Czyzew New Jewish Cemetery

The second Jewish cemetery of Czyżew was established around 1820 in the southeastern part of the settlement, and today is located across from the Roman Catholic cemetery that was established in 1860. The Jewish cemetery was most likely surrounded by a brick wall before the war. Currently only two fragments of matzevot have survived in the entire area of approximately 1.3 hectares. The tombstones were destroyed during World War II and in the postwar as they were used as free building material. The cemetery is currently unfenced. There are well-worn paths. The area is partially overgrown with lush vegetation. It remains littered and unmarked. The murder sites of Jews from Czyżew, located in the forest near Mianówek, was commemorated in 1959 with a granite monument. This longitudinal grave with a concrete frame is fenced with a metal fence.

Czyżew new was founded in 1476. In the second half of the 16th century, it was split into several villages with the common name of Czyżewo. In the 17th century, there were 47 households and about 370 inhabitants. In 1738, King August III confirmed the previously granted town rights. At that time, the Jewish community numbered over 200 people. In 1713, it was subordinate to the Jewish community in Węgrów. The Czyżew Jews followed the Węgrów community until at least 1765. An independent Jewish community in Czyżew was likely established in the second half of the 18th century. In 1808, 811 Jews lived there. They constituted over 75% of the population. In 1857, after the Warsaw-Petersburg railway line was put into operation, the number of Jews increased to 1,441 constituting 97% of the total population.

In the 19th century, a tzitzit (ritual fringes, tassles) factory started to operate in the city, exporting the goods mainly to the east. In the following years, the percentage of the Jewish community decreased slightly. In 1921, the community numbered 1,595 people, which constituted 87% of the total population. In 1941, a significant number of Jews from Czyżew were murdered in a mass execution in a forest near the village of Mianówek. About 5,000 people (also from other towns) died there. A ghetto was established in the town, and it was liquidated in November 1942. The ghetto inhabitants were deported to the extermination camp at Treblinka.