A delegation from the town of Kupiškis attended the Sukkot celebration by the Panevėžys Jewish Community and presented a new book and student art exhibit about the former Jewish community in the small town.

The local history book “Kupiškio žydų bendruomenės atspindžiai. Kupiškėnų atsiminimai apie žydų bendruomenė” [Reflections of the Kupiškis Jewish Community: Kupiškis Residents Recall the Jewish Community” was compiled by historian Aušra Jonušytė who also delivered an address at the Sukkot celebration about the former Kupiškis Jewish community and their fate. Book illustrators Augustė Žalkauskaitė, Nojus Pajarskas and Vytė Sabaliauskaitė spoke about their work on the book.

Kupiškis regional NGO coalition executive chairwoman Marytė Semaškienė and art school principal Daiva Šakickienė also spoke in Panevėžys. Šakickienė’s students from the Kupiškis Art School also presented an exhibit of their works of art revolving around the former Kupiškis Jewish community.

Kateryna Duzenko, the director of the French association Yahad in Unum, told the audience about her work and the significance of collecting historical material. Principal of the Juozas Balčikonis Gymnasium in Panevėžys Raimondas Dambrauskas and former teacher and local history expert Ona Juospaitienė who taught the current crop of museum specialists from Kupiškis twenty years ago also spoke at the Sukkot event. Kupiškis Art School teachers and students also provided a musical performance. Panevėžys Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman explained the meaning of Sukkot and thanked all the guests, speakers, artists and performers for attending the holiday celebration.