Poland

Poland was once the hub of world Jewry. The first Jew registered in Krakow in 965 AD, and for centuries the community flourished. By 1939, the population numbered 3.3 million, the second largest Jewish community in the world at the time. However, Polish Jewry was devastated by the Nazi Holocaust. By the end of the war, 85% of Poland’s Jewish community had perished, with just 12,000 remaining today; a number that has doubled over the past 30 years, as many Polish people have reconnected to Judaism and the community.

In 2010, unemployment stood at 8.9% with inflation falling to 3.5% due to the global economic crisis. Despite an ageing, inadequate infrastructure and severe income inequality, Poland’s economy is currently one of the strongest in Eastern Europe.