. Lawrence Church) shall be seized by Catholics. Jews shall be forbidden from erecting any more houses in this section.
4. All disputes between Catholics and Jews shall be handled exclusively by the local, that is the municipal court of Mszczonów, salva appellatione to the Court of Justice of His Majesty, and all matters between Jews themselves shall be resolved by the Rabbi and the elders, who shall be elected every year, with appeals ubi de iure venerit.
5. The town, namely the Catholics, shall forbid Jews to hold any propination rights for any liquor, unless leased from the townspeople, payable exclusively to the town and intended for public purposes.
6. All taxes and extraordinary expenses shall be paid by Jews to maintain the full rights of the burghers of Mszczonów.
7. Based on the number of houses possessed in the town of Mszczonów, Jews shall provide or pay for oats according to the register alongside the Catholics.
8. Jews shall keep and pay for night guards to protect the town from fire.
9. In order to keep the town clean, every Jew shall remove mud from the cobblestones in front of his own house, regardless of whether it was paved by himself or the town, and from the Market Square at his own expense.
10. Jews shall make efforts to have brick chimneys in every house in the Jewish square, and have the chimneys swept at least once a week by a person appointed for this purpose by the Mayor, and paid by the Jews as agreed.
11. A well shall be built in the market square for protection against fire and maintained by Jews at an equal expense with the town[...]”[1.6].

The document continued to hold significance in the centuries to come: in the years 1822–1825, it allowed the Jews of Mszczonów to avoid the creation of a Jewish district within the town. It was not an administrative decision but tradition which would determine which of the local streets or districts were to be inhabited by Jews and which by Poles[1.7].

Throughout its history, the town was consumed by three fires. The first broke out in 1696. The second one, taking place in 1800, destroyed the old wooden beth midrash. The third great fire struck the town in 1862, destroying 100 Jewish houses and the newly built synagogue[1.8].

In 1897, 2,523 out of all 5,124 inhabitants of the town were Jewish[1.9].

In the 19^th century, Mszczonów gained fame as the birthplace of a new Hasidic dynasty, founded by Yaakov Dovid Kalisch. The tzaddikim of Mszczonów (Amshinov) had followers in various parts of Mazovia, Kuyavia, and Eastern Greater Poland.

After the death of Rabbi Yaakov Dovid in 1878, the post of the local rabbi was held by Menehem Kalisch (died in 1918), Yosef Kalisch (died in 1935), and Yaakov David Kalisch, who was the last rabbi of Mszczonów. He died in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1942[1.10].

Various religious societies were active in the town, among them the Chevra Mishnayos and the Chevra Thilim. A shelter for poor Jews operated at Rawska Street, in the house of David Stelmach; the institution also offered travellers a place to stay for the night. The cemetery was managed by the Chevra Kadisha burial society[1.11].

When the village of Żyrardów, located in close vicinity to Mszczonów, started to experience intensive development, the Jews from Mszczonów were the first Israelites to appear there.

After the end of World War I, the Agudath party gained wide influence among the Jewish population of Mszczonów; nonetheless, it did not dominate the local political landscape and had to compete against Zionists[1.12]. The Zionist movement in the town was highly diversified. The town boasted branches of the Zionist Organisation, the “Mizrachi” Zionist Orthodox Organisation, and Poale Zion. Zionist Jewish youth of Mszczonów gathered under the banner of Torah V’Avodah (Hebr. Torah and Work) and Dror (Hebr. Liberty). Some of the most prominent youth activists were Melech Strassberg and Melech Gilbert. There were also branches of non-Zionist parties operating in Mszczonów, among them the Agudath Israel and the All-Jewish Workers' Union “Bund”[1.13]. Nonetheless, most local Jews lived very traditional, religious lives.

Jewish children in Mszczonów attended cheders and Talmud-Torah schools supervised by the local community. Girls also had the option to study at the Beit Yaakov school, founded by the Agudath activists. The Polish public school accepted children of all faiths.

The “Tarbut” Jewish Cultural and Educational Association offered evening Hebrew classes. Mszczonów also boasted a library with a literary club, drama club, and a reading room. Those interested in sports could develop their physical fitness at the “HaKoah” Jewish Gymnastic Society[1.14].

In the interwar period, most Jews from Mszczonów were engaged in petty trade and crafts. They were tailors, hatters, shoemakers, cobblers, tinsmiths, clockmakers, and bakers. Many also worked as porters and cart drivers. Two Jewish tanneries operated in the town, one of which belonged to Mordechai Waldstein[1.15].

In September 1939, immediately after entering the town, Germans shot 13 Jewish people. Another group of Jews was burned alive inside the synagogue on the eve of Yom Kippur[1.1.1].

In late 1940, all local Jews were moved to a designated district, which de facto became an open ghetto. Some Jewish people worked in German production plants and on local farms, others were sent to the German labour camp in Płaszów. In the winter of 1941, 100 Jewish workers from Warsaw were brought to Mszczonów. They worked on road repairs and were supervised by the Judenrat.

During World War II, the number of Jews residing in the town ranged from 2,000 to 2,200[1.16]. On 6 February 1941, Germans expelled most local Jews to Warsaw, leaving only several dozen of people in the town, forcing them to perform slave labour in German factories. They survived in the town until 2 July 1942, when they joined other Jews from Mszczonów in the Warsaw Ghetto. They were all deported to the German Nazi death camp in Treblinka[1.17].