At a meeting Thursday, July 30 of the Kaišiadorys City Council with mayor Vytenis Tomkus and Lithuanian Jewish Community chairperson Faina Kukliansky as well as the LJC’s heritage protection expert Martynas Užpelkis attending, the council considered what to do about the wooden synagogue falling into ruin in Žiežmariai. The LJC presented a plan for renovating the synagogue and the meeting was marked by a friendly atmosphere of cooperation. The council resolved to take on the synagogue with an exploitation agreement and to apply to EU structural funds for its renovation. After renovation and in addition to serving as commemoration of the lives of the Jews of Kaišiadorys and surrounding areas, the synagogue is to be used for the cultural needs of the people of the district. The council invited city and regional residents to take part in a clean-up of the Žiežmariai Jewish Cemetery on August 21.

LJC chair Faina Kukliansky thanked the Kaišiadorys City Council on behalf of the Lithuanian Jewish Community for their good will and understanding in adopting the important decision and called upon the Lithuanian Jewish community to join in the clean-up of the cemetery once used by the local Jewish community which no longer exists.

There are examples in Lithuania of how restored synagogues have been made available for the cultural needs and public use by the local community in Kėdainiai, Pakruojas and Joniškis. Currently a plan is being drafted to restore the Kalvarija synagogue complex as well.

Kaišiadorys and Žiežmariai are located almost right next to each other along the main Kaunas-Vilnius highway.