This year marks 150 years since the birth and 85 years since the death of Dr. Meir.
A ceremony to honor the memory of Dr. Shakhnel Avrahom Meir will be held in Panevėžys, Lithuania on November 13, the famous Lithuania doctor’s hometown.
He studied medicine at Moscow University and began his medical practice in Chernigov guberniya in the Ukraine before returning to Lithuania in 1891, where he first set up practice in Pasvalys and then moved back to Panevėžys in 1914. He had a reputation for selflessness and devoted all his time and energy to healing everyone who needed help. He improved his skills by working in clinics abroad and kept up with the latest advances in medicine, applying them at home. The Jewish Hospital was built and opened in Panevėžys in 1919 on his initiative. It served people of all ethnicities.
In 1922 he established a walk-in clinic for children and adults in Panevėžys which achieved much in preventing disease and strengthening the health of children. The clinic primarily served children from poor families. The Panevėžys chapter of the Association for Fighting Tuberculosis was also established with his help. He was the head of the Panevėžys Doctors Association, set up the Women’s Welfare Committee and supported the establishment of subsidized medicines. His tireless efforts and service, his sympathy for his patients, his sincerity and frankness in his relationships with colleagues over 40 years of hard work earned him the great respect and trust of patients.
Memorial Program
Location: foyer on third floor, Margarita Rimkevičaitė Technical School of Panevėžys, Aldonos street No, 4, Panevėžys, Lithuania
Date: November 13, 2015
11:30–12:00 registration
12:00–12:05 conference opening, welcome by Technical School director Tautvydas Anilionis
12:05-12:10 welcome by Panevėžys mayor Rytis Mykolas Račkauskas
12:10-12:20 greeting from Israeli ambassador to Lithuania Amir Maimon
12:20-12:30 Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky
12:30-12:45 Panevėžys City Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman’s presentation “Fragments from the History of the Jews of the Panevėžys Area” (in Lithuanian).
12:45-1:00 Dr. Liudvika Knizikevičienė’s presentation “The History of the Social and Medical Activity of Sh. A. Meir” (in Lithuanian)
1:00-1:15 Technical School teacher Vytautas Matulionis’s presentation “Activity of the Center for Teaching Tolerance” (in Lithuanian)
1:30-1:45 Panevėžys Regional History Museum historian Donatas Pilkauskas’s presentation “The Pre-War Panevėžys Jewish Community” (in Lithuanian)
2:00-2:45 Official ceremony unveiling memorial plaque on the building which formerly housed the Jewish Hospital (Ramygalos street No. 25)
3:00 Discussion and food at the cafeteria of the Margarita Rimkevičaitė Technical School (Aldonos street No. 12)
Please announce your intention to participate by sending an email to:
sekretoriatas@margarita.lt
telephone (8-611) 20882