Today we were
invited by Gennady Greamberg, Head of the Jewish Museum in Tallinn, to visit
the only Synagogue in Tallinn.
Although
the Jewish Community has always been rather small in Estonia, with
around 2000 Jewish people today, Estonia was the first country in
Europe to include an
article in their first Declaration of Independence in 1918 about Culture Self Government which meant the
same rights for Jews as all citizens by law.
Gennady shared with us what it means
to live a Jewish life, guided by values, traditions and daily customs. We were able to enjoy a kosher meal at the
synagogue, learn about Shabbat and etiquettes for a synagogue setting.
There
are only two Tora scrolls from the old
Synagogues in Estonia which survived the Second World War and both are
stored
in the Synagogue of Tallinn today. Judaism places great value in
tradition, memory and respect for previous generations, therefore the
Jewish Community in Tallinn actively works to preserve its heritage and
memorials, including the restoration of significant sites such as the
Old Jewish Cemetery.
The
Cemetery was destroyed and abandoned completly after Soviet occupation.
The city of Tallinn agreed to restore it, now the cemetery is divided
into to parts. One part, where the graves used to be, is completly
overgrown, while the other part has been convertet into a park with
benches that invites visitors to rest and reflect.
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