Wow, a citizen of Jõekääru - that's cool. How can I get one of those passports :) Not surprising that the author is not authorized to speak on behalf of the board.

Assuming that the author's stats are correct, then if everyone pays, $12,800 is reliably available annually for admin fees and to maintain the 144 acres. That's $88 per acre, a laughably small amount - insurance, landscaping, snowplowing, taxes. Kudos to those in charge for volunteering your time and pinching pennies for this long - I hope you find the organizational relief that makes the most sense.

Do the board members of ESHA agree as to what the original purpose of the lands were for? It sounds like they have mentioned it was to be for Estonian youth. Once this is clear, it will be easier to follow out a mandate.

Or is there is a division on the agreement as to what the original purpose was for?

What kind of assurance is their currently in place to protect the best interests of ESHA should the residents be composed of a non-Estonian majority?

Good article. Seems to be objective and truthful. BUT WHY THE ANONYMITY? That is not acceptable in any respectable newspaper or magazine, on-line or print. Not good editorial policy. This is not a Communist society and therefore we are not punished for honestly stated opinions.

As much as I admire Paavo Loosberg for all he has done for our community, I strongly disagree with his urging that the meeting be conducted in English. Jõekääru is a true Little Estonia and our community should do everything possible to maintain its Estonian character. Non-Estonians are not treated as second class citizens since they made the decision to buy land in this beautiful area and there is always the option for them to learn to speak Estonian if they truly want to be part of this community.

If ESHA owns 50% of the parklands now, and it continues to hold that 50%interest in the proposed auxiliary organization then there is no need for the auxiliary organization, it will serve only to create more bureaucracy. Better to have two organizations managing Joekaaru than three.

Questions relating to ESHA and it's Jõekääru properties are internal matters, dealt with by the ESHA Board and the members of ESHA.
It was decided at the annual meeting in May that the Board arrange a workshop/information meeting; this will take place on Sept. 27th, 2009.
At that time we will be able to correct misinformation and misleading claims as well as discuss the current status and future options/recommendations in a constructive manner.
It is to be noted that the Board is working strictly in adherance to the Constitution, keeping in mind the directives established by those men & women who have left us this legacy.
Hope to see all ESHA members on Sept. 27th.
On behalf of the ESHA Board
Eevi Novek, President

It's interesting to note the official tone of ESHA - don't interfere with our internal affairs - a standard reply by undemocratic nations to allegations of human rights violations...

ESHA is essentially a private club, membership by invitation only. However,
members whose command of Estonian is limited or nonexistent are disenfranchised, not by the ESHA constitution, but instead by how the organization operates, based on the principle of "security" through linguistic obscurity.

This status of having paid membership fees yet not having a voice is troubling, and deserves open discussion.

I have spent almost every weekend of my youth in Joekaaru. I loved walking the fields, forests and streams. This is what made going to the cottage specia! It saddens me that trustees for the "home owners" of the association want to encourage home owners to "give up" their rights to the lands. The parklands is what makes Joekaaru special... they give value to purchasing land there. What the board should perhaps be focusing on is "what else can we do to make Joekaaru more wonderful - creating excitment to own land there."

I wonder if any of you have questioned WHY are non-Estonians purchasing land and Estonians are not! Perhaps instead of hiring lawyers to figure out a way to take land away from the property owners you spent it marketing Joekaaru to the target market you seem to have - specifically Estonians.

Either way, I believe board members should be representing the association members - no matter if they don't speak Estonian - they are your neighbours!

And thank you Paavo for asking the meetings to be run in English. My Estonian is not very good. My husband and children don't speak Estonian. It would be sad if my family with Estonian heritage would be deemed "undesireable" at meetings. Estonians have a rich heritage that my children can learn about and should be exposed to... but it won't happen if people like me and my children are not accepted.

It's good to see that Silvi and others are so patriotic in their belief in the survival on the Estonian language in Canada. Judging from the Kotkajärve camps of this year, it seems clear, that a tough but worthwhile line has been drawn in favour of correspondence at these camps being at maintained at least 50% of the time in Estonian. It is very important to try to maintain this balance, and then to work on maintaining friendships and common Estonian interests at other times of the year. Hopefully all this accountability in favour of language and culture will go far in developing a healthy but firmly committed young Estonian community who is not afraid of conversing in Estonian.

It's amazing how beautiful the language is and how people from around the world have flocked to the country to learn about our culture and our language!

Many of Estonia's Russians have now learned Estonian and a few told me this last July with smiles about how they were still learning Estonian (as I was too). They really like Estonia, and learning Estonian. I've met Japanese and East Indians who speak fluent Estonian. I also know of Brazilians who are in Estonia learning to speak the language. Last fall when I was in Estonia and waiting for a colleague at my hotel, I was surprised to see and hear a black rapper speaking fluent Estonian with the hotel manager. I'm in my mid 30's and consider myself pretty hip, but even this I admit, threw me for a tiny bit of a loop.

If there is anything I learned at this last summer's Uheshingamine...and from Eesti Eestlased....is that we are all Estonians and it's not for us to compare one estonian child who doesn't know his a, b, ja d's to another, who may have been exposed to more opportunity. It is no fault of the child and no fault of the parent. It is the fault of a World War that separated a peoples. Let's not let Stalin win....That is the past, it's over.

Hopefully if the Childrens Camp (or any Estonian organization) were to read this post....and read how Estonia has made resources available to non-Estonians to learn Estonian culture and language than perhaps they would be willing to make changes to give more opportunity for it's Estonians who have not yet learn the language.

Like Silvi says, there IS much hope and optimism. I feel this strongly. The more we criticize, the less we move forward. We have work that needs to be done! Make the commitment and LEARN ESTONIAN!!! Please, someone, let me know how I may learn Estonian, if I am not situated in Toronto or near Toronto. I have heard of on-line courses through Skype somewhere. Let's start spreading the word. Let's ask the Estonian Foundation of Canada for funding, for assistance. Let's make this a group effort to learn the language at least one level better than we already have, this winter. And to those who already know the language...for goodness sakes help teach and support your fellow Estonians. Estonians are great teachers when they want to be!

There was a lot of debating on this subject a few years ago and I am surprised by how many patriotic Estonians have finally realized how we should not be changing our organizations just to cater to those who have decided not to pass on the language to their children and then accuse those who have kept the faith of discriminationg against them. There are so many English-speaking organizations on Ontario and they can have their pick but, no, they have to return to the churches, summer camps and other organizations they once were part of and change them from Estonian to English.
I remember when I was attending confirmation classes in an "Estonian" church we had a small group of leerilapsed who had 1 Estonian parent and demanded that they must be allowed to be confirmed in this church. Of course, all the classes were conducted in English, in spite of the protests of the students, myself included. I thought to myself, what a waste of time taking the bus all the way to this church when I could be confirmed at the local Anglican church that is within walking distance of my house if I wanted confirmation classes in English. I am not surprised that almost none of the people I attended these classes with ever shows up at this church for services, except on Christmas Eve.

I am fortunate enough to be an active ... very active part of our community, specifilcally... I've been working with the children and young people in the community for most of my life. I have, as I mentioned earlier, changed my tune as far as the strict language requirements. What changed my mind was witnessing, first hand, the enthusiasm that the young ESTONIANS, who, for whatever reason, had not previously spoken the language, showed for learning the language, history and all things Estonian.
It would be a great disservice to our community to exclude them! They are wonderful additions to our fold.
Even saying this sounds elitist and snobby to me!!! (we allow them to join us)
The Estonian government recognizes as citizens, the descendants of Estonian citizens. Our commitment should be to be an extension of that and help anyone who feels a connection to their roots to understand their history and culture and language.
Sofia, there are resources available online. Contact me
The Estonian government has been incredibly supportive of our communities outside of Estonia!!!