diorama: Jews on the Streets of Lublin Passing by a Petition to Boycott the Followers of Shabbetai Zevi, Poland, 1670

Lublin was an important Jewish center and the meeting place of the Council of Four Lands – the leading institution of Poland’s Jewish communities. The Council, which functioned for over 200 years, represented Jews in governmental matters, collected taxes and resolved disputes. The Council would convene during the large annual fairs: the winter fair in Lublin and subsequently also the summer fair in Yaroslav. As a judicial and legislative body, the Council also passed laws and issued regulations, including the demand to boycott the followers of Shabbetai Zevi after he converted to Islam.