Greetings

And the Winners Are…

And the Winners Are…

We invited readers to participate in the traditional Purim carnival mask and costume contest by dressing up and sending in photographs, as well as drawings and photographs of home-made hamentaschen and recipes for such. We are pleased to announce that after long consideration of many more entries than anticipated we have finally narrowed the field down to a list of winning entries.

And the winners are…

Lilia Dulkė, in the category of best costume among grown-ups;

Mark Svešnikov, best costume for children;

Viljamas and Aleksandra Žitkauskai, best family costumes;

Marija Jurkevičiūtė, best mask;

Consolation prize for youngest contestant goes to…. Adam Segal!

And prizes go to Ronas, Lara and Glorija Rozovskiai for sending in the most photographs with different costumes!

We would like to thank all who participated and wish those who didn’t win this year greater success next Purim.

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Happy Birthday to Maša Taicienė

Happy Birthday to Maša Taicienė

The Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community wish Maša Taicienė a very happy birthday. We know Maša as a warm, energetic person, a treasured and highly active member of the community who always stands ready to lend a helping hand whom we love and respect. We want to wish you joy, happiness and success!

Regional Jewish Communities Celebrate Passover and Send Greetings

Regional Jewish Communities Celebrate Passover and Send Greetings

Gennady Kofman, chairman, Panevėžys Jewish Community:

Happy Passover, one of the most important holidays on the Jewish religious calendar.

Passover holiday greetings to all. We wish you a happy time talking with your families.

This is the evening of sacrifice which took place before God led the Israelites out of Egypt. During Passover we eat unleavened bread, matzo. The first, second and last evening are marked with a large dinner with strict traditions: the head of family reads a passage from the Book of Exodus, prayers and a collection of liturgical hymns. A hand-washing ceremony is performed before eating. Before the end of the holiday meal a beautiful cup with grape juice is placed and the door is left open, and this is called “Elijah’s cup.”

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Lithuanian Prime Minister Sends Passover Greetings to LJC and Litvaks around World

Lithuanian Prime Minister Sends Passover Greetings to LJC and Litvaks around World

Lithuanian prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė greets the Lithuanian Jewish Community and Litvaks throughout the world on the occasion of the religious holiday Passover.

“I sincerely greet the Lithuanian Jewish Community and all Litvaks on the special religious holiday Passover. It is connected with traditions kept for millennia which recall the exodus from Egypt and commemorates the fundamental values, the spiritual rebirth and liberation of the Jewish people. Sadly, for the second year now Lithuanian Jews and Jews around the world greet Passover in difficult conditions and not all families are able to come together for the ceremonial seder dinner. I want to sincerely wish you that this holiday celebrating liberation and the spring would increase your faith that all obstacles will be overcome. Be healthy and happy, and may wisdom and endurance follow your every step, may a sunny mood fill your hearts and homes. Hag Pesakh sameakh, a happy Passover holiday!” the Lithuanian prime minister said in her greeting.

The Seder Table: A Jewish Tradition Unchanged for Millennia

The Seder Table: A Jewish Tradition Unchanged for Millennia

Passover, the most important Jewish holiday which lasts for eight days, begins on March 27 this year. The date for celebrating Passover is set by the lunar calendar: the first full moon after the vernal equinox. The name of the holy day comes from “pesakh,” meaning passed over, recalling the story of the Angel of Death which passed over the Israelites before Moses led the slaves out of Egypt.

“The symbolic meaning of this holiday is that it wasn’t separate Jewish families which came out of Egypt, but a single, united Jewish people. The Jewish people throw off the yoke of slavery and leave in order to reach the Promised Land, and there create their nation,” Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky explained.

Passover Traditions over the Millennia

Keeper of Jewish cultural and religious traditions Natalija Cheifec said although the exodus from Egypt occurred more than 3,300 years ago, Passover traditions have remained almost unchanged over the many centuries. The main feature of the eight-day holiday is the seder dinner when the Hagada is read out, prayers are made and people sit at the seder table and eat from the seder plate, or ke’are.

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Hagada in Three Languages for Community Members

Hagada in Three Languages for Community Members

The Lithuanian Jewish Community is making available Hagada for the first night of Passover in Hebrew, Lithuanian and Russian. To order, call +370 678 81 514 from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. and pick up your order at Pylimo street no. 4 in Vilnius before 2:00 P.M. on March 26.

Purim Greetings from the Panevėžys Jewish Community

Purim Greetings from the Panevėžys Jewish Community

The entire Jewish people celebrate the happy spring Purim holiday. Although the times are not amenable to personal meetings and celebrations together, Jews do not give up to despair. As Esther revealed evil schemes and save the Jewish people from destruction and slavery, so will the Purim holiday lighten the mood and bring joy to every home.

The Panevėžys Jewish Community has prepared holiday Purim food parcels for our members and gifts for the children which will be distributed as will the holiday spirit.

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Traditional Purim Costume Contest Continues

Traditional Purim Costume Contest Continues

Dear members of the Lithuanian Jewish Community,

Although this year we will celebrate Purim at home, we invite you to share moments from the holiday and to take part in the traditional Purim costume contest.

Don your carnival attire, take a snapshot and send it to zanas@sc.lzb.lt by February 28.

Your photos will be considered for awards in the following categories:

Most original costume
Best family costume
Best mask

Winners to receive valuable prizes!

Minsk and Vilnius Jewish Communities Celebrate Sabbath Together via Internet

Minsk and Vilnius Jewish Communities Celebrate Sabbath Together via Internet

Belarussian progressive Jewish Community Beit Simha’s Rabbi Grigoriy Abromovich created an international project to link up cities in Lithuania, Belarus and Israel and Lithuanian Jewish Community social programs director Žana Skudovičienė was an important part of the project on the evening of Friday, February 6, when more than 40 families celebrated Sabbath together via internet.

“We know and love the Jerusalem of Lithuania Jewish Community and we love visiting there [Vilnius]. New technology allows us to be closer together despite distance in time and space,” Rabbi Abromovich said.

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky said we all miss communication and support because of the difficult period of the viral pandemic, and the Sabbath has the unique ability to bring us all together.

Michailis Segalis, LJC executive director, said: “During Passover we say to one another: next year in Jerusalem. Today I’d like to rephrase that wish and say to all our virtual Sabbath participants: next year in Minsk, Vilnius and, perhaps, we will all celebrate Sabbath in Jerusalem.”

A big thank you to all who made the virtual Sabbath possible and participated. Thank you for your kind words and smiles.

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Happy Birthday to Maja Burštein

Happy Birthday to Maja Burštein

Maja celebrated a milestone birthday February 4. She is a chemist and teacher, a wonderful housewife and an active member of the Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community. It is our pleasure to wish her a very happy birthday and much health, a happy family and many wonderful moments with her grandchildren.

Tu b’Shvat

Tu b’Shvat

Today is the Jewish holiday of Tu b’Shvat, the 15th day of the month of Shvat, the New Year for trees also known as Israeli Arbor Day. It is traditional to eat of the shvat ha’minim (seven species endemic to the Land of Israel): wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Hag sameakh!