Building technical supervisor and engineer Giedris Butanavičius of the SDG company reported in July this year the synagogue in Alanta was in a state of imminent collapse. A main support beam had rotten through allowing the ceiling beams to sag, deforming the roof. The possible continued deterioration of ceiling beams threatened to bring the whole building down. The Lithuanian Jewish Community took immediate action, calling on experts to draw up a list of tasks and a work-plan for dealing quickly with the collapsing synagogue. Under the plan drafted by the company Senamiesčio Projektai led by Jakobas Mendelevičius, the construction and restoration firm Ateities Projektai of Molėtai, Lithuania, began to implement the urgent plan in November under the direction of Bronius Gaižutis. They propped up sagging support beams, internal walls and the entire skeleton of the building, and sealed up broken windows. The Goodwill Fund financed the drafting and implementation of the plan to save the synagogue. The Community would like to thank all the planners, restorers and everyone who contributed to a rapid solution to the problem.
The Alanta synagogue is one of perhaps only 20 wooden synagogues still standing in Europe. Judging from its architecture it was built in the latter part of the 19th century. It was used as grain storage after World War II. It was returned in a very poor state to the Lithuanian Jewish Community following Lithuanian independence. In September the synagogue in Alanta was declared under state protection.
The LJC has applied for and expects to receive state funding next year for a more comprehensive plan to save the synagogue from collapse. We hope that the Molėtai regional administration and the local community will also contribute to the conservation of the building and adaptation for use by the public.
The LJC in cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Department of the Ministry of Culture and local municipal bodies is working to preserve other wooden synagogues as well. Emergency preservation work was carried out to save the Tirkšliai synagogue in the Mažeikiai region in 2014.
Currently the Pakruojas wooden synagogue is being restored. For more information in Lithuanian, see: http://www.lzb.lt/spaudos-konferencijoje-pristatytas-projektas-pakruojo-zydu-sinagogos-pastato-tvarkyba-ir-pritaikymas-kulturos-ir-viesosioms-reikmems/
The plan to renovate the Žiežmariai wooden synagogue in the Kaišiadorys region has been drafted and work is scheduled to start next year. For more information in Lithuanian, see: http://www.lzb.lt/ziezmariu-sinagoga-perima-kaisiadoriu-miestas/
In October the LJC’s ownership rights to the Kaltinėnai synagogue, unused and abandoned for several decades now, were registered. There is active dialogue with the Šilalė regional administration and the Cultural Heritage Department on saving this especially vulnerable building. Work is also being done to save the Kurkliai synagogue in the Anykščiai region. The plots of land belonging to the territories of the synagogues have been fully delineated or are being finally delineated at this time.