Learning – Lithuanian Jewish Community

Is Yiddish Experiencing a Renaissance?

by Daiva Gabrilavičiūtė, LRT.lt, October 26, 2024

“The Yiddish language has become a symbol of Jewish cultural resistance and survival. In spite of waves of historical oppression, the Holocaust and assimilation, Yiddish reflects the resolution, resilience and continuity of the Jewish people,” Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium principal Ruth Reches told Lithuanian state radio and teleivision.

Yiddish appeared about a millennium ago in what is now Germany. Large Jewish communities settled in Eastern Europe. Over time Yiddish became more than the everyday language of communication and was used in Jewish intellectual and cultural life. Books and newspapers were published, songs were written and plays performed in Yiddish.

Before World War II more than 10 million people spoke Yiddish. Most were murdered during the Holocaust. The handful who survived faced Soviet oppression. Others found safe haven on the other side of the Atlantic.

Full article in Lithuanian here.

2024-10-292024-10-29

Last Nazi Hunter’s New Battle: Efraim Zuroff on Life after Simon Wiesenthal Center

by Alex Winston, Jpost, October 25, 2024

Veteran Nazi hunter Efraim Zuroff talks about his long career and new ongoing battle: fighting Holocaust distortion.

In early September an innocuous facebook message was posted, stating: “After 38 years as director of the Israel office of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and 13 years during which I was responsible for Eastern European Affairs as well, I will be leaving the center at the end of this month (September 2024). Looking for new opportunities to continue to combat Holocaust distortion, and antisemitism.”

If the post was intended to serve as a chance to alert potential employers to new employment opportunities, Efraim Zuroff may have been underselling himself slightly.

Zuroff, often referred to as “the last Nazi hunter,” has spent over four decades tracking down war criminals and holding them accountable for their roles in the Holocaust. But as Zuroff reaches the twilight of his career, his focus has shifted toward a more insidious problem–Holocaust distortion.

In his own words, “Holocaust distortion is a new form of antisemitism.” Zuroff’s mission to expose this growing issue, particularly in Eastern Europe, reflects the larger fight against historical manipulation and the dangers it poses for future generations.

Full article here.

2024-10-29

Second Round of Voting: Blinkevičiūtė Next Lithuanian PM

by Geoff Vasil

Following the ballot Sunday in the second round of voting for the Lithuanian parliament and thus a new Government it now looks almost certain former social democrat labor minister Vilija Blinkevičiūtė will replace conservative PM Ingrida Šimonytė. The pro-gay Freedom Party failed to win a single seat, the marginal and somewhat extremist National Unification party is also unrepresented and the current ruling coalition with the Conservative Party as the prime mover will now give way to a parliamentary coalition of the Social Democratic Party, the Union of Peasants and Greens and the party which splintered off from the latter, the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” under former PM Saulius Skvernelis.

The Conservative Party took second place in terms of number of seats but was in a tight race with the Nemuno Aušra party MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis formed in response to being castigated for numerous anti-Semitic and anti-Israel posts and statements he made over a year ago. The Conservative Party will like now form the official opposition with party leader Gabrielius Landsbergis stepping down from the party and resigning his seat in parliament the same day. The Liberal Union currently in coalition government is not announcing whether they seek to join the social Democrats in a new coalition but the sounds coming from liberal speaker of parliament Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen indicate they will not join such a coalition.

Blinkevičiūtė, Skvernelis and Peasants/Greens leader Ramūnas Karbiauskis received an audience at the President’s Office Monday. As the head of state the president must approve any new ruling coalition and new cabinet of ministers.

Political commentators and members of the main winning parties in this election have said Remigijus Žemaitaitis and his Nemuno Aušra party will likely be a thorn in the side of parliament, a source of endless scandal, that it’s unlikely to consolidate into a serious political force and that they would be an unreliable partner for coalition, never mind the openly anti-Semitic and xenophobic statements emanating from Žemaitaitis. That party also has a problem with candidates and now MPs who have lied about their criminal records on election forms. Žemaitaitis said he would not join the Conservatives in official parliamentary opposition and would likely support the Social Democratic Party on a vote-by-vote basis in the legislature.

The information presented here does not reflect any position but that of the author and all mistakes are his.

2024-10-29

Remigijus Žemaitaitis Is a Cynical Demagogue and Liar

by Gercas Žakas, chairman, Kaunas Jewish Community, writing in the newspaper Kauno diena

After Remigijus Žemaitaitis’s party Nemuno aušra [Dawn of the Nieman River] received significant support from voters at the polls in the first round of voting, the Kaunas Jewish Community has been watching to see what the final outcome of elections to parliament will be. We have observed even before the second round of voting how the rhetoric of the political parties has changed regarding Žemaitaitis.

It would be hard to find a more cynical character. A demagogue and a liar. Divisive and slinging mud. His speeches contain many lies and accusations against his opponents and ethnic minorities of imaginary crimes. Now he’s trying to squirm out of the situation, again lyving that he hasn’t said anything bad about Lithuanian Jews. If some party nonetheless does enter into a coalition government with him, it would demonstrate that there are no principles nor values when it comes to the struggle for power. That nothing is sacred.

Read Žemaitaitis’s social media posts. In May of last year he posted on facebook: “For how much longer will our politicians go down on bended knee to the Jews who murdered our people, contributed to the hunting down and torture of Lithuanians and the extermination of our country;” “There was a Jewish Holocaust, but there was a bigger Holocaust of Lithuanians in Lithuania. The murder and torture of Lithuanians, the rape of women and the separation of children from their parents was a pleasant attraction and a joyous moment” and “The Lithuanian nation must never forget the Jews and Russians who contributed so greatly to the destruction of our people.”

2024-10-28

Kamala Calls Trump Hitler and Chants “Never Again”

by Geoff Vasil

The Kamala Harris campaign in the US presidential election has shifted strategy to attacking her opponent as a fascist, Nazi, Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin all rolled into one. At a campaign rally Monday Kamala called Trump a would-be dictator and with raised fist chanted “Never again!” On Tuesday she spoke from a podium outside the White House and quoted unnamed sources in an Atlantic magazine article who claimed Trump had once expressed admiration for the loyalty of Hitler’s generals. Trump’s former White House chief-of-staff John Kelly told the New York Times Trump had expressed “envy” for Hitler’s generals and that the Atlantic magazine’s report was true. Whether true or fabricated, someone forgot to consider military chief-of-staff Claus von Stauffenberg and his “generals’ plot,” meaning their attempted assassination of Hitler at the Wolf’s Lair, or maybe that is the subtext of the alleged quote. There have been two assassination attempts against Trump so far and the FBI, supposedly in charge of all domestic counter-intelligence in the US, claimed Iran has sought to hire contract-killers to shoot him as well.

Republicans are saying the Harris camp has gone into desperation mode with less than two weeks to go till November 5, the nominal day of elections. Most polls show Trump creeping up into a lead in the seven swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. Pollsters and political watchers have been calling Pennsylvania the key state for victory, but Trump has concentrated on North Carolina and serving president Joe Biden and former candidate Bernie Sanders have been campaigning for Harris in New Hampshire, which was thought to be solidly in the Democrat camp already.

Some observers have pointed out Harris only has one path to victory at this point, victory meaning 270 or more electoral college votes. She would have to win all three Rust Belt states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania plus one vote from Nebraska which is one of only two states–the other is Maine–to apportion electoral college votes. All other states are winner-take-all. Trump, on the other hand, has multiple paths to the magic number 270 and while the three aforementioned states had been called the Democratic Party’s fortress or “blue wall,” pollsters now think Trump will win in Pennsylvania and could also take Wisconsin. While most pundits claim the race is too tight to call, other pollsters who have been correct in the past say Trump might win “easily,” meaning by a significant majority of electoral college votes, but probably will not win by a “landslide” as Ronald Reagan did in 1980. Optimists in the Trump campaign say they could win former Democrat stronghold states such as New Jersey and maybe even New York, and newly-minted Democrat majority states such as Virginia, although external polling data don’t seem to support that optimism.

2024-10-242024-10-24

Vilnius Jerusalem of Lithuania Jewish Community Takes Al Jazeera to Task

The Vilnius Jerusalem of Lithuania Jewish Community posting on https://www.vilniauszydai.lt has taken strong exception to an Al Jazeera television report on a pro-Hamas protest held in Vilnius presumably months ago which included editorial content linking the Palestinian cause to the Lithuanian struggle for independence from the Soviet Union. The Community said it was disgusting and shameful to hold street marches in support of terrorism.

The pro-Hamas website palestina.lt for some reason provided a translation from Arabic (Al Jazeera mainly broadcasts in English) of the report and editorial (translated back into English here):

“There are demonstrations taking place in Lithuania to express solidarity with Palestine. From the beginning of the war in Gaza activists have held many events in public spaces in the capital Vilnius [sic, two at most]. Participants demand an end to the genocide of Palestinians. The demonstrations are being organized by palestina.lt to bring public attention to events in Palestine, to counter the pro-Israeli narrative dominant in the country’s media, to condemn the close relationship Lithuanian politicians have with Tel Aviv and to emphasize there was also oppression, deportations and colonization in the history of Lithuania dating from the Russian Empire’s period of rule (1795) through the Nazi occupation right up until the restoration of independence.”

The Jerusalem of Lithuania Jewish Community countered:

2024-10-232024-10-23

The Quiz is Back

The quiz “Kas? Kur? Kada?” [Who, what, where?] returns after the Jewish new year with tantalizing new queries by Irina Slucker and clever teams ready to compete for the gold. Everyone is welcome. The cost for participating is 7 euros.

To effect payment, send 7 euros to Lithuanian Jewish Community, bank account no. LT 06 7044 0600 0575 7425, indicating QUIZ. Registration is open till October 30 by sending an email to zanas@sc.lzb.lt.

Time: 7:00 P.M., Thursday, October 31
Place: Lithuanian Jewish Community, Vilnius

2024-10-23

Everyone Welcome at Mini-Makabiada

The Lithuanian Makabi Athletics Club is holding their annual Mini-Makabiada Sunday, November 10. Competition includes 3-on-3 basketball, volleyball, ping-pong and badminton. Registration is open to all till November 7.

Registration form: https://forms.gle/ambfhPKZsz5vDwRN8

For more information, call Daniel at 8 687 83 005.

2024-10-23

Yehuda Bauer is Dead

Holocaust survivor and scholar Yehuda Bauer passed away October 18. He was 98. He was buried at Shoval kibbutz in the Negev.

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky, the entire Community and the World Jewish Congress mourn the passing of Yehuda Bauer and extend our deepest condolences to his family members and all who knew him.

WJC president Ronald Lauder said: “I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Prof. Yehuda Bauer, who taught generations of students and others about the Holocaust. I will never forget our last discussions at the International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism in Malmö, Sweden, in October 2021 and the passionate speech he gave on that occasion.”

2024-10-23

Ninth Fort Authoritarian Regime Reading Contest

The Ninth Fort Museum in Kaunas hosted their 6th reading of texts by students called “Silent Wall, Touched by Words” last week.

Kaunas Jewish Community chairman Gercas Žakas addressed the students, judges and audience, saying: “In my name and that of Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky I thank Ninth Fort Museum director Marius Pečiulis and the entire staff for holding this important event, and I thank the students and the teachers who have prepared them, for their time spent, sincerity and sensitivity.”

The students read texts about the Holocaust, the Nazi era and the Soviet era in Lithuania. The Ninth Fort Museum includes a tunnel system were Jews were imprisoned before being shot inside the Ninth Fort. Exhibits include cells with extant graffiti by murdered Jews. In the Soviet era the Ninth Fort was a de facto Holocaust memorial, if not in name, with a monumental abstract Soviet statue which remains the center piece of the museum grounds. After Lithuanian independence they became a museum showcasing Soviet atrocities as well as Nazi crimes.

2024-10-22

Palanga Jewish Community Invites You to Herring Lecture at Jonas Šliūpas Museum

Herring fishing and consumption stretches back millennia and became an integral part of Jewish cuisine centuries ago. The Jonas Šliūpas Museum is hosting a lecture by Jewish cuisine specialist Dovilė Rūkaitė on the Jewish culinary history of herring at 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, October 23, in Palanga.

The museum recently opened an exhibit called “From the North Sea to the Christmas Table” about herring which included an interesting archaeological find: part of a cover and barrel for a 19th-century herring selection and conservation system.

Rūkaitė plans to speak on the significance of Jewish merchants and populations in popularizing the fish in Europe and will also discuss some of the classic recipes which use herring.

Time: 5:00 P.M., October 23
Place: Jonas Šliūpas Museum, Vytauto street no. 23A, Palanga
Duration: About 1 hour

The lecture is free and open to the public.

2024-10-22

Jewish Scouting Season Opens

Weekly meetings of Jewish scouts are taking place again starting at 3:00 P.M. this Sunday at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. The gathering should last around one hour. Jewish scouting teaches scouts Jewish culture, civic-mindedness, responsibility, independence and a number of other skills and values, and includes a lot of fun and games as well. This group is intended for scouts and potential scouts aged 6 to 18. FOr more information contact Michail Kofman by telephone at 860645o94 or send an email to skautai@lzb.lt.

2024-10-222024-10-22

Mandolin Virtuoso Avi Avital to Perform in Klaipėda

Israeli mandolin master Avi Avital will perform with the Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra works for mandolin and baroque arrangements at the Klaipėda Music Hall at 6:30 P.M. on October 26. His repertoire includes world beat, jazz and the opera of Vivaldi, Bach and Bartók, among others.

For more information, see here.

2024-10-21

Women’s Club Meeting Friday

Dear reader,

The Women’s Club will be expecting you again this Friday, and this meeting will be especially fun and delicious as we make quiches and pastries.

This time of year is special, the High Holy Days, and we cannot avoid the holiday spirit. THis Friday we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot, when we sit down at the table together with our families and also treat those who come by. So, dear homemakers, we will learn to make the Israeli dish pashtida, sometimes called a kugel, which resembles a quiche, and layered apple pastries.

A good time is guaranteed.

Please register before noon on Thursday by sending an email to zanas@sc.lzb.lt or by calling (+370) 678 81514. Space is limited.

Time: 6:30 P.M., Friday, October 18
Place: Bagel Shop Café, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius

2024-10-15

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and remission from sin, the most important holiday on the Jewish calendar, will be observed Saturday. No matter how religious or not, no Jew risks travelling, bathing or eating during Yom Kippur. The holiday must be observed correctly, so the Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Bnei Maskilim progressive Judaism community invite you to observe the holy day together with us and Rabbi Hanoch Fields from the United States.

Program of events at the LJC in Vilnius:

October 11

6:30 P.M. Kol nidrei

October 12

10:00 A.M. Torah reading
5:00 P.M. Yizkor
5:15 P.M. Neila
6:30 P.M. Blowing of the shofar
7:00 P.M. End of fast, shared feast

Registration required. To register, contact viljamas@lzb.lt

2024-10-102024-10-10

Somber Tone as Seniors Citizens Celebrate Rosh Hashanah on Eve of October 7

Senior citizens and elderly members of the Lithuanian Jewish Community gathered for a different kind of Rosh Hashanah celebration at the LJC in Vilnius on the weekend.

With the anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 invasion and mass murder of Israelis last year, there was less of the usual music and fun and more prayers in Yiddish and Hebrew performed by Choral Synagogue cantor Shmuel Yaatom. The cantor’s wife Natalja Cheifec spoke about the history and traditions of Rosh Hashanah and the role of the woman in the Jewish family.

2024-10-09

Panevėžys Celebrates the New Year

The Panevėžys Jewish Community celebrated Rosh Hashanah last week with music and food, including apples and honey. The prayer was performed before blowing the shofar. Yekaterna Radionova performed Jewish melodies on violin and members of the Community wished one another well in the coming year.

2024-10-09

Natalja Cheifec’s Lecture Series Continues with Discussion of High Holy Days

Natalja Cheifec’s #EDUKACIJOS discussion club invites you to join the zoom call at 5:30 P.M. this Thursday, October 10. She’ll discuss Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and what these holidays mean to Jews, traditions for observance and what to avoid to protect yourself from misfortune.

Zoom credentials available here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRZKhoOgl_UbN-IxT4SO7m4uerwQONUveXaWQvFMKDghE-1A/viewform

Everyone is welcome.

2024-10-09

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