Council of Four Lands

Va'ad Arba ' Aratzot, Hebrew for " committee of four countries", was the highest Jewish institution for self-government in the Kingdom of Poland, from the mid-16th century until in 1764.

The so-called Four countries Synod was the organization that, among other things to the king represented the communities of the four provinces of the kingdom ( Greater Poland, Lesser Poland, Galicia and Volhynia ) and decisions that were binding on the Jewish community authored. The Committee met at least twice a year during the great fairs of Lublin and Jaroslaw. For the Breslauer exhibition of the Committee appointed special officials who were responsible for the observance of Jewish dietary laws (see Jews in Breslau).