Among the most significant taxpayers were Dr. Jozef Pollak, Dr. David Friedner, Eduard Schlesinger and other Jews. Diplomatic Corps were represented, for instance, by Teodor Ring, Emil Klein, Samuel Vogel and other Jewish inhabitants of Zilina. Jews chaired also municipal financial institutions. The first director of ophthalmological hospital became Dr. Vojtech Spanyol. Prior to the World War I, from the viewpoint of religion, the Jewish Congregation was ranked number two, immediately following members of the Roman Catholic Church.
CSR (Czechoslovakia) came into being in the aftermath of the First World War. It was a meeting place of diverse Jewish communities with different levels of tradition, development and degree of assimilation. Number of Jews in Zilina rose steadily. There were 1,680 Jews in 1921 (nearly 14 percent of inhabitants), and 2,500 in 1930.
Slovak Jews viewed the dissolution of Austria-Hungary with great misgivings. What will the new government be like? What will be its attitude towards the Jews? Part of Jews was not happy in the budding CSR. Many places, including Zilina, were scenes of violence against them. However, the situation had gradually been consolidated, bringing in its wake almost two decades of peaceful years, which witness the culmination point of Jewish community life at Zilina. During the period of the first CSR, economic, political, and social conditions of Jews have reached unprecedented peak. There were 25 attorneys in 1919 in the town, out of whom 20 were Jewish. Similarly, out of 12 physicians 10 of them were Jews. A cursory look into the first Zilina directory for 1930 reveals, that almost all physicians and lawyers are Jews. They form the majority among hotel and factory owners. The city is being built by Jewish architects and constructors, e.g. Maximilian Scheer, Jozef Zweigenthal, Julius Stein and others. Jews hold leading positions at Drevarska Marketplace (Wood processing factory), they own the majority of shops on main streets of Zilina, they have significant participation among the businessmen of the trade community.
Their growing significance was also reflected in political life. Poale Zion party started its activities in the town in October 1919. Other parties were Ludovy Zvaz Zidov pre Slovensko (National Jewish Union for Slovakia), Zidovska Strana (Jewish Party), etc. Hugo Spanyol and Ignac Spierer were members of municipal representation in 1921. Zilina became one of the Zionist movement centres in Slovakia. Jewish Party congress was held here as well. In 1927 became Hugo Spanyol the First Deputy of the Mayor, followed by Rudolf Braun in 1931, who held the post of the Second Deputy. Many Zilina Jews were active in non-Jewish parties, mostly left-oriented.
Year 1938 brought first Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria. First anti-Jewish riots took place in Zilina.
As far as religious life in the First Republic is concerned, founding plenary session of orthodox community took place in 1921. Its first chairman became Samuel Schlesinger. Jewish split at Zilina had not been void of problems, and coexistence of both communities in the years to follow was not free of squabbles. However, the majority of Jews succeeded. There may have been some frictions, but not a “life or death” struggle, their motto being ‘live and let live’. Head of Neologist (Reform Judaist) ZNO (Jewish Religious Congregation) was in years 1917-1937 Ignac Spierer. Contrary to other places in Slovakia, Neologists (Neology = lit. New Doctrine) among Zilina Jews formed clear majority.
The ceremonious consecration of orthodox synagogue took place in 1927. The new neological synagogue was built in 1931. This edifice was designed by German architect Peter Behrens and was classified as one of the six most important public structures in Slovakia in the 20th century.
Jewish community life was very rich. Apart from Chevra Kadisha, there were associations of women, educational society Zion, Makabi, Hort, Hashomer Hatzair, Makabi Hatzair, and other organizations.
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