Mefitzei Haskala's file / תיק , מפיצי השכלה

🫓 The First Matzah Machine in Riga

These sources document the extensive activity of the “Mefitzei Haskala” Society in Riga during the first half of the 20th century. The collection includes historical photographs showing the society’s committee in 1906, students operating a matzah-producing machine at a vocational school, and study tours of young Jewish participants. In addition, the documents include issues of a Yiddish journal describing educational programs in agriculture and crafts, alongside articles, poems, and advertisements of local businesses in Latvia. These materials reflect the educational and social effort to prepare Jewish youth for productive work and modern community life. Through this documentation, an entire world of vocational educational institutions is revealed, institutions that worked to strengthen Jewish economic and cultural life in the region before the Holocaust. The body of sources provides visual and written testimony to the dynamism of Jewish life in Riga and to the combination of tradition and modernity.

Below is a comprehensive historical overview of the Jewish community and its institutions in Latvia and Estonia as reflected in the attached sources.

The Organizational Framework: The “Mefitzei Haskala” Society

Community and educational activity was organized by the “Mefitzei Haskala” Society, founded in 1901 and marking thirty years of activity (O29-5f). The society was headed by Prof. P. Mintz, who served as chairman of the committee (O29-5f). The goal of the society was to provide professionalization for Jewish youth in order to move them from commercial occupations to productive professions in crafts and agriculture (O29-5f). The society’s committee in 1906 included leading figures commemorated in a collage prepared on the occasion of the establishment of the vocational school (O29-3f).

Vocational and Industrial Training in Riga

The center of technological and educational activity was Riga, where institutions for vocational training were established:

• The Jewish Trade School: The institution was founded in 1906 and operated in a dedicated building (O29-5f). One printed source notes that the school was established on Kokum Street in Riga (O29-3f), while another source mentions the addresses 2 Abrenes Street and 16 Baznicas Street (O29-5f). In 1932, the eighth graduating class of the school was documented during a study excursion (O29-4f).
• Construction of the Matzah Machine: A notable achievement of the vocational school students was the construction of the first machine for producing matzah (O29-1f, Matzot). According to a handwritten note on the back of the photograph, the machine was built by the students for the Gutkin Matzah Factory in Riga (O29-1f, Matzot). The event is documented with the date January 5, 1931 (O29-1f, Matzot).
• The Gutkin Brothers’ Matzah Factory: The factory, described in publications as the “American Matzah Factory of Riga,” was located at 6 Stabu Street (O29-5f). The factory described itself as the largest and oldest in Latvia, using modern machinery and hygienic production methods (O29-5f).

Agricultural Training in Estonia

On February 12, 1927, the foundation was laid for a Jewish agricultural educational institution in Estonia (O29-5f).

• Location and Area: The school was established in Eshlof (Eschhof) near Vaimel (Waimel) (O29-5f). The land, measuring 50 hectares, was donated by M. Furst (O29-5f).
• Cooperation: The establishment of the institution in Estonia was made possible through an agreement between the “Mefitzei Haskala” Society and the Agro-Joint organization (O29-5f). The institution was designed to train 60 students (O29-5f).

Agricultural Training in Latvia: The “Jaunklintis” Farm

Alongside its activities in Estonia, the society also operated the agricultural training farm “Jaunklintis” in Latvia (O29-5f).

• Description of the Site: The farm was established in memory of S. Muskat and was located near Kemeri (O29-5f). The site included livestock such as cows and horses, as well as agricultural equipment including tractors. The farm served as a model for establishing the agricultural institution in Estonia (O29-5f).

Documentation of Individuals and Families

• The Singer Family: A photograph from 1932 documents an individual named Geltman or Goldman (the handwritten caption is ambiguous) together with members of the Singer family (O29-2f).
• Prof. P. Mintz: As chairman of the “Mefitzei Haskala” Society, he emphasized in his writings the importance of transitioning Jewish youth toward productive livelihoods (O29-5f).

Terms and Explanations

• Professionalization – the process of acquiring a profession or vocational training (O29-5f).
• Agricultur – agriculture (O29-5f).
• Initiative – initiative or entrepreneurial spirit (O29-5f).
• Jaunklintis – “New Rock” in Latvian; the name of the training farm (O29-5f).
• Kursanten – trainees or participants in a training course (O29-5f).
• Hectare – a unit of land area equal to 10 dunams (O29-5f).

List of Sources

• O29-1f : Photograph of students of the vocational school in Riga with the machine they built for the Gutkin factory, with handwritten caption.
• O29-2f : Photograph of the Singer family with a handwritten note from 1932.
• O29-3f : Portrait collage of the committee of the “Mefitzei Haskala” Society in Riga from 1906.
• O29-4f : Group photograph of the 8th graduating class of the vocational school in Riga (1932).
• O29-5f : Pages from the journal “Af Naye Vegn” including articles, advertisements for the Gutkin factory, and reports about the training farm.

O29-1f

O29-2f

O29-3f

O29-4f

O29-5f

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