Metadata : Union of Jewish Communities in Estonia
Collection
- Country:
- Estonia
- Holding institution:
- National Archives of Estonia
- Holding institution (official language):
- Eesti Rahvusarhiiv
- Postal address:
- Tallinn, Madara 24, 10613
- Phone number:
- +372 693 8668
- Web address:
- http://www.ra.ee
- Email:
- tallinn@ra.ee
- Country:
- Estonia
- Holding institution:
- National Archives of Estonia
- Holding institution (official language):
- Eesti Rahvusarhiiv
- Postal address:
- Tallinn, Madara 24, 10613
- Phone number:
- +372 693 8668
- Web address:
- http://www.ra.ee
- Email:
- tallinn@ra.ee
- Reference number:
- ERA.2297
- Title:
- Union of Jewish Communities in Estonia
- Title (official language):
- Juudi Koguduste Liit Eesti
- Creator/accumulator:
- Union of Jewish Communities in Estonia
- Date(s):
- 1919/1940
- Language:
- Russian
- Estonian
- Hebrew
- German
- Extent:
- 14 storage units
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- good
- Scope and content:
-
The collection comprises materials gathered from the Union of Jewish communities in Estonia and related organisations or political bodies.
The collection includes the typewritten charter of the Union as well as several charters of different Jewish organisations active in the 1920s in Estonia, including: the charters of the Jewish community in Tallinn (dated 1919 and 1921, in Russian and Estonian respectively), election instructions (1921) an undated copy of the charter in German, an annex to the charter of the Jewish community in Narva (in Russian, undated) and the charter of the Mutual Insurance Society.
Documents before the official registration of the Union of Jewish communities include records and materials from the First and Second Estonian Congresses of Jewish communities. Concerning the first Congress which took place in Tallinn (Reval) between 11 and 16 May 1919, the collection includes a detailed typewritten protocol in Russian prepared by A. Kaplan (probably Aron Kaplan). The protocol contains lists of attendees, transcripts of speeches and debates with indications of the languages used by each participant during the session (generally in Russian or “Jewish” (likely Hebrew)). The transcripts of speeches and debates in the protocol reveal how the following topics were discussed during the first congress: naturalisation of Jews in Estonia, establishing cultural autonomy, the need for an ethnic census, antisemitism, contacts with Jewish communities abroad, the question of Eretz Israel, and other general questions on financial and cultural matters facing the Jewish community in Estonia. The copies of the resolutions adopted during the congress are attached to the end of the protocol. Besides the protocol, the collection includes a large number of materials relating to the first congress such as reports and certificates received by the participants, handwritten materials on which the protocol is based, lists of attendees with signatures (part of these materials are in Hebrew).
The second Estonian Congress of Jewish communities was held in May 9-13 1920 in Tallinn. The collection contains the documents of the procedures instituted for convening the congress («Проект наказа национального съезда евреев Эстонии») as well as conference regulations («Положение о съезде представителей еврейских общин»), both dated 1920. The collection includes materials relating to the second congress, such as handwritten transcripts of speeches and debates, lists of participants, instructions, and records of voting. There are also documents and certificates issued to the participants as well as letters addressed to different organisations on behalf of the congress and the National Jewish Council of Estonia. The resolutions adopted during the second congress are kept in a separate storage unit (both typewritten copies and handwritten drafts with the vote count) and concern the questions of naturalisation and voting rights for Jews, renewing the financial management in the community, granting autonomy to Jewish schools. Minutes of the mandatory commission proceedings dated 1920-1921 (manuscripts in Russian and Hebrew) are also available.
In addition, the collection includes protocols from the Estonian Jewish congress of 1925. The main resolution unanimously adopted at the congress was the establishment of the Jewish cultural autonomy in Estonia (protocols of the 1st and 2nd of June). As it is recorded in the protocol on 18 July, the congress also addressed a number of financial questions. Materials such as lists of participants, notes and certificates issued are also available. The most recent documents in the collection are recordings on the population of Jewish communities in Estonia dated 1931 (manuscripts in Hebrew). The collection also contains an undated handwritten report on the question of Eretz Israel (in Russian) which supposedly was written after the San Remo conference in April 1920.
- Archival history:
- With the beginning of Soviet occupation, Jewish-related materials were transferred to the Central Archive of the Estonian SSR in Tallinn. After the restoration of independence, the archival system was reestablished. The National Archives of Estonia has been active since 1999.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Union of Jewish Communities in Estonia was created after the independence of Estonia in 1918. The official charter of the Union was registered on 2 June 1921. According to the charter, the goal of establishing the Union was to unite Jewish communities and organisations in order to discuss and find solutions to issues faced by Jews in the recently established Republic of Estonia. The Union was located in Tallinn (Reval), however the annual congresses were located alternately in Tallinn and Tartu. The two major bodies of the Union were the Congress of communities’ representatives and the National Council (consisting of 13 members). The members of the Congress and the National Council were elected for a one year period. The Union of Jewish communities took an important part in receiving citizenship rights for Jews in Estonia, as well as in establishing Jewish cultural autonomy in Estonia in 1925.
- System of arrangement:
- The collection consists of one inventory.
- Finding aids:
-
Part of the records of the Union’s meetings belongs to the fonds of the Jewish cultural autonomy (ERA.1107.1.1) as well as the correspondence between the Union and the National Jewish Council (ERA.1107.1.10).
The materials are available online at www.ra.ee/dgs/.
- Links to finding aids:
- https://www.ra.ee/dgs/
- Yerusha Network member:
- Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People
- Author of the description:
- Antonina Martynenko
- Reference number:
- ERA.2297
- Title:
- Union of Jewish Communities in Estonia
- Title (official language):
- Juudi Koguduste Liit Eesti
- Creator/accumulator:
- Union of Jewish Communities in Estonia
- Date(s):
- 1919/1940
- Language:
- Russian
- Estonian
- Hebrew
- German
- Extent:
- 14 storage units
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- good
- Scope and content:
-
The collection comprises materials gathered from the Union of Jewish communities in Estonia and related organisations or political bodies.
The collection includes the typewritten charter of the Union as well as several charters of different Jewish organisations active in the 1920s in Estonia, including: the charters of the Jewish community in Tallinn (dated 1919 and 1921, in Russian and Estonian respectively), election instructions (1921) an undated copy of the charter in German, an annex to the charter of the Jewish community in Narva (in Russian, undated) and the charter of the Mutual Insurance Society.
Documents before the official registration of the Union of Jewish communities include records and materials from the First and Second Estonian Congresses of Jewish communities. Concerning the first Congress which took place in Tallinn (Reval) between 11 and 16 May 1919, the collection includes a detailed typewritten protocol in Russian prepared by A. Kaplan (probably Aron Kaplan). The protocol contains lists of attendees, transcripts of speeches and debates with indications of the languages used by each participant during the session (generally in Russian or “Jewish” (likely Hebrew)). The transcripts of speeches and debates in the protocol reveal how the following topics were discussed during the first congress: naturalisation of Jews in Estonia, establishing cultural autonomy, the need for an ethnic census, antisemitism, contacts with Jewish communities abroad, the question of Eretz Israel, and other general questions on financial and cultural matters facing the Jewish community in Estonia. The copies of the resolutions adopted during the congress are attached to the end of the protocol. Besides the protocol, the collection includes a large number of materials relating to the first congress such as reports and certificates received by the participants, handwritten materials on which the protocol is based, lists of attendees with signatures (part of these materials are in Hebrew).
The second Estonian Congress of Jewish communities was held in May 9-13 1920 in Tallinn. The collection contains the documents of the procedures instituted for convening the congress («Проект наказа национального съезда евреев Эстонии») as well as conference regulations («Положение о съезде представителей еврейских общин»), both dated 1920. The collection includes materials relating to the second congress, such as handwritten transcripts of speeches and debates, lists of participants, instructions, and records of voting. There are also documents and certificates issued to the participants as well as letters addressed to different organisations on behalf of the congress and the National Jewish Council of Estonia. The resolutions adopted during the second congress are kept in a separate storage unit (both typewritten copies and handwritten drafts with the vote count) and concern the questions of naturalisation and voting rights for Jews, renewing the financial management in the community, granting autonomy to Jewish schools. Minutes of the mandatory commission proceedings dated 1920-1921 (manuscripts in Russian and Hebrew) are also available.
In addition, the collection includes protocols from the Estonian Jewish congress of 1925. The main resolution unanimously adopted at the congress was the establishment of the Jewish cultural autonomy in Estonia (protocols of the 1st and 2nd of June). As it is recorded in the protocol on 18 July, the congress also addressed a number of financial questions. Materials such as lists of participants, notes and certificates issued are also available. The most recent documents in the collection are recordings on the population of Jewish communities in Estonia dated 1931 (manuscripts in Hebrew). The collection also contains an undated handwritten report on the question of Eretz Israel (in Russian) which supposedly was written after the San Remo conference in April 1920.
- Archival history:
- With the beginning of Soviet occupation, Jewish-related materials were transferred to the Central Archive of the Estonian SSR in Tallinn. After the restoration of independence, the archival system was reestablished. The National Archives of Estonia has been active since 1999.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Union of Jewish Communities in Estonia was created after the independence of Estonia in 1918. The official charter of the Union was registered on 2 June 1921. According to the charter, the goal of establishing the Union was to unite Jewish communities and organisations in order to discuss and find solutions to issues faced by Jews in the recently established Republic of Estonia. The Union was located in Tallinn (Reval), however the annual congresses were located alternately in Tallinn and Tartu. The two major bodies of the Union were the Congress of communities’ representatives and the National Council (consisting of 13 members). The members of the Congress and the National Council were elected for a one year period. The Union of Jewish communities took an important part in receiving citizenship rights for Jews in Estonia, as well as in establishing Jewish cultural autonomy in Estonia in 1925.
- System of arrangement:
- The collection consists of one inventory.
- Finding aids:
-
Part of the records of the Union’s meetings belongs to the fonds of the Jewish cultural autonomy (ERA.1107.1.1) as well as the correspondence between the Union and the National Jewish Council (ERA.1107.1.10).
The materials are available online at www.ra.ee/dgs/.
- Links to finding aids:
- https://www.ra.ee/dgs/
- Yerusha Network member:
- Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People
- Author of the description:
- Antonina Martynenko
