It is my great honor to convey greetings to your conference on behalf of the President of the Riigikogu of the Republic of Estonia, Mr. Lauri Hussar.
In addition to this institutional greeting, it is my pleasure to add a bit of a personal note. Namely, one of the most beautiful moments of my life took place in Jerusalem at the 10th World Jewish Congress. At the end of a two-day presentation session, there was a high-level dinner hosted by the then Prime Minister of Israel, Shimon Peres—who later became the President of Israel. And I, the representative of the small state of Estonia, was asked to sit at his main table, where there were 12 people in total. The Israeli head of government likely noticed my rather surprised facial expression—after all, there were representatives from much larger countries at the congress, as well as leaders of crucial Jewish organizations who ranked much higher than me in prestige. Yet, look at that, an Estonian is seated at the main table.
Mr. Peres then kindly explained—Estonia is, after all, the first country in the world to legalize Jewish cultural autonomy! And he then added with a smile: "Furthermore, on behalf of our country, I thank Estonian Prime Minister Andres Tarand, whose signature is on the Estonian government's decision to grant a plot of land on Karu Street for the construction of the synagogue in Tallinn."
Although the Soviet occupying authorities did not recognize any laws of the Republic of Estonia, and the Jewish Cultural Autonomy was also liquidated in July 1940, Jewish cultural autonomy nevertheless continued to persist in some strange, unlegislated way. Much like the very idea of the Republic of Estonia itself—it could not be seen, but whenever possible, good customs were maintained. Thus, for example, several scholars who were not permitted to do professional work in Moscow or Leningrad were able to carry out their fruitful research and teaching work at the University of Tartu. And in this way, by preserving their cultural autonomy, they contributed directly to the development of Estonian culture. Of course, the most famous is Juri Lotman, but there were others. Estonian Jews Ita Saks and Elhonen Saks, and Mihhail Beilinson, whom I often remember with fondness, have also contributed a large and generous part to my development as a person, and of course Avi Dobrõsh, whom it is a pleasure to see here in this hall today.
And in conclusion—it is actually very difficult, and often unnecessary, to define exactly where Estonian or Jewish culture begins. One simple example—Eri Klas. That is world culture, is it not? And it is precisely in this warm, friendly, mutually helpful, and complementary way that we create this world culture.
Congratulations and strength to the tiny but resilient Estonian Jewish Community, and may this cultural autonomy last for centuries to come!
Delivered by Indrek Tarand on behalf of the Riigikogu of the Republic of Estonia, Lauri Hussar, President.
Unoffcial translation by AI Gemini
