Shtetl — A Cultural Strategy Board Game

Hello World! 

We, Shtetl  game team, come from places where Jewish heritage is deeply woven into everyday life. 

Much of this heritage is rooted in the small towns of Belarus and the wider region. Back in the 15th to early 20th centuries, many of these towns were called shtetls. They were full of life: people ran businesses and crafts, studied and learned, created their own unique architecture, and shaped traditions that still echo today.

Today, when we travel through them, we keep hearing the same phrase over and over: “More than half of the people living here used to be Jewish.” 

But for us, the shtetl is more than just a distant part of history. It lives on in people’s habits, holidays, expressions, family traditions, and the way we understand everyday life - often without fully realizing how deeply it shaped our world. 

With this game, we invite you not just to learn about that history, but to step into it - and maybe rediscover a part of it in yourself.

Let's us introduce ... Shtetl!

We want you to know exactly what you’re backing. At the launch of this campaign, Shtetl is fully prepared for production. 

We developed it with great care and attention to detail, hoping to create not just a board game, but a beautiful, thoughtful object you’ll want to return to again and again. 

So let’s take a look at what awaits you when you lift the lid. 

What's in the box?

From the very beginning, we knew that Shtetl had to be more than a beautiful idea. It had to work as a real game - engaging, accessible, and meaningful for different players.

So we kept asking ourselves: who is this game for, how should it be played, and why does it matter? Here are the answers that shaped Shtetl. 

Who is it for? How to use? Why it matters

Boris Kurochkin, game designer:
“When I was working on Shtetl, I wanted to highlight the unique details and vivid distinctions of life in a Jewish town - the names of professions, buildings, dishes, and holidays.
But when we finally sat down at the table, we realized something unexpected: this is not a game about differences, but about what we share.
We all love cooking something delicious to treat our family and neighbors. We enjoy celebrating at friends’ weddings and wandering through market stalls.
We love our children. We want to build, not destroy.”

How history becomes a game

Very soon, our game will finally come to life, and we’re incredibly excited and counting down the days until that moment arrives. Your support means the world to us.

Pre-order the game and become one of the very first owners of this unique board game from the FIRST print run.

Pre-order & Bonuses