The first information about a cheder in Szydłowiec comes from 1799.[[1.1]] At the beginning of the nineteenth century the Szydłowiec community paid a school tax to the owner of the town. Reference confirming the existence of a synagogue school also comes from the period before the January Uprising[[1.2]]. In 1873 the communal Talmud Torah still operated in Szydłowiec, there were also 10 private cheders, which educated 120 boys and 40 girls. Cheders were run by: Abram Mordka Wasersztajn, Lejbuś Morgensztern, Lejbuś Rozencwajg, Szymon Kaczała, Abram Josek Tojter, Aba Orenbach, Chaskiel Majer Rosenberg, Izrael Moszek Fajerman, Chaim Szterenzys and Pinkus Fridman[[1.3]]. Four of these cheders still operated in the early twentieth century. In 1887 there were plans to build a new synagogue and a communal brick Talmud Torah building, however, at that time the plans were not implemented[[1.4]]. The new synagogue and cheder, built on the foundations of the old buildings that burned down, were built in 1904. In 1900, out of the 13 cheders existing in Szydłowiec, the biggest was run by Herszel Grubsztajn. It taught 30 boys. The cheder run by Moszek Chomentowski taught 24 boys, the cheder run by Szymon Kaczała – also 24 boys[[1.5]]. Russian was taught at the cheders by Dawid Laks and Moszek Chomentowski. In 1913 the next cheders were established by: Binem Tenenbaum, Mendel Wulfowicz, Israel Honigman, Uszer Morningstar, Icek Chaim Zilberman. In the interwar period the communal Talmud Torah and cheder still operated in the town. Most boys and girls attended the public school. Extracurricular education was provided by the Evening Courses Society and the Association of United Jewish Schools which was under the influence of the Bund. Classes, lectures and readings were also organized by the Beit Josef and Jawne associations.

BIBLIOGRAFIA

[1.1] Penkalla A. Żydowskie ślady w województwie kieleckim i radomskim, Radom 1992, p. 160

[1.2] Urbański K. Gminy żydowskie duże w województwie kieleckim, Kielce 2003, p.70

[1.3] State Archive in Radom, School Directorate in Radom, Ref. 296, pp. 68, 177

[1.4] State Archive in Radom, Rząd Gubernialny radomski II, Ref. 4783,  pp.58, 63, Ref. 4784, pp. 41-51

[1.5] State Archive in Radom, School Directorate in Radom, Ref. 301, p.112