History of the Jews in Lithuania – Lithuanian Jewish Community

Natalja Cheifec Lecture Series: Pearls of Wisdom from the Vilna Gaon

Natalja Cheifec will present a new lecture Thursday featuring Sefer Even Shlema, a collection of commentaries by the Vilna Gaon.

Lecture to include:

-negative features (midot) and how to correct them;
-the ability to be satisfied with little;
-trust in the Almighty and how to serve Him;
-the war against innate sin;
-fear and love of the Most High and following His law;
-raising and teaching children;
-vain speech;
-prayer;
-reward and punishment;
-hell, paradise and final judgment.

To receive zoom credentials to participate via internet, click here.

Time: 5:30 P.M., Thursday, April 3
Place: internet

2025-04-022025-04-02

Looking for Roots in Šiauliai

Alexander Phibbs arrived at the Šiauliai Jewish Community last week looking for more information about his ancestors.

His grandmother A. Gensaitė-Ustjanauskienė was born in Kaunas and went abroad with her mother after World War II. Gensaitė spoke seven languages and found emplyment as a translator with the US federal government.

Phibbs’s great-grandfather Jakov Gens was a Jew from Šiauliai and a veteran of Lithuania’s battles for independence during World War I. He is better known as the controversial chief of the ghetto police in the Vilnius ghetto. He was murdered in September of 1943 at Gestapo headquarters in Vilnius.

Phibbs said he spent a lot of time with his grandmother listening to stories from her homeland, which led him to seek more information about his family and to visit Lithuania.

Community members showed him around the city, including the school Gens attended and the old Jewish cemetery.

2025-04-01

The Rabbi on Shortwave

by Borukh Gorin, lechaim.ru

It was the early 1980s. On the coffee table stood a VEF-202–heavy, solid, with the smell of plastic and Soviet electronics. Its long antenna, like a taut nerve, caught the voices of a distant world. On the dial–London, Paris, Monte Carlo, and between them the frequencies that carried what was absent from Soviet news: the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Liberty.

There was a whole world on shortwave. On Kol Israel, I listened to Jewish music–old songs that seemed somehow familiar and distant at the same time. On the BBC, Seva Novgorodtsev talked about Western music, which we only knew about from rare records copied onto reels. And Svoboda talked about things that our newspapers were silent about. About Jews in the USSR, who “don’t exist.” About refuseniks, who are not allowed to leave. About synagogues that are still standing, but people are afraid to come to them.

And there was also a religious program.

I listened to Rabbi Haskelevich. I always listened alone.

2025-03-252025-03-25

Igor Epstein Klezmer Concert and Lecture

The Lithuanian Jewish Community is pleased to announce a concert by Igor Itzik Epstein from Köln and his lecture on klezmer music called “Klezmer Music from Its Origins to Today.”

Epstein’s Klezmer Tov was founded by Igor (Itzik) Epstein in Cologne about 15 years ago. Igor’s musical journey did not begin, however, in Germany. Born in Vilnius, Igor grew up in Rostov-on-Don in a Jewish musical family. It was there that he received his music education, first as a classical violinist and later as a jazz bass performer, graduating from the Rostov State Conservatory.

The development of Igor’s unique style is the result of a lifetime of musical influence. Playing music and growing up in a talented musical family meant that he was always surrounded by different forms of music. Therefore, upon moving to Europe, he became known as a performer who seems to appeal to his listeners on multiple levels simultaneously by fusing together elements of folk, jazz and classical music with sparkling Jewish humor.

Epstein’s Klezmer Tov is a traditional acoustic band which communicates with the audience through their own native musical language called Klezmer. Although the number of musicians in the group can vary from duo to sextet (violin, clarinet, guitar, bass, accordion/piano and percussion) the genuine colorful emotions and the authenticity of its expressive melodies remain unchanged.

Epstein will speak and perfrom April 1 at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. Registration is required by sending an email to zanas@sc.lzb.lt. For more information, call (+370) 678 81514.

Time: 6:30 P.M., April 1
Place: LJC, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius

2025-03-252025-03-25

Righteous Gentile Day in Švenčionys Region

The Rytas Gymnasium in Pabradė together with the Pabradė City Culture Center and the Pabradė Art School held a commemoration of Lithuania’s Righteous Gentile Day on March 14. Švenčionys Jewish Community chairman Moshe Shapiro, Švenčionys Region administrative council member Bronislovas Vilimas, Pabradė alderwoman Ana Zingerienė and 7th and 8th grade students participated. History teacher Danguolė Grincevičienė organized the event and provided the main feature about Righteous Gentiles and those who rescued Jews in the Švenčionys district. Local music teachers and students provided musical accompaniment, and art teacher Žana Semaško and her students presented an exhibit they made about the Holocaust and rescuers.

Students from a regional history club read out the names of Righteous Gentiles and of those whom they rescued, followed by more music by local students and the Pabradė Culture Center orchestra. Chairman Shapiro and Rytas Gymnasium principal Laima Markauskienė thanked everyone for organizing and attending the event.

2025-03-24

Happy Birthday to Moshe Shapiro

Dear Moshe,

We wish you a very happy 75th.

Your dedication and many years of work conserving and celebrating the culture and history of the Švenčionys Jewish Community is a priceless contribution to our shared heritage, and your work bringing people together and spreading mutual understanding inspires us to take on new challenges.

We wish you good health, endless energy and everyday joy. May respect, human warmth and beautiful life moments always follow you.

Mazl tov. Bis 120!

Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman
Lithuanian Jewish Community

2025-03-202025-03-20

Kaunas Jewish Community Marks Righteous Gentile Day

Conservative member of parliament Paulė Kuzmickienė initiated legislation back in 2022 to make Righteous Gentile Day an official Lithuanian holiday. This year the Kaunas Jewish Community marked Righteous Gentile Day for the third time with a group of Community members, interested citizens and Kaunas tourist guide Mariya Onishchimk.

It’s sad to report that our Righteous Gentiles, those brave and courageous souls who rescued Litvaks from the Holocaust, Lithuania’s true heroes, remain largely unsung and are barely commemorated in Kaunas, and remain largely unknown throughout the country.

Kaunas Jewish Community chairman Gercas Žakas commented: “There have been and are, of course, many initiatives, many things done, many researchers studying this topic, but then there is truly so much more to be done. This is our duty, not just to pay honor and respect to the rescuers of Jews, but also for the mission which can be performed though knowledge of them and their activities, even those actions which the rescuers themselves don’t consider heroic, though conserving and forming humanitarian, altruistic values, teaching empathy and reconciliation.”

2025-03-19

Righteous Gentile Day in Šiauliai

Students, teachers, descendants of Righteous Gentiles, MP Paulė Kuzmickienė, architect Tauras Budzys and members of the Šiauliai District Jewish Community gathered Sunday to mark RIghteous Gentile Day at Righteous Gentile Square in Šiauliai. The commemoration continued at the Šiauliai District Jewish Community with music by violinist Dalia Dėdinskaitė and Glebas Pyšniakas playing cello. Tauras Budzys created a special marker for the graves of Righteous Gentiles and affixed the symbol to the headstone of Righteous Gentiles Eleonora and Antanas Margaitis.

2025-03-19

Panevėžys Commemorates Righteous Gentile Day

The Panevėžys Regional History Museum hosted an event to mark Righteous Gentile Day last week.

The Lithuanian parliament declared the day back in 2023 to coincide with Yad Vashem’s award of the title of Righteous Gentile to Ona Šimaitė back on March 15, 1966. She was the first Lithuanian given the distinction for her rescue of and aid to Vilnius ghetto inmates.

The commemoration in Panevėžys included speakers and a screening of the documentary film “Ponivez, Lithuania, 1932” about the Jewish community in Panevėžys or Ponevezh before the Holocaust.

Panevėžys Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman spoke at the event and delivered a message from Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky who was unable to attend in person.

2025-03-182025-03-18

Natalja Cheifec Lecture on Vilna Gaon

Natalja Cheifec’s continuing internet lecture and discussion club will address Thursday at 5:30 P.M. the topic of the Vilna Gaon. Who was he, where did he live, what were his teachings and why does he remain a central figure today?

To receive zoom credentials, click here.

2025-03-18

Righteous Gentiles Day at the Choral Synagogue

Last week Lithuania marked the third annual commemoration of Righteous Gentiles Day and the Lithuanian Jewish Community remembered their courage, risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust, at the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius.

Sulamita Fromanaitė-Lev, rescued by nuns, shared her family story. Descendants of Righteous Gentiles Kazys and Sofija Binkis, Iga Mautėnienė and Romualdas Juknelevičius, talked about their family. Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky spoke about the rescue of her family and Evangelical Lutheran reverend Mindaugas Sabutis and father Aligrdas Toliatas also addressed the commemoration.

Violinist Simas Tankevičius and bayan accordion player Yevgeni Musiyets provided music at the event. Students from Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium read excerpts from Yitzhak Mer’s Holocaust memoirs. Thank you to Sholem students Dina Perelman iand Markas Šulmanas, and to Sholem graduate Jokūbas Davidavičius who was master of ceremonies.

2025-03-17

Two Klezmer Bands on World Theater Day

To celebrate World Theater Day on March 27, the Russian Drama Theater in Vilnius, now rechristened Old Drama Theater, will host two klezmer bands. Called “Klezmer on Pogulanka” (the older name of Basanavičiaus street in Vilnius where the theater is located), the Franco-Lithuanian ensemble Rakija Klezmer Orkestar“ and the Yiddish Atmospheric Touch trio from France will perform classics and improv. Stay tuned for more information.

2025-03-122025-03-19

March 11 Greetings

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky extends here greetings on the occasion of March 11:

Dear reader,

Thirty-five. That’s how old our restored independent country is today where we enjoy the freedom to live, speak and discuss. That many years we have been able to take pride in our ethnicity and identity openly, to share our culture, knowledge and individuality. This is the greatest gift which we hold so dear and appreciate so much.

Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman
Lithuanian Jewish Community

2025-03-12

Happy March 11

On this day in 1990 the Lithuanian parliament voted to restore Lithuanian independence 50 years after the interwar republic was incorporated into the Soviet Union. To those brave deputies who signed the restoration of statehood legislation, including Emanuelis Zingeris, we say thank you, and to the people and peoples of Lithuania, we say congratulations to you, and to ourselves. Mazl tov. Bis 1,200!

2025-03-102025-03-10

Righteous Gentiles Day in Vilnius

This year will be the third Lithuania has officially remembered her Righteous Gentiles who rescued Jews from the Holocaust. It is another opportunity to remember the bravery and shining example set by those who risked their lives to help their fellow man.

“Time is pitiless. Every year more rescuers and more survivors pass away, but the memory of their experience will never fade,” Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky said. She added that her family was also saved by Righteous Gentiles.

Time: 12:00 noon, Thursday, March 13
Place: Choral Synagogue, Vilnius

2025-03-10

Knesset Members Visit Sholem

Members of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, visited the Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium in Vilnius Monday.

Accompanied by Israel’s ambassador to Lithuania Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein, MKs Simon Davidson, Yevgeny Sova, Ariel Kallner, Issak Shimon Wasserlauf and Dor Kaidar toured Vilnius’s Jewish school and met and spoke with students, teachers and staff.

Members of the delegation were encouraged the Vilnius municipality finances the Jewish school and said that wasn’t the case in other countries they visited. The ORT Global Education Network and Israel’s Education Ministry also support the school.

One student asked the MKs if they had been to Lithuania before and was surprised to learn one had been born here. Another had Lithuanian roots.

2025-03-05

Condolences

Dita Sperling has passed away at the age of 102. She was born in Kaunas in 1922. She survived the Kaunas ghetto and Stutthof and went on to be a prolific writer and Holocaust educator. Our deepest condolences to her surviving family and friends around the world.

2025-03-04

Šiauliai Remembers Righteous Gentiles

The Šiauliai District Jewish Community invites you to an event to mark Lithuania’s Righteous Gentiles Remembrance Day called “Witnesses to the Miracles of Life” on March 16.

Program:

1:00 P.M. Commemoration ceremony at Righteous Gentiles Square including words and wreath-laying with MP Paulė Kuzmickienė and the architect Tauras Budzys who began marking the graves of Righteous Gentiles in Lithuania with a special symbol back in 2018;

2:00 P.M. Exhibit of Righteous Gentiles called “Unafraid to Die, They Became Immortal” at the Šiauliai District Jewish Community, Višinskio street no. 24, and a musical performance by Dalia Dėdinskaitė on violin and Gleb Pyšniak on cello.

Time: 1:00 P.M., Sunday, March 16
Place: Righteous Gentiles Square and Šiauliai District Jewish Community, Šiauliai

2025-03-04

Samuel Bak Presents Catalog

Samuel Bak himself and a panel of experts will launch a Bak catalog in Lithuanian on the first day of the Vilnius Book Fair. The catalog of his artwork is called “Gydantys simboliai.”

Joining via video link from the USA, Litvak painter from Vilnius Samuel Bak will speak with Bak Museum senior curator Ieva Šadzevičienė, illustrator Jokūbas Jacovskis and others with synchronous translations in Lithuanian and English.

Time: 2:00 P.M., February 27
Place: conference hall 5.5, Litexpo building, Laisvės prospect no. 5, Vilnius

2025-02-262025-02-26

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