Metadata: Tartu Jewish Cultural Society “Sholem Aleihem”
Collection
- Country:
- Estonia
- Holding institution:
- National Archives of Estonia
- Holding institution (official language):
- Eesti Rahvusarhiiv
- Postal address:
- Madara 24, 15019 Tallinn
- Phone number:
- (+372) 693 8666
- Web address:
- www.ra.ee
- Email:
- tallinn@ra.ee
- Reference number:
- 2280
- Title:
- Tartu Jewish Cultural Society “Sholem Aleihem”
- Title (official language):
- Juudi Kultuurselts Solem Aleichem
- Creator/accumulator:
- Tartu Jewish Cultural Society “Sholem Aleihem”
- Date(s):
- 1928/1940
- Language:
- Yiddish
- Estonian
- Russian
- Extent:
- 9 files
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- good
- Scope and content:
- The collection contains materials of the “Sholem Aleihem” Tartu Jewish Cultural Society, including: the society's charters (in Estonian), minutes of board meetings and general meetings for 1933-1940, lists of the society's members, financial documents such as cashbooks and membership fee receipts, and permits issued by the police in Tallinn at the request of the society for entry into and work in Estonia. The first charter of the society was in effect from 1928-1938 when it was called "Fraint von Yidiš" (Friend of Yiddish) (inventory 1, file 2). The second charter came into effect in 1939 after the society's name was changed to the “Sholem Aleihem” Tartu Jewish Cultural Society (inventory 1, file 1). Both charters indicated the society's goals in the promotion of Yiddish culture and education, and in implementing these objectives. The charters also detailed a process of acceptance to the society, the board's composition, membership fees, and other members' duties. The collection includes an autobiography by the Yiddish author and playwright Sholem Aleichem (Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich, 1859-1916) in Estonian and published in Tallinn in 1939 (inventory 1, file 1). The minutes of the society's board illustrate its day-to-day activities and touched, for example, on issues of the Yiddish-Hebrew debate, known as spraxkamf (in Yiddish) and riv ha-lesonot (in Hebrew). The argument of the society was that Yiddish was the national language of Jews. The lists of the society's members and board members indicate its key activists. In addition, the collection holds a charter in Russian of the "Kadima" Zionist Youth Organisation in Mohilev from 1917 (inventory 1, file 3) which was founded with the aim of encouraging the development of a national Jewish consciousness and the dissemination of knowledge of the Hebrew language, Jewish history and Jewish literature among Jewish youth aged 16 and older. The organisation also aimed to promote Zionist ideas among the Jewish masses. The charter stated that for the achievement of these goals, the organisation would organise demonstrations, meetings, lectures, self-study circles and reading classes. In addition, it was announced that "Kadima" would publish periodicals and other printed items Those accepted into the organisation were required to declare that they accepted its program adopted at the First Zionist Congress in 1897 in Basel, and would pay membership fees. "Kadima" members were required to attend all of the organisation's meetings, and its cultural and political events, to learn Hebrew, if possible to know Yiddish, to read Jewish journals, to know Jewish history, Hebrew and Yiddish literature, and the history of Zionism and the Land of Israel.
- Archival history:
- Information about the history of the collection is not available.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The 1920 Estonian Constitution, which guaranteed non-ethnic Estonians the right to preserve their national identity and promote their culture and Jewish cultural autonomy in Estonia, was enacted in 1926 and existed until the Soviet occupation in 1940. In 1928 the "Fraint von Yidiš" (Friend of Yiddish) was established in Tartu with the aim of promoting Yiddish language and Jewish culture in Yiddish. In May 1939 it was decided to change the name of the society to the "Sholem Aleihem" Tartu Jewish Cultural Society. When the Soviets occupied Estonia, the society was closed down. The society's activity was reflected in the struggle between its members and Hebraists among the Revisionist Zionists.
- Access points: locations:
- Tartu
- Access points: persons/families:
- Sholem Aleichem
- Finding aids:
- The files of the collection and detailed inventories are available on the online database of the National Archives of Estonia and Tallinn City Archives.
- Links to finding aids:
- http://www.ra.ee/dgs/explorer.php
- Yerusha Network member:
- Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People
- Author of the description:
- Ilya Vovshin, Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People, 2020
