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World Jewish News
Anniversary of Jewish community
30.04.2009
The 20th anniversary of the Jewish community of a mining town of Kohtla-Jarve in Estonia has been celebrated with pomp.
It was the first officially registered national community in the north-east Estonia, where the Russian-speaking population of this Baltic country lives compactly.
Following this community's example, in a few years, the communities and national cultural societies of all national minorities living in the region were established.
On this basis, a roundtable of national minorities at the elder's of Ida-Virusky county was formed, as well as the integration fund, headed by the Chairman of the Jewish community Alexander Dusman.
The representatives of all the national societies of Estonia, representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in the Republic of Estonia, a member of Estonian parliament Igor Gryazin, who has Jewish roots, the leaders of secular and religious Jewish communities in Estonia, and local government officials of the North-eastern part of the country came to congratulate the Jewish community with
the anniversary.
The elder of Ida-Virusky county Riho Breyvel, and the Chancellor of the Ministry of Culture of Estonia Anneli Reimaa congratulated the community on the anniversary and thanked its members for setting an example of preservation of national cultural traditions, contributing to mutual enrichment of cultures of different nationalities living in Estonia.
The greeting by the first secretary of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Estonia Jan Maysler was rather touching. He thanked the community for honouring the sacred memory of the Holocaust victims.
On the territory of Ida-Virusky County, there were about 20 concentration camps during the Nazi occupation, where Jews from Europe were being destroyed. A lot of Czech Jews, including those brought from Teresin, were killed in the camps of Vaivary and Kiviyli.
The Czech diplomat said that preserving the memory of those Jews who perished in the flames of the Holocaust, is important for people of all nationalities,
especially the young ones. Words of gratitude were said to the Jewish community at the festival, and the speakers mentioned that it was the Jews who showed the world an example of unity, showed how we should live together in difficult times, lending a helping hand to each other.
The musical ensemble "Shiri" of Tartu Jewish community made a big concert, which featured songs in Yiddish and Hebrew.
The main sponsor of the festival was the Kofkin family fund, who support the celebration of every Jewish holiday in Estonia.
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