Zhytomyr is a Ukrainian regional centre. It has existed for already 1 119 years. Jews started settling there since the beginning of the 18th century, though officially it was prohibited for them up to 1792. So, in 1847, there were 9 500 Jews in Zhytomyr. In the end of the 19th century, Hasidism became widespread in Zhytomyr. In the 19th century Zhytomyr was one of the centers of Jewish cultural life. Since 1804, books were printed in Hebrew, and in 1832 a famous Jewish printing house was moved to Zhytomyr from Slavuta – one of the two printing houses permitted in Russia since 1845 (the second was in Wilno). In 1847, a rabbi school was opened in Zhytomyr; later, in 1873, it was transformed into a Jewish pedagogical institute. The name of a famous Jewish writer Mendele-Mokher Sforim is connected with Zhytomyr. In this city spent his childhood a Jewish literature classic, poet Chaim-Nakhman Byalik. One of the city’s streets is named after this literary man. In 1862, the first in Russia Jewish trade school was founded, where, over the period of its existence, have studied about 1500 students. Since 1870’s, the trade value of Zhytomyr has decreased, and it influenced the economical state of its Jewish inhabitants who, in compliance with the census of 1897, made up 31 thousand, i.e. 46% out of the whole population. At the end of the 19th century there were two synagogues and 39 meetinghouses in Zhytomyr. At this time decreases the value of Zhytomyr as a Jewish cultural centre.
In the beginning of the 20th century, Jews made up two thirds of all the local tradesmen. In 1926, Jews composed 39% of the whole population. In the beginning of the Great Patriotic War many Jews managed to leave the city, but the rest was trapped in ghettos and annihilated in September 1941. In the city outskirts, in numerous ditches and trenches, lie remains of 36 000 Jews. 
After liberation from German occupation, thousands of Jews returned home to Zhytomyr. The census of 1989 registered 292 100 inhabitants, 35 900 (12.3%) out of them of Jewish origin. Today, there are 284 200 inhabitants in Zhytomyr, 3 400 (1.2%) made up by Jews.
In the city are registered and operate the following Jewish communities and organizations:
-Judaist religious community (rabbi – Shlomo Vilgelm, Chabad)
-federation of Judaist religious communities and organizations in Zhytomyr city and Zhytomyr region

-Jewish Charity Centre “Hesed Shlomo”

-Sokhnut Agency

In Zhytomyr exists Jewish school “Or Avner”, a kindergarten, Jewish group in kindergarten ?56, makhon “Haya Mushka” for girls, Jewish boarding house for schoolgirls “Gershuni”, yeshiva, kolel. At the ancient Jewish graveyard repose tsadik rabbi Aharon’s remains. One of the streets in Zhytomyr is named after the great Jewish writer Sholom-Aleyhem.