Estonia – Measures against Antisemitism (2021)

The concept of Antisemitism measures is based on the understanding that measures and actions that enhance the safety of the Jewish community and its members are horizontal, that is, they permeate different areas and concern different ministries and agencies within their sphere of government. The proposals set out below must therefore be considered complementary.  

Measures

1. Ensuring the safety of Jewish organizations and people of Jewish nationality (Ministry of Internal Affairs). For this purpose:
   • regular meetings are organized between the Police and Border Guard Board and the Jewish community for the exchange of information; 
   • cooperation between the Police and Border Guard Board and the Estonian Jewish Community and the Estonian Jewish Congregation in order to ensure the safety of community buildings and other objects, as well as various events, on the basis of a threat assessment issued by the parties; 
   • joint exercises are organized by the Police and Guards and the Jewish community to respond to possible sudden events; 
   • trainings are given that help to understand the specifics of the measures taken by both the Police and Border Guard Board and the Jewish community to increase and ensure security. 
2. The Holocaust and Antisemitism in the field of education and culture (Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Interior). For this: 
   • making available contemporary teaching materials on the Holocaust and compiling educational programmes for museums, cooperating with the Yad Vašem Centre, the Estonian Jewish Museum and the Estonian Jewish Community in activities aimed at teachers of general education schools;  
   • translating and making available practical recommendations, guidance materials and manuals from various organisations, including IHRA, OSCE/ODIHR, UNESCO, CEPOL, for example to teach and learn about the Holocaust, to awaken and refute misinterpretations of the Holocaust, as well as to use the definition of Antisemitism and other issues;
   • ensure the continuity of activities related to the commemoration of the Holocaust, including memory facilities and the upkeep of Holocaust memorials;
   • trainings are given to the Police and Border Guard Board and the prosecutor’s office to identify expressions of Antisemitism, and are given both as separate trainings and in combination with the topics of radicalisation and violent extremism that support the conduct of Antisemitism training courses. 
3. Improving the detection of crimes and misdemeanours motivated by Antisemitism (Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Justice). For this: 
   • trainings are organised for the Police and Border Guard Board and the Prosecutor’s Office;
   • Reviews of hate crime statistics are compiled, which also include statistics on crimes motivated by anti-Semitism. 
4. Implementation of measures to strengthen the Jewish community (Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Foreign Affairs). For this:
   • support for Jewish culture, education, religious traditions. 
5. Ensuring a common information field through the exchange of information between ministries and agencies and the Jewish community. 
6. A common information field will be provided through interaction between ministries and agencies in order to achieve the objectives set out in the concept. For this:
   • The Minister of the Interior will establish a working group composed of representatives of various ministries and agencies, which will involvepeople from Jewish organisations.  

During the completion of the concept, representatives of the Estonian Jewish Community and the Estonian Jewish Congregation were consulted.  

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