To Be a Kid in the Shtetl: A Journey into Jewish Childhood in Eastern Europe

Step back in time to a world where cobblestone streets, simple homes, and close-knit communities defined the essence of Jewish life in Eastern Europe. In our upcoming virtual tour, To Be a Kid in the Shtetl, hosted by the Baltimore Zionist District and guided by the knowledgeable Evgenia Kempinski, we invite you to experience the richness and challenges of childhood in the Shtetl—the small towns that were once the vibrant heart of Jewish society.

This immersive experience will transport you to the everyday lives of shtetl children, where tradition met modernity and the rhythms of religious and cultural life were interwoven with the innocence of youth. We’ll explore how boys and girls navigated their roles within the family, their experiences in religious and secular education, and the joys of holidays and lifecycle events that marked their passage through childhood.