Adasa Skliutauskaitė has died. She was born in Kaunas on May 5, 1931. Skliutauskaitė, a Litvak, was an accomplished illustrator of children’s books and magazines. She also painted and made lithographs. Our deepest condolences to her children, relatives, friends and those who knew her through her work.
![Happy Birthday to Samuel Bak Happy Birthday to Samuel Bak](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/sumazintas-670x300.jpg)
Happy Birthday to Samuel Bak
The Lithuanian Jewish Community wishes Samuel Bak a very happy milestone birthday. We think you are one of the most remarkable painters of the 20th century. You cut right to the heart of human nature in your work, infusing even the most tragic historical events with meaning and recalling for the world the lost world of Jewish Vilna. Mazl tov. Bis 120!
![Discussion Club on Litvak Artists in Lithuania and the World Discussion Club on Litvak Artists in Lithuania and the World](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1ca883ba-9bfe-4165-aeed-191217348787-670x300.jpg)
Discussion Club on Litvak Artists in Lithuania and the World
The #ŽydiškiPašnekesiai Jewish discussion club is to discuss the influence Litvak painters have had and do have on Western art styles. It’s not a one-way street, of course: Litvak artists were also influenced by primitivism, Renaissance realism, impressionism, surrealism, pop-art and so on. So of course one hour won’t suffice. We’ll have to go minimalist this time around. Panel speakers include Shmuel Tatz from New York, a serious art collector, and Raimondas Savickas, a serious artist, along with a number of other experts, thinkers and artists.
Location: Israel street food kiosk in Petras Cvirka Square, Vilnius.
Time: 5:00 P.M., Wednesday, August 16
Condolences
Isaakas Markusas passed away August 8. He was born in 1938. He was a long-time member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky and the entire Community extend our condolences to his widow Basia, son Leonidas and daughter Rimona.
![A Special Meeting A Special Meeting](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Marc-Berenson_header-670x300.jpg)
A Special Meeting
There are so few Litvaks left in the world that every encounter brings forth unexpected and extraordinary feelings and excitement. This time was even more unusual became the Lithuanian Jewish Community received an extraordinary visitor by the name of Marc Berenson.
He’s a professor at one of the most esteemed universities in the world, at King’s College London’s Russia Institute. He’s a specialist in Eastern politics and security who has written a number of academic works and speaks Russian and Ukrainian fluently. He’s also special to us because he’s related to Senda and Bernard Berenson. Senda Berenson Abbott was born in Butrimonys near Alytus in Lithuania and immigrated to America. She was the first champion of women’s basketball in the USA, the author of the first book on women’s basketball and is sometimes fashioned the mother of women’s basketball worldwide.
Her brother Bernard was one of the most renowned and influential audio-visual art historian and critic. Great-grandson professor Marc Berenson is in Vilnius looking for more information about his family history and roots. World Lithuanian Student Organization president Dovydas Šotland-Juzefovičius brought him to the LJC and introduced him to LJC chairwoman Faina Kukliansky. The professor expressed keen interest in current events, culture and Community activities as well as the past.
“It is a moving experience to return to where your family came from,” Berenson said.
![Lithuanian Jewish Community Calls for Immediate Removal of Statue Commemorating Juozas Krikštaponis in Ukmergė Lithuanian Jewish Community Calls for Immediate Removal of Statue Commemorating Juozas Krikštaponis in Ukmergė](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/logo-670x300.png)
Lithuanian Jewish Community Calls for Immediate Removal of Statue Commemorating Juozas Krikštaponis in Ukmergė
The De-Sovietization Commission convened by the Lithuanian parliament has presented recommendations to the Center for the Study of the Genocide and Resistance of Residents of Lithuania (hereinafter Genocide Center) that the statue commemorating the partisan Juozas Krikštaponis in Ukmergė (Vilkomir) be removed. Unfortunately, instead of taking concrete actions to remove this statue commemorating a person responsible for the murder of thousands of Jews, the Genocide Center has sent a request to the Lithuanian Office of Prosecutor General to rescind this man’s status as a Lithuanian partisan fighter. This is clearly an attempt to prolong the process and to place responsibility on a different agency.
“Krikštaponis’s culpability in the Holocaust is not disputed. This is shown by the documents the Genocide Center has collected and in their own finding of history concerning him. Carrying out mass murder is a crime which is not annulled by other good deeds. In marking the 80th anniversary of the anti-Nazi resistance and liquidation of the Vilnius ghetto, this monument to Krikštaponis is an insult to the memory of all the victims and to their surviving family members,” Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman and attorney Faina Kukliansky said.
The Lithuanian Jewish Community calls upon the Genocide Center to take immediate action based on the recommendations by the De-Sovietization Commission to remove this statue to Krikštaponis from the city center of Ukmergė.
![Rugelakh Now Available at Bagel Shop Café Rugelakh Now Available at Bagel Shop Café](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/P8014804-670x300.jpg)
Rugelakh Now Available at Bagel Shop Café
As the Lithuanian Jewish Community counts down the days to the New Year 5784, the Bagel Shop Café has come up with some new menu items. One of them is rugelakh, the amazing pastry traditionally served during Shavuot and Rosh Hashanah. The name comes from the Yiddish root “rugel” meaning little twist or tie.
![Removal of Monument to Lithuanian Nazi Collaborator Stuck Removal of Monument to Lithuanian Nazi Collaborator Stuck](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/kriksta-670x300.jpg)
Removal of Monument to Lithuanian Nazi Collaborator Stuck
Although Lithuania’s De-Sovietization Commission sent a recommendation to the Center for the Study of the Genocide and Resistance of Residents of Lithuania [hereinafter Genocide Center] for the removal of a statue commemorating [Nazi collaborator and Holocaust criminal] partizan Juozas Krikštaponis located in Ukmergė [Vilkomir], it appears a decision on the matter has been postponed. Genocide Center says since Krikštaponis’s status as a volunteer soldier hasn’t been annulled, it would be wrong to remove the monument stone honoring him. The Genocide Center says its leadership has asked the Lithuanian prosecutor general to remove his status as a volunteer soldier.
De-Sovietization Commission chairman Vitas Karčiauskas as well as people filing complaints about the statue are all unhappy with this decision by the Genocide Center and believe this is an attempt to postpone addressing the controversy. They say Krikštaponis’s role in Holocaust crimes is obvious and that the stone commemorating him needs to be removed.
Genocide Center deputy general director Vytas Lukšys reported the Genocide Center had signed a request to the Lithuanian Office of Prosecutor General Tuesday [July 25] for voiding Krikštaponis’s status as a volunteer soldier. He said they did so because it would be wrong to remove the marker commemorating Krikštaponis as long as he is recognized as having been a volunteer soldier.
![Farewell Party for Outgoing US Ambassador Farewell Party for Outgoing US Ambassador](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/20230726_180445-670x300.jpg)
Farewell Party for Outgoing US Ambassador
Last week we bade farewell to outgoing US ambassador to Lithuania Robert Gilchrist. We thanked him for three and a half years of sincere friendship, genuine care, infectious energy and reliable partnership, as well as for his real interest in Litvak history and traditions, constant attention to culture and resolute support of the Lithuanian Jewish Community in all initiatives. We also saluted his lack of patience with all forms of anti-Semitism and discrimination. Immediately upon arrival, ambassador Gilchrist got involved with Holocaust commemoration and never passed up an invitation to attend a Holocaust event, even when COVID-19 was a threat. We thank him for his great contribution to sustaining the Jewish communities in Europe and for the attention he gave to regional Jewish communities as well. We wish him the best of luck and success in all his new postings and appointments. Until we meet again!
Condolences
Aleksandras Rutenbergas has passed away. He was an active member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community’s board of directors and dedicated his life to preserving the Litvak legacy. Our deepest condolences to his son, family members and many friends. Those wishing to say farewell may attend the wake at the Nutrūkusi styga funeral home at Ąžuolyno street no. 10 in Vilnius from 4:30 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Thursday, July 27. The burial will take place at 4:00 P.M. on July 28 at the Jewish cemetery on Sudervės road in Vilnius.
![More Vandalism at Pivonija Holocaust Memorial outside Ukmergė More Vandalism at Pivonija Holocaust Memorial outside Ukmergė](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/unnamed-2-670x300.jpg)
More Vandalism at Pivonija Holocaust Memorial outside Ukmergė
“This is the eighth act of vandalism in seven months. Although we’ve gone to all the authorities asking for protection for the memorial and the mass grave, this site continues to be vandalized,” Ukmergė Jewish Community chairman Artūras Taicas said.
Located just 4 kilometers outside Ukmergė (Vilkomir) the memorial in the Pivonija Forest marks the mass grave of 11,000 Jews murdered there.
Taicas said that his calls to police over earlier incidents went unheeded.
“Frankly, I don’t believe and I don’t believe in officials who think the desecration of graves is trivial,” Taicas added.
Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman brought up the issue at a meeting with Ukmergė mayor Darius Varnas in June.
“It’s difficult to believe the police with modern equipment for criminal investigations can’t track down the owners of four-wheel off-road vehicles who continually disturb this Jewish site of eternal rest. There really aren’t a lot of these vehicles around and it would be possible to check tire treads. Furthermore, mobile telephone records would show who was using them. There’s not just one or two solutions to this, there are many, so one begins to think this is being avoided intentionally,” Kukliansky commented.
Condolences
Jefimas Libmanas died on July 25. He was a member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community for many years and a client of our Social Center. He was born in 1935. Our deepest condolences to his widow Tatjana as we grieve along with his many friends and family members.
Condolences
Mendelis Askotskis passed away on July 24. He was born in 1928. He was a Community member of long standing and a client of the Community’s Saul Kagan Welfare Center. We extend our deepest condolences to his daughter Mira and all his many friends and family.
![Roots: Save Our Trees Protest at Romain Gary Square in Vilnius Roots: Save Our Trees Protest at Romain Gary Square in Vilnius](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/protestas-del-medziu-jbasanaviciaus-gatveje-64b8022f9b489-670x300.jpg)
Roots: Save Our Trees Protest at Romain Gary Square in Vilnius
The small square–actually more of a triangle–on Basanavičiaus street in Vilnius with a sculpture of Litvak writer in French and diplomat Romain Gary as a boy was the sight of a fairly large protest Wednesday last week.
Several hundred people came to protest plans by the adjacent cafė to cut down some larger trees around the sculpture.
The cafė owner claimed the trees weren’t rooted in soil and had simply grown over pavement, and posed an obstacle to renovating the terrace there.
Protestors called for tree specialists to make a determination about root-depth. Last Friday the Vilnius city municipality rescinded permission to remove the nine trees until experts have had a chance to look at the situation.
![New Installations in Anykščiai Mark Jewish Heritage Sites New Installations in Anykščiai Mark Jewish Heritage Sites](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/anyksciuose-nauji-meniniai-akcentai-zydu-atminimo-vietose-64bcca33a0c58-670x300.jpeg)
New Installations in Anykščiai Mark Jewish Heritage Sites
BNS, July 23, 2023
Two new artistic installations now grace the Old Town in Anykščiai, Lithuania, north of Vilnius intended to commemorate the former Jewish population.
The Anykščiai municipality reports a sculptural relief by professor Romualdas Inčirauskas and Zita Inčirauskienė called “Memorial Marker for the Former Synagogues” was installed at the site of the former synagogue at Šaltupio street. It reportedly includes portion of a map of the town from 1925 with the sites of six former synagogues marked.
The same artists installed a bench in front of the building located at Baranauskas Square no. 7. There are seven human figure sculptures on top of the bench back to symbolize the days of the week with the Sabbath represented as a rabbi.
![Panevėžys Esperanto Club Celebrates 100 Years Panevėžys Esperanto Club Celebrates 100 Years](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/3.-FOTO-670x300.jpg)
Panevėžys Esperanto Club Celebrates 100 Years
Photo: Panevėžys Esperanto club members with their club flag in 1930.
The Revo Esperanto Club in Panevėžys recently celebrated its 100th birthday and Panevėžys Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman delivered a greeting there from Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky, wishing members success in their meeting. Kofman also delivered an address, quoting from a book that the first Esperanto enthusiasts in Panevėžys were Jewish and talking about Jewish contributions to the Esperanto movement.
Revo Esperanto Club director Vida Kulikauskienė presented a short history of the club and said Esperanto might have begun there with Lithuanian Esperanto pioneer Aleksandras Dambrauskas, also known as Adomas Jakštas. Of course the artificial language was invented by Lazer Zamenhoff writing under the pseudonym Dr. Esperanto. Zamenhoff lived at various times in Lithuania and Poland but published the initial book in Poland. It quickly became popular in Lithuania and especially among Lithuanian Jews. At a certain point Soviet authorities banned the Esperanto clubs in the Soviet Union as possible avenues for foreign espionage, but eventually lifted the ban.
Condolences
Abramas Goldfarbas, a client of the Lithuanian Jewish Community’s Saul Kagan Social Center, passed away July 15. He was born in 1934. Our deepest condolences to his widow, family members and friends.
![Shalom, Akmenė Event Returns Shalom, Akmenė Event Returns](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_5665-1-670x300.jpg)
Shalom, Akmenė Event Returns
The third annual iteration of the Shalom, Akmenė event in the European Days of Jewish Culture series was held at the Akmenė Palace of Culture over the weekend, educating locals on Jewish culture, life and heritage.
The Lithuanian Jewish Community’s Bagel Shop Café brought baskets of fresh bagels and Litvak snacks to the event. The Jewish market as well. Participants talked about Jewish cuisine and especially bagels, and shared the history and best recipes for this world-renowned food item.
The theme for the upcoming 2023 European Days of Jewish Culture is memory. The European Days of Jewish Culture will conclude this year on September 3 with an event in Vilnius.
Some snapshots from the most recent Shalom, Akmenė event can be found here.
![Commemoration of the Liquidation of the Šiauliai Ghetto Commemoration of the Liquidation of the Šiauliai Ghetto](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/359748416_658372496324253_1635656478042569395_n-670x300.jpg)
Commemoration of the Liquidation of the Šiauliai Ghetto
July 15 was the 79th anniversary of the extermination of the Šiauliai or Shavl ghetto where around 6,000 Jews were then imprisoned from a total population of 14,000 Jews on the eve of war, including refugees from Poland, this remainder having already been murdered by that time.
Members of the Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community gathered at the monument marking the location of a former gate to the ghetto, which consisted of two sections, as had the ghetto in Vilnius. The victims were remembered with flowers, candles and stones.
![Lithuanian Liberal Union Party: Worst Wave of Anti-Semitism in 20 Years, at Least on Facebook Lithuanian Liberal Union Party: Worst Wave of Anti-Semitism in 20 Years, at Least on Facebook](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/marijus-gailius-eugenijus-gentvilas-93850451-670x300.jpg)
Lithuanian Liberal Union Party: Worst Wave of Anti-Semitism in 20 Years, at Least on Facebook
The Lithuanian news site delfi.lt published an opinion piece on July 7 co-authored by Lithuanian MP and head of the Liberal Union Party Eugenijus Gentvilas and Marijus Gailius, the party’s press representative, outlining patterns they found leading to anti-Semitism on facebook among Lithuanians:
Disinformation Conglomerate: How Anti-Vaxers Become Anti-Semites
A strong wave of anti-Semitism has swept over the country over the last two months, whose dimensions and harm are comparable to what took place 20 years ago when publisher Vitas Tomkus published his series of articles in his newspaper Respublika called “They Rule the World” back in February of 2003. This time, though, the anti-Semitic attack is probably more dangerous, because it isn’t being sown by a single unethical writer, but by a large group of people, be they evil-minded or naïve, on the social networks. Furthermore the anti-Semitic campaign continues and there is no end in sight.
At the tip of the spear of the anti-Semitic narrative crafted and continuing to be promoted is member of parliament Remigijus Žemaitaitis. On May 9 he posted and later repeated a line of Lithuanian folk anti-Semitism. Since then the MP has posted more than 10 posts and entries disparaging the Holocaust and, without an history education, tendentiously “researching” the role play by people of Jewish ethnicity in the commission of crimes against the Lithuanian people. Historian Nerijus Šepetys provided a frank assessment of the politician’s version of history: “He will say anything at all and mixes it all up.” On July 4 the parliamentary faction leaders from the ruling coalition parties condemned Žemaitaitis’s “intentional and directed anti-Semitic attacks which trivialize the Holocaust, hatred sown for one ethnicity and provocation of public and national disorder.” They called for a procedure to be initiated to make an inquiry into the MP’s alleged breaking of his oath of office and his constitutional accountability.