Jews first settled in Estonia in the nineteenth century, and they quickly began establishing synagogues and Jewish schools in Tallinn and nearby cities. By the beginning of the twentieth century, Jewish life in Estonia was flourishing; Jewish societies and associations grew and by 1934, over 4,000 Jews lived in the region. But in 1940, Soviet occupation brought the peaceful and active life of this Jewish community to an abrupt halt. From 1940 until 1988, the Estonian Jewish community, like elsewhere in the Soviet Union, had no organizations, associations or clubs.

The Tallinn Jewish School

In March of 1988 this situation changed when those who had been deprived of Jewish cultural activity for fifty years established the Jewish Cultural Society. In 1990 the community founded The Tallinn Jewish School with grades 1-9. Today, there is a dynamic Jewish community in Estonia.

The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation provided funding to renovate the second floor of The Tallinn Jewish Community Complex in order to create the Lauder Hall of the Tallinn Jewish Day School In the September of 2000 the children of The Tallinn Jewish School celebrated the completion of this renovation. 271 students now attend the school.

In addition, the Foundation enables children from Tallinn to spend two weeks at The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation/American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee International Summer Camp at Szarvas, Hungary.

The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation salutes the valiant Jews of the Baltic States.

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