In the 1820s, Nasielsk was home to approx. 1650-1750 Jews (roughly 64% of all city inhabitants), and the Jewish community, apart from the synagogue, had a wooden hospital and a wooden nursery.

In the 18th century, the Jews living in Nasielsk earned their living mainly by leasing inns, distilleries and breweries. They also engaged in tailoring, furriery, and haberdashery, as evidenced by the establishment in Nasielsk in 1753 of the oldest craft guild in Masovia bringing these craftsmen together. This association was autonomous in relation to the city council and also had its own synagogue. Eight fairs and permanent markets were organised in the town each year, which promoted the development of trade. During the 1820s, Jews operated a tannery and a cloth factory in Nasielsk. There were also acting as innkeepers, although this led to conflicts between Jews, clergy and private owners of Nasielsk. In the mid-19th century, the so-called 'revolt of the Orthodox Jews' took place in the town, which was a reaction to the monopolisation of vodka production, which was sought by the owner of the town, Aleksander Kurtz. In the second half of the 19th century, the Jews of Nasielsk were involved in trade on a large scale.

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, over 4,000 Jews lived in Nasielsk, and their percentage among all the city's inhabitants in 1893 amounted to over 80%. In 1880, the 17th-century synagogue was demolished and replaced by a new brick one. Shortly thereafter, Abraham Bornstein, a Hasidic leader and founder of the Sochaczew dynasty, became a rabbi. In 1900, there were 10 cheders in the town. From the beginning of the 20th century, Jews from Nasielsk began to get involved in the activities of Zionists, the Bund and Agudah. The latter opened a school here for girls in the interwar period. This time was also marked with poverty, and 200 families benefited from the support of the Joint Jewish aid organisation. In 1939, there were 3,500 Jews living in Nasielsk, who constituted over 58% of the total population.

During World War II, in December 1939, the Nazis deported all Jews from the town. Initially, they were sent to Królewiec, from where they were moved to Międzyrzec Podlaski and Łuków. Jews from Nasielsk were also found their way to Jadów, Kock and Warsaw, among others. In all of these places they suffered the same tragic fate as the local Jewish communities. In the years 1941–1943, there was a labor camp for Poles and Jews in Nasielsk, with an average of 150 people incarcerated there at all times.

The Jewish cemetery in Nasielsk is located within the area of the Nasielsk-Wioska settlement, on the northern side of Kwiatowa street (plot no. 832), east of the town of Nasielsk. Its boundaries are historical in nature. From the west and north they are marked by a line of trees, from the south by Kwiatowa street, and from the east by large field boulders in the corners of the terrain; you can also see a partially preserved earth embankment. The owner of the cemetery is the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage.

The Description

The cemetery was established no later than 1775, as it was already mentioned in the inspection of the Nasielsk parish that year. As a result of the devastation during the German occupation during World War II and after 1945, even though the necropolis covers the area of 2 ha, there is only one tombstone, from the grave of Avraham Menachem son of Dow (d. 04.10.1887). You can also see several granite stones that could have been tombstones.

In 2016, self-seeding trees were cut down and bushes were mown. An information board was also placed on the edge of the cemetery at the western border of the forest and a metal plaque commemorating the Jewish community of Nasielsk in Brzozowa avenue was also installed. In 2019, the cemetery obtained permanent marking as part of the;"Marking of Jewish cemeteries in the Republic of Poland' programme run by the National Heritage Institute. Until 2021, further cleaning works were carried out, including the installation of a symbolic gate.

The cemetery was entered into the register of monuments pursuant to decision No. A-1583 of July 14, 2020.

Właściciel praw autorskich do opisu: Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN.