Haapsalu's file / תיק – האפסלו

The history of the Jewish community in Estonia reflects a combination of resort life, vibrant Zionist organization, and geopolitical transformations. Below is an in-depth historical overview of the central communities appearing in the sources:

Elva

The resort town of Elva, located about 28 km south of Tartu, began hosting Jewish families already in the late 19th century (E3-3f). Among the prominent figures in the settlement were Hora L. Litsen and his wife, who ran a local dental clinic (E3-3f). Because of the large number of Jewish vacationers who came to the area during the summer season, a place of worship was established there, and a kosher Jewish restaurant also operated there (E3-3f).

Community and Zionist activity in Elva was extensive:

• In the 1920s, a Jewish youth group operated there under the name "Maccabi Elva" (E3-3f).
• The community was politically involved, as reflected in the elections to the Zionist Congress. In 1925, 32 Jews voted, most of them for the list of "Working Eretz Israel", and in 1931 the lists of the General Zionists and Hatzohar (the Revisionists) received an equal number of votes (E3-3f).
• It is interesting to note that the community in Tartu also organized a summer camp for children in Elva (E3-3f). After World War II, the family of Zali Gensh (Gens) settled there and ran the local pharmacy (E3-3f).

Haapsalu (Haapsalu / Hapsal)

The town of Haapsalu, located in western Estonia near the Baltic Sea coast, also served as a resort center (E3-3f, E3-4f). The beginning of Jewish settlement there is documented in 1863, when only 8 Jews lived there (E3-3f, E3-4f). In the 1880s, a synagogue was established in the town (E3-4f), and there was also a Jewish cemetery there (E3-3f, E3-4f).

Important historical source: One of the most fascinating findings is the local Chevra Kadisha record book, which began to be written in 1866 (E3-3f, E3-4f). The register includes a list of donors from distant places such as St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Helsinki, Riga, and Dvinsk, which attests to the town’s international connections as a spa and resort city (E3-3f, E3-4f).

Despite its importance as a resort town, the permanent community experienced significant demographic decline because of migration to the larger cities and emigration overseas (E3-3f, E3-4f). While in 1922 the community numbered 9 persons, by 1936 only 6 Jews remained there (E3-3f, E3-4f). Regarding the Holocaust period, the sources note that there is no information about the presence of Jews in the town at the time of the German invasion in June 1941 (E3-4f).

Valga (Valga / Walk)

Valga is a border city located on the banks of the Pedeli River (E3-3f). The demographic history of the Jews in the city shows impressive growth: from only 3 Jews in 1859 to a peak of 784 persons in 1914 (E3-3f).

A historical turning point occurred in 1920, when the city was divided between Estonia and Latvia, which affected the national and economic structure of the region (E3-3f). The Estonian part of the city became an important industrial and educational center (E3-3f). In 1934, the Jewish community in the city numbered 262 persons, but this number declined to 50 families on the eve of World War II in 1939 (E3-3f).

List of Sources

• E3-3f : Historical overview in Hebrew of the Jewish communities in Elva, Haapsalu, and Valga, including demographic and political data and a description of community life.
• E3-4f : Document in English focusing on the history of the Jewish community in Haapsalu (Hapsal), including information on the Chevra Kadisha register, synagogues, and population data up to the Holocaust period.

E3-3f

E3-4f

** end of Haapsalu files **

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