Jewish Tallinn

We will begin our walk with an acquaintance with the history of the Jews of Tallinn. Let’s talk about how they came to Estonia. Unlike Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia was outside the Pale of Settlement. Jewish settlements in the area were banned.

We will examine all the places of residence of Jews in chronological order. First, we will go to the medieval Old Town, walk through the old cobbled streets and find traces of the presence of Jews there. Then move to the Jewish quarter of pre-war Tallinn. There in the nineteenth century was built a beautiful choral synagogue. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the war. Finally, let’s explore the modern Jewish neighborhood. During our walk, I will tell you how Jews and Estonians live together, what the most modern synagogue in Europe looks like, and what is cultural autonomy in Estonia. In addition, we will talk about the times of the Soviet Union, when many Jews from the interior of the country tried to move to Estonia.

I will tell you what attracted them and why the city of Pärnu, located on the Baltic coast, was called a Jewish resort in Soviet times. Our final theme will be the Holocaust in Estonia. We will visit the Jewish Cemetery and talk about these terrible events. A monument to the victims of the Holocaust was built in the cemetery. It is a pyramid composed of individual stones, symbolizing people who died at the hands of the Nazis. The tour includes a visit to the Jewish Museum. Suitable for adults and children from 12 years.