Estonian Jewish Museum

The Estonian Jewish Museum is dedicated to the history of Estonian Jews from the 19th century to the present day and shows their contribution to Estonian life. The Museum was opened on the 17th of December, 2008 and includes a permanent exhibition, library with reading room, digitalized archive on the Museum’s webpage and large archive containing a variety of original documents, photo and audio materials. The part of the Museum is the Memory Gallery commemorated Estonian Jews, victims of the Holocaust.

The museum’s Memory Gallery is also used for temporary exhibitions. In 2024, an exhibition dedicated to the history of the Old Jewish Cemetery in Tallinn, where a memorial park has now been created, was opened here. A separate exhibition displays copies of Estonian newspapers that tell about the pogrom against Jews in Nazi Germany in November 1938, which the Nazis called “Kristallnacht”.

In recent years, the museum has organized exhibitions dedicated to the history of Jewish sports in Estonia, the life of Chief Rabbi Dr. Aba Gomer, who was killed during the Holocaust in Tallinn, the 15th anniversary of the Tallinn Synagogue, and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Estonia and Israel.

Providing information about its services, history, and current activities, the museum’s website also features a virtual archive on the history of Estonian Jews and a database of Estonian Jews. A separate portal for school teachers offers materials for studying the Holocaust, the history of Jews in Estonia, and Judaism as part of the national school curriculum. Additionally, the museum organizes educational excursions on these topics for Estonian schools.

Participating in the annual Museum Night contributes to the European Days of Jewish Culture. The museum organizes memorial events in cooperation with the Jewish Community of Estonia. A representative from the museum is part of the Estonian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Videos of current events and archival footage are available on the museum’s YouTube channel. Its archive contains about 5,000 documents, and the library houses publications on the history of Jews in Estonia and rare Judaica. Located in the backyard of the Community Center of the Jewish Community of Estonia, the museum welcomes local residents from more than 30 countries throughout the year.