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The evidences of the existence of the Jews in Poland date back to the tenth century. The mention of the historic Duke of Poland, Mieszko I can be found in the account of the journey in 965 by the Jewish traveler Ibrahim ibn Jakub. Besides being the Jewish traveler, Ibrahim ibn Jakub was the merchant and diplomat from Tortosa, Spain. The writings prove the existence of the Jews in Poland. There are other evidences as well that say that quite a big number of Jews traveled through the Piast lands to make their way to Poland and earn their livelihood through commerce and the crafts. Later on, the land of Poland had always proved to be an asylum for the Jews. The Jews had been subjected to social and religious agitations in various countries. These had forced the Jews to flee from other countries and take shelter in Poland. The Dukes and Kings of Poland like Boleslaw Pobozny (1221-1279) and Kazimierz Wielki (1310-1370) played a big role in providing the shelter to the Jews in Poland. Charter of Kalisz (1264) enacted by Boleslaw Pobozny assured total security for the Jewish community and their property.
Poland has always been recognized as one of the most tolerant countries in Europe. Poland posed as a paradise for the Jews. Prior to the World War II when Poland regained independence, the population of Jews in Poland was nearly three million.
But, during the Holocaust, the Jews in Poland faced the brutality by the Nazi Germany. It had been recorded that an excess of 90% of the Jews in Poland were murdered during that time. After the World War II, many Jews in Poland decided to emigrate to USA, Israel and South America. Once again after the decline of the communist regime in Poland in 1989, the Jewish started returning to Poland. In the modern days, the record says that the estimated population of the Jews in Poland is approximately 8000 to 12000.
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