Sudilkov: The Tallis Shtetl

Sudilkov, a small town in Ukraine, is reportedly the shtetl Stephen Spielberg’s family hail from. It has a history of Jewish settlement reaching back to the 17th century, but today there are no Jews there and almost no trace of the Jewish presence remains.

The Jews of Sudilkov were renown for the tallits they made.

“Talleisim of Sudilkov were known internationally and their production was the main source of income for the townspeople. The people of Sudilkov believed that anyone who bore the family name Talisman or Talismacher certainly could trace their origin to Sudilkov. The silk and wool threads were brought from Lodz and in the local workshops, skilled craftsmen wove the talleisim. Traveling salesmen sold their product in all the Jewish communities both near and far.”

Quoted from Yalkut Volhynia, 1948