With the poorest children and orphans in mind, a Talmud-Torah religious school was established in Płock. We can find a mention of the existence of the Talmud-Torah in Płock in the “Pinkas of the guild of tailors” from the end of the 18th century, in which we read: “Any tailor summoned by the management regarding the matters of the guild and refusing to come will be subject to a financial penalty of one red thaler for Beit Ha-Midrash and one for the Talmud-Torah”. The school curriculum included subjects related to religion, without taking secular subjects into account. The Talmud-Torah Committee made sure that the students of the school became expert Talmudists.
Pursuant to the will of January 24, 1867, merchant Rafał Segał (approx. 1800-1867), bequeathed to the Jewish community in Płock a property located at Jerozolimska Street, the proceeds of which were to be used to construct a wall at the Jewish cemetery and maintain order in its area, as well as “for charity”. In the following years, these funds were allocated to the maintenance of the Talmud-Torah religious school. Among the members of the community who financially supported the Talmud-Torah, there was also the owner of the watchmaker’s shop and a member of the synagogue supervision – Emanuel Drejsohn (born 1830) as well as Icek Jakub (1817-1879) and Blima Ides Drzymała (1822-1880). On January 4, 1888, Izrael Kirsztejn (1828-1916) purchased a property at Zduńska Street for 3,000 rubles, which he then donated to the Jewish community in Płock, intended for the seat of the Talmud-Torah.
In 1888, progressive Jews took over the leadership of the Talmud-Torah. A committee was established, consisting of representatives of the local Jewish intelligentsia, which carried out a thorough reform of the school in a progressive religious spirit, changing the profile of education and introducing secular subjects into the programme. In the same year, there was a project to establish a craft workshop at the Talmud-Torah, and a donation of 100 rubles for this purpose was made by Izydor Mayzner (1856-1912) – an industrialist, sugar manufacturer and co-owner of a department store. Following in his footsteps was Dawid Woldenberg (1833-1907) – a grain merchant and banker, well-known philanthropist from Płock, co-founder of The Mutual Credit Society of the city of Warsaw and the Płock Charity Society, who during his visit to the institution donated 100 rubles for the organization of the workshops and “promised to make further donations for this purpose when the project begins to be implemented.” The idea of creating craft workshops in Płock was financially supported by the organization of balls and amateur performances. These events took place, among others, in the local theater and in the wintertime quarters of the Rowing Society.
In 1892, tailor Kalman Daniel Kwiatek (1815-1892), son of Zelek and Frajda, bequeathed his property at 19 Szeroka Street (mortgage number 72) to the Płock Jewish community – the income was to be used for the maintenance of the Talmud-Torah and dowry for the poor Jewish girls from the town of Płock.
In 1894, thanks to the involvement of Aron Konsztam and Samuel Askanas, a collection of voluntary donations was organized for the restoration and adaptation of the basement in the Talmud-Torah house for craft workshops, as well as the purchase of the necessary tools. More than 450 rubles were collected then, and among the donors were: Anna Flatau, Jakub S. Goldman, Dawid Woldenberg, Markus Frenkiel Wolfsohn, Henryk Flatau, Leopold Byszofswerder, Samuel Askanas, Mojżesz Altberg, Ludwik Kempner, Rudolf Neumark, Markus Szenwic, Jakub Szenwic, Moszek Szlama Sarna, Izrael Kirsztejn, Jakub Neumark, Maurycy Sachs, Józef Kunig, Natan Lipszyc, Szymon Łaski and Rudolf Oberfeld.
Aron Kohnsztam (1859-1920) – son of Mojżesz and Sura nee Landau. He was an outstanding teacher and pioneer of the modern Hebrew language. His father owned a haberdashery shop, and when Aron turned 15, the Kohnsztam family moved to a village near Płock, where Mojżesz opened a small factory. Concerned about his son’s future, he sent him to Płock to study. Aron moved in with his uncle, who owned a book and stationery store. He soon began studying “world science” and was ready to enter the seventh grade of middle school in no time. After graduating from this school, he entered the Faculty of Law of the Imperial University of Warsaw, which he graduated from by writing a thesis on Roman inheritance law. He returned to Płock, where he initially practiced law and worked as an assistant lawyer, but soon became interested in the educational problems of the local Talmud-Torah and decided to work in the field of education. After leaving the law office in Płock, he started studies to become a teacher. From 1887, Aron Kohnsztam devoted himself fully to working for the Talmud-Torah. In 1895, he was offered the position of director of the Jewish religious school in Łódź. In a farewell letter of April this year, signed by 20 social activists and philanthropists who similarly to Kohnsztam were involved in the activities of the Płock religious school, it was emphasized: “any initiative, any thought, aimed at social welfare or raising the moral level of our brothers in faith, found in you, Dear Sir, an ardent supporter and sincere helper”.
On September 9, 1894, a locksmith’s workshop was opened at the Talmud-Torah. Learning at the workshop took place in the afternoon, from 3 to 5 p.m., except on public holidays. The workshop was initially open to 10 boys, but 12 boys aged 11 to 14 were enrolled immediately, recruited from among students of the local two-grade Jewish elementary school and the Talmud-Torah. Classes in the workshops were held under the supervision of a foreman and a journeyman.
As the proceeds from voluntary donations decreased, the committee taking care of the institution was forced to look for various sources of income to meet its current needs: amateur performances, concerts, games were organized, and their main, energetic organizers were Bronisława Golde and Paulina Altberg.
In 1902, Jakub Neumark (1859-1932) took up the reorganization of craft workshops. He was a law graduate of the Imperial University of Warsaw, a member of the board of the Płock Mutual Credit Society, president of the Płock department of the Society for the Promotion of Agricultural and Handicraft Work among Jews in the Kingdom of Poland, an activist of the Society for Social Work among Jews in Poland and a committee helping Jews to emigrate to Argentina. Jakub Neumark’s activity was supported by his wife – Bronisława Neumark, who was the organizer of many charity initiatives aimed at raising funds to support the poor (including on February 20, 1905, on her initiative, an amateur performance was held to support families of Jewish reservist soldiers appointed to the Far East ).
Thanks to the involvement of Jakub Neumark, the board of the Jewish community declared to grant the rest of the necessary funds for the completion of the reconstruction of the outbuilding in the Talmud-Torah property, which was to house craft workshops, and 500 rubles a year for the maintenance of the workshops during the first three years, and several dozen representatives of Płock The Jewish intelligentsia undertook to donate the rest of the necessary fund through annual voluntary contributions. The sums declared by the Jewish community were to be covered from the percentage of the legacy of 5,000 rubles, written down to the community by Ludwika Dąbrowska.
In December 1902, the opening ceremony of a new school at the Talmud-Torah took place. As reported in the local press, its participants were the representatives of Płock town authorities and a group of Jewish intelligentsia. Rabbi Lipszyc delivered a solemn speech during the feast that took place after the ceremony in the Great Synagogue. The toasts were made with “Palestinian wine”.
In 1907, the craft workshops at the Talmud-Torah achieved an income of 2,503 rubles and 64 kopecks. At that time, the school had 36 students, 7 of whom graduated.
In the interwar period, members of the Płock Jewish community were still willing to financially support the activities of the Talmud-Torah school, including making bequests. Among the donors of the institution was, among others, Izydor Wasserman (1848-1921) – a merchant, bookseller, printer, social activist, initiator of a cheap laundry, free baths for the poor and hiring a permanent tailor who repaired the clothes of paupers. In his will, he bequeathed 3,000 rubles to the Jewish community for the purpose of buying a house and arranging a shelter for boys and girls, 500 rubles for the Jewish Charity Society, 500 rubles for the Talmud-Torah, 300 rubles for the Jewish Home for the Elderly and Disabled, 250 rubles for the Society for Granting Interest-Free Loans to small merchants and craftsmen, 300 rubles for the Bikier Chojłym brotherhood and 100 rubles for the Miszmorim brotherhood, as well as 250 rubles for the Christian Charity Society.
In January 1921, 150 poor boys attended the Talmud-Torah, and in 1925 – 70. The school employed 3 melameds. At that time, the chairman of the Talmud-Torah religious school committee was Natan Graubart.
On October 15, 1931, a kindergarten was opened at the Talmud-Torah school. A graduate of the State Teachers’ Seminary in Płock, Tema Kaliszer, worked as a teacher at this institution.
According to data from the autumn of 1937, the Talmud-Torah at 5 Zduńska Street was one of four private primary schools maintained by Jewish associations, next to the Isoda Tora school (at 5 Oild Market Square), Mizrachi (20 Sienkiewicza Street) and Bejs Jakow (14 Tumska Street).
The last head of the Talmud-Torah school was Jakub Askanas (born 1884) – a teacher, co-founder of the Mizrachi Zionist-Orthodox organization. One of the last teachers was Chiel Majer Krawec, who also taught Hebrew to priests from Płock.
