Unlike in the cities, where Jews were confined for centuries to their own neighborhoods and alleys on the edges of the city walls, rural Jews enjoyed relative freedom of settlement in the villages. Because of their professions – most were merchants – they took up residence directly in the center of the communities. In Lorsch, this was initially in Stiftstrasse and Römerstrasse in the 18th century. At the latest with the connection to the railroad (1869) they bought houses in Bahnhofstraße, which developed into the local commercial center. With 3,300 inhabitants, the Jewish population share reached its high point in Lorsch at that time with 2.8%. Twelve Jewish families lived in Bahnhofstrasse and in the adjacent Kirchstrasse and Rheinstrasse. Words from the Jewish market language were adopted into the Lorsch dialect. Jewish traditions and customs were familiar to the neighbors and a sukkah in the courtyard of the rural property was a natural sight.