The Jews of Esthonia will shortly celebrate the third anniversary of the acquisition of complete cultural and national rights.
The accomplishments in these three years were summarized by Herr Eisenstein, the president of the Esthonian Jewish Cultural League, the highest tribunal of the Jewish minority, in an interview with the correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
The Jews of Esthonia comprise scarcely one-half of one per cent of the total population. In asking for complete autonomy, Herr Einsenstein declared, the Jewish community realized very clearly the responsibility it was assuming, and that what it accomplished or failed to accomplish would have a decided influence upon other Jewish minorities in other countries, in their fight for autonomy. The circumstances under which the Jews proceeded to assume autonomy were more difficult than those affecting other minorities. The Germans, for example, have a citizenship of 18,000, or six times as much as the minimum required for a group in order to be entitled to autonomy rights. Their advantage is that they are in no danger of having their endeavors blighted by the miscalculations or irresponsibility of a few. The Jewish group on the other hand, consists of 3,000 citizens, exactly the minimum under which it is possible to enjoy minority autonomy. The result is that the act of a single irresponsible group, however large or small, may endanger Jewish autonomy, Mr. Einsenstein declared. He recorded, however, the fact that complete harmony has prevailed in Jewish circles and that in the course of the three years, only five or six have stepped out of the Jewish national administration.
The past three years have demonstrated the important role even small communities can play in the upbuilding of national and cultural autonomy, Mr. Eisenstein continued. The eight thousand Jews who live in Esthonia (only three thousand of whom are Esthonian citizens), thanks to the existence of the Jewish Cultural League, play an important role in the political life of Esthonia. The highest government departments, upon every possible occasion, stress their respect for the organized Jewish community which they regard as an equal factor in the Esthonian government.
The Cultural League has concentrated its attention principally upon the school question. While the schools are subsidized by the government, the allotment is too small to maintain and operate the institutions. The result has been that the Cultural League has been forced to cover the deficit. In organizing the network of Jewish schools, the League encountered great (Continued on Page 4)
difficulties. Under the autonomy regulations, schools of autonomous minorities must be conducted in the national language of the minorities. This was the signal for a controversy between the Yiddishists and the Hebraists. A compromise solution was finally arrived at. As a result Hebrew is the language of instruction in some schools in some cities, and Yiddish in others.
The need for Jewish teachers, of which there is a great dearth, brought about the establishment of a Jewish Teachers’ Institute, where teachers are trained, Mr. Eisenstein pointed out. The League is able to report a considerable advance in its cultural work and announces the organization of a Central Jewish Circulating Library.
Fixing the budget and raising the money occupies considerable attention and requires very serious thought. According to the regulations, the Cultural League, for the maintenance of its activities is permitted to tax its members to the extent of 30% of the general tax. In order to collect its taxes, the resources of the Government Tax Department are available to it.
This system has, however, aroused the dissatisfaction of certain elements in the Jewish community and lest its existence be jeopardized the Cultural League has been forced to adopt another method more satisfactory to its constituency which has not only strengthened its position but that of the entire community in Esthonia.
A new Jewish administration will come into leadership next June when the elections for the new Cultural League are scheduled to take place. Twenty-seven deputies will be elected.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
