Barnoy Sara. My Childhood's file / תיק – ברנוי שרה. ילדותי

The text presents the personal memoirs of Sarah Barnoi, who sensitively and charmingly describes her childhood in the Jewish community of Tartu in Estonia. Through the perspective of a thirteen-year-old girl, she recounts the daily life of a middle-class Jewish family against the background of historical upheavals such as the Russian Revolution and the First World War. The author focuses on describing the figures of her parents and brothers, emphasizing the deep bond with her mother, the traditions of the home, and the Zionist identity that developed among the local community. These memories serve as a memorial to a vibrant community that no longer exists, combining amusing family anecdotes with a broader description of cultural and educational life in the region. The document also includes an introduction by Professor Baruch Getovitz, who praises the poetic and moving writing style of the author.

The documents before us focus on the memoirs of Sarah Barnoi (née Epstein), who describes her life and the life of her family in the Jewish community of Estonia from the beginning of the twentieth century until her immigration to the Land of Israel in 1935 (E22f). Below is an expansion on central places, figures, and events appearing in the sources:

Key Locations

• Tartu: Sarah’s birthplace, known by different names under different regimes: Dorpat (German) and Yuriev (Russian) (E22f). The city was an important cultural and academic center, and the University of Tartu attracted many Jewish students from Central Europe due to the absence of “numerus clausus” restrictions that existed elsewhere (E22f).
• Tallinn: The capital of Estonia to which the family later moved after the father lost his job (E22f). In Tallinn, the mother managed the buffet and restaurant of the Jewish Club, which was the center of cultural and social life for the Jewish community in the city (E22f).
• Elva and Hungerburg: Popular resort towns where the family spent their summer vacations (E22f). Hungerburg (today known as Narva-Jõesuu) was a prestigious resort on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, where the mother opened a pension to help support the family (E22f).

Prominent Figures

• Froma Epstein (the mother): An extremely dominant and charismatic figure in the memoirs (E22f). She was an excellent cook, an actress in an amateur Jewish theater in Tartu, and active in charitable organizations such as “Linat HaTzedek” and Zionist funds (E22f). She is described as a woman with a sharp sense of humor, persuasive ability, and a talent for improvisation (E22f).
• Yaakov Epstein (the father): A prosperous merchant in Tartu who lost his position when the son of his employer took over the business (E22f). He is described as an educated man interested in politics and Zionism, who made a point of reading the daily press and upheld strong personal integrity (E22f).
• Beno and David (the brothers): Beno, the eldest son, was a medical student and active in the student cell “Hasmonea” (E22f). David, the younger one, was a natural leader, very active in the Betar youth movement and also served in the Estonian army; he was killed in the Second World War while fighting in the ranks of the Red Army against the Germans (E22f).
• Haim Nahman Bialik: The national poet visited Tallinn about six months before Sarah’s family arrived in the city (E22f). The sources describe a dramatic event in which Bialik called on parents to demand Hebrew studies in the Jewish school instead of Yiddish, which led to a sharp confrontation and even to a slap he gave to the school principal, Mr. Gurin (E22f). (Editor's note: The slap on the principal – currently has no confirmation in recognized historical sources except for the story of the girl Sarah Bernoy)
• Konstantin Päts: The national leader of Estonia and its first president (E22f). He was considered a national hero who led the country to independence and was highly respected also among the Jewish community because of the liberal policy and the cultural autonomy he granted to minorities (E22f).

Events and Social Concepts

• The cultural autonomy of Estonian Jewry: Estonia was the first country to grant full cultural autonomy to the Jewish minority (E22f). This fact allowed the community to manage educational, cultural, and religious institutions independently (E22f).
• Youth and student movements: The community was vibrant with Zionist activity (E22f). Sarah was a member of the Betar movement, and the brothers were active in Hasmonea – a Zionist student cell that imitated the customs of German fraternities from Heidelberg, including the wearing of colored caps (E22f).
• Immigration to the Land of Israel: In 1935 Sarah and her parents immigrated to the Land of Israel via Constanța (Romania) on board the ship “Dacia” (E22f). Sarah describes the initial difficulties of absorption, including work at the “Elite” chocolate factory in Ramat Gan in order to finance her studies (E22f).

List of Sources

• E22f : A collection of the memoirs of Sarah Barnoi (Epstein), describing in detail her childhood in Estonia, family life, the Jewish community, and immigration to the Land of Israel.

E22f

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