Jews returned to Krzeszów at the turn of the 18th century. In 1726, they received permission to build a synagogue from the Bishop of Przemyśl. However, the bishop was concomitantly trying to limit their influence on the life of the town and prohibited them from working and trading on Christian holidays as well as organising public parties and weddings. Jews were also obliged to pay an annual pro tolerantia tax to the Church.

Despite the restrictions, the Jewish community of Krzeszów was gradually growing in size. In 1785, there were 360 Jews living in the town, and in 1867 – as many as 650. However, the Jewish population shrank at the beginning of the 20th century, largely due to World War I and the damages suffered by the town in 1915. Only 281 Jewish residents were recorded in Krzeszów in the 1921 census.

In September 1939, Krzeszów was bombed by the Germans. Some of the local Jews decided to flee east. In mid-September, the Red Army entered the town, but it withdrew only several days later, handing over control of Krzeszów to the Germans under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

The Jewish community of Krzeszów used to bury their dead in the cemetery situated to the north-west of the town, on a hill by the San River. Nowadays, the site is located ca. 300 metres away from the buildings at Ulanowska Street. Its exact date of establishment is unknown. It most probably existed since the 17th century.

The cemetery was devastated during World War II and continued to dilapidate and overgrow after 1945. Its original layout is now completely illegible.

In 2001, the cemetery was cleaned up and surrounded with a concrete fence with a metal gate. The works were carried out on the initiative of three people: Sidney Pressberg, Jan Martz, and Abraham Kessler. The cemetery area, covering 0.96 hectare, holds up to 100 preserved matzevot from the period between the 18th century and the late 1930s. They are difficult to access due to the thicket overgrowing the site.

The Jewish cemetery in Krzeszów was entered into the register of monuments under the number A-395, dated 30 June 1988.

Description copyright owner: POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews