Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Biłgoraj
Билгорай
בילגאריי
Bilgoray

Biłgoraj is divided into 13 settlements:
* Bagienna
* Batorego I
* Batorego II
* Bojary
* Nadstawna
* Ogrody Piaski
* Puszcza
* Solska
* Rapy
* Roztocze
* Rożnówka
* Sitarska Kępy
* Śródmieście

On September 11, 1939, the Jewish quarter of Biłgoraj was set on fire in a heavy bombardment by the German air force.
A few days later German troops entered the town and immediately organized anti-Jewish pogroms.
On September 29, 1939, the German army withdrew, but the occupying Soviet army were forced to cede Biłgoraj to the Germans a week later.
About 20% of the town's Jewish population left for the Soviet Union together with the retreating Soviet troops.

On June 25, 1940, the Germans established a ghetto in Biłgoraj.

During 1941 and 1942, a number of deportations from Biłgoraj took place.
On November 2, 1942, shooting was heard all around the town, the Germans went from house to house killing the Jews.
On November 3, 1942, in the afternoon, the barracks were guarded by Lithuanians in black uniforms with a German insignia, who helped the Germans chase the Jews from the barracks, anda nnihilate them.
On November 4, 1942, empty railroad freight cars were brought to the Biłgoraj train station, and the remaining Jews were loaded into them, and transported to Belzec death camp.

On January 15, 1943, the last 27 survivors who were still hiding in Biłgoraj were shot, while a small partisan unit survived in the surrounding forests.

Famous people from Biłgoraj:
* Mordechai Rokeach, or Mordechai of Bilgoray, Rav of Biłgoraj prior to World War II
* Isaac Bashevis Singer