Jewish Families from Ariogala, Lithuania

This project seeks to collect all of the Jewish families from the town of Ariogala, Kaunas county, Lithuania.

Alternate names: Ariogala [Lith], Eragala [Yid], Ragala [Yid], Eiragola [Rus], Ejragoła [Pol], Ėĭragola, Ayragula, Ariogalos, Arëgala, Airiogala, Iragola, Ragola, Ragole

JewishGen Locality Page

A history of the Jewish Community of Ariogala

From the book Lithuanian Jewish Communities

The Jewish community apparently started in the mid-1700s.

According to Rabbis of Keidan, R' David Katzenellenbogen, A.B.D. Keidaniai was Rabbi of Ariogala prior to moving to Kedainiai. Additionally, his son R' Meshullam Zalman Katzenellenpogen, A.B.D. Kedainiai followed him as Rabbi, and is mentioned in a note from the burial society in 1762 (from the Pinkasim collection of Simon Dubnow, currently at YIVO in NYC).

In the 1765 census, the Jewish population was listed at 502 people, including some outlying taverns. The rabbi at the time was Rabbi Avraham ben Zalman Magid, brother GRA.

In the 1784 census, the Jewish population appears to have declined to 303 people. The rabbi is listed as Chaim ben Izrael (identity uncertain).