Greetings

Outstanding Showing by Youngest Athletes from Šiauliai

Outstanding Showing by Youngest Athletes from Šiauliai

The Lithuanian classical chess championship for 8-year-olds and younger took place in Vilnius March 4 to 6 and included 30 boys and 8 girls. Six-year-old Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community member Karina Šer won 7 matches out seven and became the Lithuanian girls champion. Two weeks ago Karina competed in the ten-year-old girls championship and took third place, while her brother Daniel Šer won the same number of points as the other two top-placers and took third place in the 14-year-old boys group. Congratulations!

Purim Lecture

Purim Lecture

Purim is almost here, the happiest spring holiday, but its true meaning is the Jewish struggle for physical survival, just as topical now as ever. Natalja Cheifec invites you to her internet lecture on the meaning and traditions of Purim. It will take place beginning at 5:30 P.M. on Thursday, March 17, in the Lithuanian Jewish Community’s zoom room. Register here.

February 16 Greetings

February 16 Greetings

The Lithuanian Council signed a proclamation declaring the reconstitution of the Lithuanian state on February 16, 1918, and disavowing all former dependences on foreign states. To insure the future course and constitution of the state they called for the formation of the constituent Seimas, or parliament, which enshrined the principles of Western parliamentary democracy and freedom of belief, conscience and speech, ethnic equality under law and individual privacy and freedom from the wanton exercise of power. The Lithuanian State Council and the constituent Seimas ushered in the period of national rebirth. This Seimas adopted the national constitution and land reform legislation, and considered and adopted various laws regulating different areas of national life.

Let’s appreciate and take pride in our country.

Happy Birthday to Aleksandras Rutenbergas

Happy Birthday to Aleksandras Rutenbergas

Aleksandras Rutenbergas celebrated his 75th birthday Monday.

We wish our always active member a very happy birthday, good health and good times. Aleksandras, your contribution to maintaining Jewish heritage is great. You helped build the Tolerance Center of the Vilna Gaon Museum at the site of the former theater there. You were always there in the middle when there was work to be done. You introduced Europe to Litvak heritage, organizing two exhibitions of Vilnius ghetto posters in Padua and Strasbourg.

We would like to express our great respect for your good work and your tolerance.

Mazl tov. Bis 120!

News and Views from the Kaunas Jewish Community on the Levinas Center

News and Views from the Kaunas Jewish Community on the Levinas Center

Kaunas Jewish Community chairman Gercas Žakas shared his impressions on facebook after visiting the Emmanuel Levinas Center opening ceremony:

“It was endlessly pleasant to receive an invitation from professor Rimantas Benetis, rector of the Lithuanian Health Medicine University, to meet at the recently-opened Emmanuel Levinas Center. We had a nice and warm conversation in which we discussed the Center’s mission, planned activities and opportunities for cooperation. I thank Center directors Ingrida Krasauskienė and Julija Vasilenko who conducted a tour of the impressive space of the Center with its extraordinary aura and possessing materializing visions of the future. I hope that the Center will be more than just an institution researching and promoting the philosophical, intellectual and cultural inheritance of the famous philosopher Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995) born in Kaunas, as its articles of incorporation state, but also that it will become a new venue in Kaunas for memorable and meaningful meetings and events. And I also hope ties of partnership and cooperation will join the Levinas Center and the Kaunas Jewish Community, inspiring us to carry out numerous projects.”

YIVO Director Thanks LJC on Milestone Achievement

YIVO Director Thanks LJC on Milestone Achievement

Dear Faina,

Today YIVO announces the completion of the Vilna Collection Project–4.1 million pages of documents and books online for people around the world–and you have been such a tremendous part of it. You introduced me to so many people, helped shepherd our grant through the Goodwill Foundation and advised on so many things. Thank you. This project truly opens new doorways for millions of people around the world. Without your support and enthusiasm I am not sure we would have been successful. I hope that when I am in Vilnius … we will be able to celebrate together.

Here is a link to the website: https://vilnacollections.yivo.org/
With my warmest good wishes for a healthy, happy, peaceful New Year,

Jonathan

Jonathan Brent
Executive Director/CEO
The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research

Lara Lempertienė Awarded Prize by Lithuanian Foreign Ministry

Lara Lempertienė Awarded Prize by Lithuanian Foreign Ministry

Jewish scholar and head of the Lithuanian National Library’s Judaica Center Lara Lempertienė, PhD, was awarded the Star of Lithuanian Diplomacy prize Friday, according to a press release from the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry. Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis personally presented her the prize at the ministry in recognition of her work fostering research into Litvak history and cultural heritage, and for her significant contribution to commemorations of the 300th birthday of the Vilna Gaon and 700 years of Litvak history.

“You have made a remarkable contribution in strengthening foreign policy and carrying out our shared mission to spread knowledge of Lithuanian Jewish history and culture,” minister Landsbergis said. The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has been awarding the Star of Lithuanian Diplomacy since 2010 in recognition of contributions to spreading knowledge of Lithuania internationally and to improving and celebrating international relations.

Hanukkah in Panevėžys

Hanukkah in Panevėžys

Members and guests gathered in the courtyard of the Panevėžys Jewish Community to waatch the lighting of the first Hanukkah light. Song and dance began the holiday according to Jewish tradition. Hanukkah is a holiday which symbolizes freedom, light, hope and good wishes for our families and friends.

Two thousand and two hundred years, a miracle occurred when there was only enough oil for one day. The oil lasted for eight days. This was one of the major miracles in those times. Therefore Jews today celebrate the eight days of Hanukkah in their homes, lighting a candle for each day. We read three prayers and light the first Hanukkah light on the first day.

We read out greetings from our friends and colleagues, and Israel’s ambassador to Lithuania Yossi Avni-Levy greeted us on the holiday of Hanukkah, wishing us light and happiness in our hearts, and he sent on Israeli president Isaac Herzog’s video greeting, as well as those from Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky. Young and old were presented small gifts and holiday packages at the holiday table.

The high holiday spirits imparted hope and joy for our future.

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Traditional Jewish Music at the Ukmergė Regional History Museum

Traditional Jewish Music at the Ukmergė Regional History Museum

Residents of Ukmergė (Vilkomir) and others were invited to attend a Hanukkah concert at the Ukmergė Regional History Museum with the Rakija Klezmer Orkestar performing on November 29, the second day of the eight-day holiday. Ukmergė Regional Jewish Community chairman Artūras Taicas briefly told the audience the story of Hanukkah and what it means. Ukmergė Regional History Museum director Violeta Reipaitė was invited to light the first candle and chairman Taicas lit the second.

Guests were invited to sample traditional Hanukkah dishes with special food packages to take home.

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