The first mentions of Jews in Polotsk date back to the 16th century, when the city was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Even then they were engaged in trade, crafts and financial activities. However, under pressure from the Catholic Church and local authorities, Jews were repeatedly expelled from the city, which did not prevent them from returning, bringing their contribution to city life.

In the 19th century, with the inclusion of Polotsk into the Russian Empire, the Jewish community grew significantly. This was facilitated by the introduction of the Pale of Settlement, which limited the possibility of Jews living outside the western provinces. According to the 1897 census, Jews made up about 20% of the population of Polotsk. They were actively engaged in trade, developed textile and leather production, owned shops, workshops and small enterprises. Their hard work and enterprise contributed to the economic development of the city.
The religious life of the Jews of Polotsk was centered around synagogues. There were several synagogues in the city, each of which served certain segments of the population. Central was the Great Synagogue, which became not only a place of prayer, but also a center of spiritual education. Here they studied the Torah, the Talmud and the basics of Jewish ethics. In addition, in Polotsk there were cheders and yeshivos, where young people received traditional Jewish education.
The cultural life of the community was also varied. At the beginning of the 20th century, Jewish theater groups, libraries and public organizations arose in the city. Yiddish and Hebrew newspapers disseminated information among the local population, helping to preserve the language and culture. Charity occupied a special place: societies for helping the poor, orphans and widows operated in Polotsk, which united the Jewish community and strengthened its social relationships.
However, with the beginning of the 20th century, the Jewish community faced a number of difficulties. Times of pogroms, anti-Semitic sentiments and economic restrictions affected its life. The situation worsened during the First World War, when many Jews were forced to leave their homes due to the fighting.
A tragic page in the history of the Jews of Polotsk was written during the Second World War. After the city was occupied by German troops in 1941, the Jewish population found itself in a ghetto. People were subjected to brutal repression, mass executions and deportations. According to various sources, more than 10 thousand Jews were exterminated in Polotsk. This tragedy forever changed the face of the city and became a symbol of human suffering and injustice.
After the war, Jewish life in Polotsk never returned to its previous size. The few who survived either emigrated to Israel, the United States and other countries, or remained in the USSR, trying to rebuild their shattered lives. Soviet policies of atheism and assimilation led to the closure of synagogues, the liquidation of Jewish organizations and the loss of national identity.
Today, only a small Jewish community lives in Polotsk, which is trying to preserve its heritage. There is a synagogue in the city, and events dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust are held. The Jewish cemetery in Polotsk has become a place of memory, where descendants from different parts of the world come to honor their ancestors.
The history of the Jewish community in Polotsk is a reminder of how the diversity of cultures enriches a society, even despite the tragic pages of the past. Remembering the Jewish contribution to the life of the city, their culture and traditions is important not only for the Jews themselves, but also for everyone who values ​​history as a source of inspiration and lessons for the future.