According to the same census, Kedainiai had 46 light industry factories that employed at least 5 workers. 33 of the factories (72%) were owned by Jews as shown in the table.
During the years 1923-1940, 109 religious and secular books in Hebrew were printed in the Movshovitz-Cohen printing house. Among them was a book for learning Hebrew by Akiva Golenfol, for people “who know the Hebrew language”. The last Hebrew book that was printed in Lithuania was in 1940 and it was printed in that same printing house.During the period under discussion, the number of Jewish artisans decreased gradually. The younger generation did not see its future as artisans and preferred enrolling into higher education. In 1937, there were still 65 Jewish artisans in Kedainiai: 8 tailors, 8 shoemakers, 7 butchers, 6 bakers, 5 painters, 4 watchmakers, 3 tinsmiths, 3 oven makers, 2 glaziers, 2 electricians, 2 hat makers, 2 blacksmiths, 2 barbers, 2 sewers, a binder, a printer, a smith, a carpenter, a photographer and 4 others.
The economic crisis that beset Lithuania in the 1930's, and the open propaganda of the Lithuanian Union of Merchants (Verslas) to boycott Jewish merchants and not to buy from them, hurt the livelihood of many Jews in Kedainiai. Those events motivated many Jews to emigrate abroad. The situation of the Jewish greengrocers, who grew vegetables, mainly cucumbers and tomatoes, on land they leased from estate owners in the area, deteriorated due to the high leasing fees and the shrinking markets. Only Jews who owned land made their living honorably. They grew sugar beet and vegetables and the surplus cucumbers and cabbage they pickled for themselves for winter. There were also Jews who raised cattle and horses. In 1935, 50 families made their livelihood from agriculture. In 1939, their number decreased to 40.
Kedainiai had branches of the “Jewish Artisans Association of Lithuania” and of the “Jewish Farmers Association of Lithuania”.
In 1935, of the 8 doctors in Kedainiai, 2 were Jews, and of the 4 dentists, 2 were Jews. Only 4 Jews, all of them teachers, worked for the government.
Kedainiai had two Jewish banks: the Jewish national bank (Folksbank) had 70 members in 1920, in 1927 it had 544 members and in 1929 it had only 360 members; and the bank for reciprocal credit. They played an important role in the economic life of the city's Jews.
In 1939, there were 154 telephones in Kedainiai, 25 of them were in the homes of Jews.
The source: http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/pinkas_lita/lit_00581.html
During the years 1923-1940, 109 religious and secular books in Hebrew were printed in the Movshovitz-Cohen printing house. Among them was a book for learning Hebrew by Akiva Golenfol, for people “who know the Hebrew language”. The last Hebrew book that was printed in Lithuania was in 1940 and it was printed in that same printing house.During the period under discussion, the number of Jewish artisans decreased gradually. The younger generation did not see its future as artisans and preferred enrolling into higher education. In 1937, there were still 65 Jewish artisans in Kedainiai: 8 tailors, 8 shoemakers, 7 butchers, 6 bakers, 5 painters, 4 watchmakers, 3 tinsmiths, 3 oven makers, 2 glaziers, 2 electricians, 2 hat makers, 2 blacksmiths, 2 barbers, 2 sewers, a binder, a printer, a smith, a carpenter, a photographer and 4 others.
The economic crisis that beset Lithuania in the 1930's, and the open propaganda of the Lithuanian Union of Merchants (Verslas) to boycott Jewish merchants and not to buy from them, hurt the livelihood of many Jews in Kedainiai. Those events motivated many Jews to emigrate abroad. The situation of the Jewish greengrocers, who grew vegetables, mainly cucumbers and tomatoes, on land they leased from estate owners in the area, deteriorated due to the high leasing fees and the shrinking markets. Only Jews who owned land made their living honorably. They grew sugar beet and vegetables and the surplus cucumbers and cabbage they pickled for themselves for winter. There were also Jews who raised cattle and horses. In 1935, 50 families made their livelihood from agriculture. In 1939, their number decreased to 40.
Kedainiai had branches of the “Jewish Artisans Association of Lithuania” and of the “Jewish Farmers Association of Lithuania”.
In 1935, of the 8 doctors in Kedainiai, 2 were Jews, and of the 4 dentists, 2 were Jews. Only 4 Jews, all of them teachers, worked for the government.
Kedainiai had two Jewish banks: the Jewish national bank (Folksbank) had 70 members in 1920, in 1927 it had 544 members and in 1929 it had only 360 members; and the bank for reciprocal credit. They played an important role in the economic life of the city's Jews.
In 1939, there were 154 telephones in Kedainiai, 25 of them were in the homes of Jews.
The source: http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/pinkas_lita/lit_00581.html