Tukums is a city in Latvia with a population of 17.5 thousand people. In 1795, together with the Courland Governorate, it became part of the Russian Empire. Then it received the status of a city from Catherine II.

Jews received permission to settle in Tukums after its annexation by the Russian Empire. Since 1799, a separate Jewish cemetery has appeared in the city. It operated until 1973. From the beginning of the 19th century, Tukums had its own burial society of Chevra Kadisha. Half a century after the establishment of imperial domination, 2.8 thousand Jews lived in the city, who accounted for 47% of the townspeople.

The first synagogue appeared in Tukums at the beginning of the 19th century. It was located on Brivibas Square. In 1869, it was damaged in a city fire. In 1910, it was rebuilt. After World War II, it was used as a grain warehouse. In the 1860s, another synagogue was built on Elizabeth Street. During the period of Latvia's independence, it was used as a school.

In the second half of the 19th century, Jews from Lithuania arrived in the city. In the 1890s, the authorities deported those of them who could not confirm their belonging to the merchant class. However, from the end of 1897 to 1910, the Jewish population of Tukums grew from 2,500 to 5,500.

The rabbis in the city were representatives of the Liechtenstein dynasty. The last of the dynasty, Rabbi Levi Lichtenstein, died during the Holocaust.

During the First World War, the Jews of Tukums suffered from the repressive policies of the tsarist authorities. The latter viewed the Jews as German spies. In 1915, a decree was issued to evict all Jews from Courland within 36 hours. Thanks to the patronage of Baron Grutus, the Jews of Tukum received a reprieve for six weeks.

After the end of the war, the Jews managed to return to the city. In 1920, there were 597 Jews in Tukums. During the period of Latvia's independence, the city had a Jewish school and a kindergarten teaching in Yiddish, a theater group and a choir, a national library and several charitable organizations and the Maccabi sports society.

In the late 1920s, three Jews were members of the city council. By 1935, Jews controlled over 40% of local businesses, accounting for only 12% of the population. During the first Soviet occupation, all national organizations were closed, and several Jewish entrepreneurs with their families were sent to Siberia.

With the outbreak of World War II, 105 Jews from Tukums ended up in the ranks of the Red Army. 59 of these were killed. It is known that before the German occupation, part of the Jews were able to leave the city in an organized manner. The invaders occupied Tukums on July 1, 1941. In the middle of the month, all the Jews of the city were shot at Lake Valgums. In the 1950s, up to 300 Jews lived in the city.