Towns of Vidzeme (Livland)
The towns listed on this page are currently located in Vidzeme, formerly Livland gubernia. If the notation "N/A" appears after Kehilalinks or Yizkor Book, there is an opportunity to create a Kehilalinks page and/or sponsor (or volunteer to do) a yizkor book translation. If a town has a cemetery indexed in the JewishGen Online Burial Registry (JOWBR), it is linked to the description, and can be searched via a JOWBR database search. External cemetery websites for the town are also linked, if applicable.
Cēsis/Wenden
Alternate names: Cēsis [Latv], Wenden [Ger], Venden [Rus, Yid], Cėsys [Lith], Tsesis [Rus], Kieś [Pol], Võnnu [Est]
Kehilalinks - N/A
Yizkor Book - N/A
Town Leader - N/A
Dubulti/Dubbeln (see Sloka)
Limbaži/Lemsal
Alternate names: Limbaži [Latv], Lemsal [Ger, Pol], Lemzal' [Rus], Lemsalu [Est], Limbažiai [Lith], Limbazhi
Kehilalinks - N/A
Yizkor Book - N/A
Town Leader - N/A
Riga
Alternate names: Rīga [Latv], Ryga [Pol, Lith], Rige [Yid], Riga [Ger, Rus], Riia [Est], Rija
Cemeteries - 2 cemeteries: Brāļu Kapi and Jewish Cemetery; Riga New Jewish Cemetery "Smerli" searchable website.
Yizkor Book - translation of the chapter Mendel Bobe, "Riga," from Mendel Bobe, ed., The Jews in Latvia (Tel Aviv: Association of Latvian and Estonian Jews in Israel, 1971), 243-261.
Town Leader - N/A
Riga neighborhood - Bolderāja/Bolderaa
Riga neighborhood - Daugavgrīva/Dünamünde
Rūjiena/Rujen
Alternate names: Rūjiena [Latv], Rujen [Ger], Ruen [Rus], Ruhja [Est], Ruyyena, Ruyena, Ruyen, Rujina, Rūjienas, Rujene, Ruiyena, Aujiena
Kehilalinks - N/A
Yizkor Book - N/A
Town Leader - N/A
Sloka/Schlock
Alternate names: Sloka [Latv], Shlok [Yid, Rus], Schlock [Ger], Sluoka [Lith], Schlok
Kehilalinks - N/A
Cemeteries - N/A
Yizkor Book - N/A
Town Leader - N/A
Note: Sloka was ultimately merged into Jūrmala in 1959. Dubulti/Dubbeln was the only part of Jūrmala where Jews were allowed to settle, and it had been a favorite vacation spot for Jews since the late 19th century.
Smiltene/Smilten
Alternate names: Smiltene [Latv], Smilten [Ger]
Kehilalinks - N/A
Yizkor Book - N/A
Town Leader - N/A
Valka/Walk
Note that there is a town named Valga right across the border in Estonia. See the Other Resources for an article on the subject.
Alternate names: Valka [Latv], Walk [Ger], Valk [Rus], Valga [Est], Läti-Valga, Valkas
Kehilalinks - N/A
Yizkor Book - N/A
Town Leader - N/A
Valmiera/Wolmar
Alternate names: Valmiera [Latv], Wolmar [Ger, Pol], Vol'mar [Rus], Volmar [Yid], Volmari [Est], Valmiyera, Valmieras, Valmera, Valmeera
Kehilalinks - N/A
Yizkor Book - N/A
Town Leader - N/A
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