Smotrich is a historic town located in Dunaevtsy district of Khmelnitskiy region. The town’s estimated population is 2,087 (as of 2001).
During the time of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795), Smotrich was a town in Podolsk voivodeship (it received the Magdeburg Charter in 1488).
Smotrich became a part of Russia Empire in 1795 , in XIX – beginning of XX century it was a shtetl of Kamenets Yezd of Podolia Gubernia.
Smotrich is approx. 32 km from Dunaevtsy and in 280 km from Kamenets-Podolskiy.
Beginning
By the beginning of 18th century there was a Jewish community in Smotrich. A large synagogue, noted for its beauty, was built there in the 18th century.
Jewish population of Smotrich:
1765 – 375 Jews
1847 – 1,274 Jews
1897 — 1,725 (40%)
1939 – 1,075 (18.5%)
2016 ~ 3
In 1712, a Jewish community with a rabbi existed there. In 1765, there were 375 Jews in Smotrich and nearby villages.
According to the 1847 census, “Smotrich Jewish community” consisted of 1,274 people.
In 1863, the local authorities made an attempt to close one of the synagogues which they considered unnecessary.