The formation of Jewish charity organizations in Tomsk in the 19th - early 20th centuries

For a long time Jews have been gaining experience to live together with other religious groups in different countries, under various geographical, cultural and political conditions. And the help of adherents has always played a vital role to save the national mentality. The help of adherents and charity have been the aim of various researches. Such authors as Ya. Kopansky, Yu. Muchnik and others have been researching the appearance and development of Jewish charity institutions; have been analyzing the influence of charity on the community and national mentality. The aim of the paper is to study the activity of Jewish charity organizations in Tomsk in the 19th - early 20th centuries. It helps to understand truthfully the religious and cultural life in Tomsk, in Siberia and in Russia. Charity and help of adherents are widespread in the Jewish community. Due to various charity organizations as well as the custom of almsgiving on days before some celebrations as well as on Monday and Thursday there are beggars in the Jewish community that live only by charity. In Siberia the attitude to beggary was severe because wealthy Jews were afraid to attract the authorities' attention once again. The community of Jews helped only really poor people. The community of Jews in Tomsk handed applications to organize a charity. But these applications were not supported. As a result poor people received help directly from the religious administration of the synagogue. Senior citizens received help in the almshouse which was opened in the 1880s. Due to the increasing number of senior citizens who lived in the almshouse the community decided to build a new one. It was necessary to find money which was raised at charity concerts, masked balls, etc. Also the community took care of orphaned children. They received help from the religious administration of the synagogue. The orphaned children lived in the almshouse if they were not adopted. Only in 1917 an orphanage was opened due to the increased number of orphaned children in World War I. Also during World War I a branch of the Committee of war victim help was opened for people who suffered in the war and for refugees. The scope of activity of the Jewish charity covered people of other denominations. For example, in 1874 a school for children of different religions was opened in a house of a merchant woman Khotimskaya. She bought all equipment for the rooms and lessons. Jews helped victims of fires in Tomsk and Krasnoyarsk. To sum up, Tomsk community of Jews had various sides of charity. It helped adherents and people of other denominations to get friendship in Tomsk society.

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