The Amstetten community has existed since 1881. It included the districts of Amstetten, Scheibs, Gaming, Haag, Melk, Persenbeug, St. Peter in der Au, Waidhofen an der Ybbs, Mank and Ybbs an der Donau.
In 1932, there were 209 Jews in Amstetten. The community maintained several communal institutions, and prayer houses in Amstetten and Purgstall. The old cemetery was built in 1859, and the new one in 1894. There was also a Jewish women’s organization ‘Frauenverein’. Among the rabbis of the community a special mention should be made of Prof. A. Schächter, who was the Chief Rabbi in the interwar period, and Salomon Fried from Purgstall, who was a teacher of religion, cantor and secretary.