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Ideas about tremendous wealth of the Jews, their well-being, which was thought to have been created by incurring losses on the Christians, was prevalent in the society of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ( GDL and later periods). The reality, however, was quite different. Only a small part of the Jews was successful business people, the majority of them that engaged in small businesses, trade and crafts could hardly make both ends meet.
The Great Vilnius Synagogue
The Great Vilnius Synagogue
© DELFI

They competed not only with the Christians but also among themselves. Taxes paid to maintain the community and the institutions of its self-government, levies for Judaism practice (e.g., taxes similar to excises on kosher food, the possibility to sleep on feather pillows and the acquisition of ri

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