Jews began to settle in Tovste in the second half of the 17th century. The community reached its peak in 1880 with 2,157 Jews, making up some two-guess of the total population. In mid-19th early 20th centuries the rabbis of the community were Reb Dov Ber Schapira and his son Reb Chaim Shimon Schapira. Until WWII the cemetery contained the tombstone of Sarah, the mother of Reb Yisroel Baal Shem Tov.

In 2019 ESJF with the support of Geder Avos and American Jewish philanthropic organizations cleared the site and erected a fence around the cemetery.

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