The Sabbath begins at 3:36 P.M. on Friday, December 20, and concludes at 4:59 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Hanukkah Kabalat Shabat
The Progressive Judaism association Bnei Maskilim invites you to attend the lighting of the third Hanukkah light while greeting the Sabbath with psalms and blessings, followed by holiday foods and kiddush. The ceremony will take place on third floor of the Lithuanian Jewish Community followed by kiddush and treats at the Bagel Shop Café at street level.
The cost is 20 euros for adults and 10 euros for children from 3 years of age. Registration is required by sending an email to viljamas@lzb.lt.
Time: 4:00 P.M., Friday, December 27
Place: Lithuanian Jewish Community, Bagel Shop Café, Vilnius
Hanukkah Is Here
Dear parents and children and young adults in the Dubi, Ilan and Knafaim Clubs,
The Lithuanian Jewish Community invites you to a holiday celebration called Hannukah Is Here! The event includes:
• Havadala ceremony
• Fire show “Lords of the Flame”
• Performance by magician with bewitching tricks and a good dose of fun
• Traditional Hanukkah foods
• Gifts
Please note: registration is only open till 2:00 P.M., December 20. To register, send an email to levickajasimona@gmail.com with the names of all attendees including parents and children plus their ages. If your plans change and you cannot attend, please send an email indicating that as well. Please be on time, the doors close at 4:15 P.M. For more information, write or call (+370) 678 81514.
Time: 4:00 P.M., Saturday, December 21
Place: Bagel Shop Café, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius
Ghost of Facebook Past Comes to Haunt Rookie MP
On Wednesday, December 11, the Lithuanian parliament’s Ethics and Procedures Commission met to discuss facebook posts made in the past by newly-elected MP Petras Dargis, who belongs to the controversial Nemuno Aušra party led by Remigijus Žemaitaitis.
In the posts in question, Dargis published an indecent picture of a prostitute leaning into the driver’s side window of an automobile, saying, “I’ll do everything your wife doesn’t.” The speech balloon of the driver says, “Can you make me a tasty goulash?”
More troubling are older posts dating back to September of 2011 where Dargis repeats anti-Semitic jokes. In one, a father asks his sons how the good Santa Claus differs from the evil Jew. Santa is good and the Jew is bad, one says. Another chimes in: Santa gives gifts from out of his bag, but the Jew takes them and puts them in the bag. That’s all true, the father says, but more importantly, Santa enters by coming down the chimney, and the Jews exits by going up the chimney.
Natalja Cheifec’s Discussion Club: Holiday Edition
Natalja Cheifec continues her series of discussions with “The Miracle of Hanukkah” which will address:
• The holiday of Hanukkah as a conservator of tradition;
• What the Most High does during Hanukkah;
• Why Jews observe the burning of candles during Hanukkah;
• What the doughnuts are about and what Hanukkah geld means.
It’s happening this Thursday, December 19, at 5:30 P.M. via zoom.
To register and receive zoom credentials, click here. Remember to includes which topics interest you for possible future discussion while registering.
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights
Everyone is invited to come view a 3-D light show, accompanied by traditional Hanukkah treats and warm tea.
Time: 6:30 P.M., Monday, December 30
Place: Outside the Lithuanian Jewish Community, Vilnius
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:34 P.M. on Friday, December 13, and concludes at 4:58 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Saturday is also International Shareware Day.
Hanukkah Doughnut-Making Workshop for Children
The Lithuanian Jewish Community has a special Hanukkah events planned for the Dubi Club and Ilan Club. Dubi is for children aged 4 to 6 and Ilan for those 7 to 11.
At 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, December 14, we’ll make and eat delicious sufganiyot doughnuts.
Please note the clubs on these dates will not be meeting at the LJC but at the HEY HEY Kaip Skaniai space located at Odminių street no. 3 in Vilnius.
Space is limited, so make a reservation by sending an email to levickajasimona@gmail.com. Please call +370 678 81514 for more information.
The first evening of Hanukkah falls on December 25 this year.
Natalja Cheifec’s Discussion Club Continues
Natalja Cheifec’s #ŠALOM discussion club will meet via zoom at 5:30 P.M. on Thursday, December 12. Register here. Don’t forget to mention topics of interest to you on the registration form!
Australian Hamas Targets Synagogue Congregations
by Geoff Vasil
Last Thursday Australian supporters of Hamas targeted the Great Synagogue in Sydney’s Central Business District with a loud protest across the street. Members of the congregation sheltered in place inside with outer doors locked. Two Jews ventured out and waved an Israeli flag. New South Wales state police crossed the street to arrest both.
The next day in the early hours of Friday two arsonists entered the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, spread accelerants and put the shul to the torch. One man inside was wounded with severe burns on his arm and remains hospitalized. Priceless Torah scrolls and other texts were also damaged.
Monday other locations in Australia were the site of protests by native Hamas and ISIS terrorists featuring anti-Semitic chants.
Awaiting Hanukkah
In the run-up to Hanukkah, the Lithuanian Jewish Community invites you to an evening of music called Awaiting Hanukkah with performances by the jazz group Stardust Trio and violin duo Double Cores with Boris Kirzner and Michail Bolshun.
The cost is 20 euros and prior registration is required via email to zanas@sc.lzb.lt, For more information call (+370) 678 81514.
Time: 7:00 P.M., Friday, December 20
Place: Bagel Shop Café, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:36 P.M. on Friday, December 6, and concludes at 4:59 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Monday is also World Genocide Commemoration Day.
Events for Children in Run-Up to Hanukkah
The Lithuanian Jewish Community has several special Hanukkah events planned for the Dubi Club and Ilan Club. Dubi is for children aged 4 to 6 and Ilan for those 7 to 11.
At 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, December 7, we’ll make menorahs together out of clay.
At 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, December 14, we’ll make and eat delicious sufganiyot doughnuts.
Please note the clubs on these dates will not be meeting at the LJC but at the HEY HEY Kaip Skaniai space located at Odminių street no. 3 in Vilnius.
Space is limited, so make a reservation by sending an email to levickajasimona@gmail.com. Please call +370 678 81514 for more information.
The first day of Hanukkah falls on December 25 this year.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:41 P.M. on Friday, November 29 and concludes at 5:03 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sunday is also the beginning of Advent, marking the beginning of the Christian liturgical year in many Western churches.
Shalom Cheverim!
The Bnei Maskilim iProgressive Judaism community invites you to the Shaharit morning prayer with Rabbi Grisha Abromavich from Israel. Registration is required by sending an email to viljamas@lzb.lt.
Time: 11:00 A.M., Saturday, November 30
Place: Lithuanian Jewish Community, Vilnius
Hard-Left Australian Government Takes Hard Line against Israel
by Geoff Vasil
Last week the Australian Government under Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese barred Israel’s former justice minister Ayelet Shaked.who was scheduled to speak at a conference hosted by the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, claiming she would incite unrest in the island country.
Asked a day later to comment on the ICC’s announcement of an international arrest warrant for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Galant, ALbaense’s foreign minister Penny Wong said Australia would honor the arrest warrant. Penny Wong has been publicly flirting with the idea of Australian recognition of a Palestinian state for over a year now.
Meanwhile Australian authorities made their first arrest, if you exclude Jewish detainees harassed by police for being Jewish or carrying Israeli flags in public, since October 7, 2023, of anyone involved in the brewing conflict between Hamas supporters and Australian Jews yesterday, handcuffing Mohommad Farhat, 20, as he waited to board a flight to Bali. Farhat is accused of a spree of vandalism in a Jewish area of Sydney during which he set at least one automobile on fire and spraypainted businesses and cars with the phrase “Fuk Israel” as well as “The PKK is coming,” a kind of mixed message. PKK is best known as the acronym for a Kurdish Communist party recognized as a terrorist organization in the EU and elsewhere.
Tour of Herring Exhibit Followed by Tasting at Jonas Šliūpas Museum in Palanga
The Jonas Šliūpas Museum in Palanga invites the public to a second guided tour of the herring exhibit “From the North Sea to the Christmas Table” at 5:00 P.M. on November 29. This time co-creator of the exhibit Akvilė Poškienė of Klaipėda University will guide the tour. Afterwards the Palanga Jewish Community will host a presentation of Jewish culinary heritage accompanied by sampling of Jewish snacks with herring presented by Lithuanian Jewish Community educator Dovilė Rūkaitė.
The cost is 4 euros. Registration is required by sending an email to j.sliupo.muziejus@lnm.lt.
Time: 5:00 P.M., November 29
Place: Jonas Šliūpas Museum, Vytauto street no. 23A, Palanga
Labyrinths of the Old Town: A Tour for Community Members
Lithuanian Jewish Community members are invited to a special tour next Saturday in Vilnius called Labyrinths of the Old Town led by accomplished guide Markas Psonikas. The tour will invoke the mediaeval aura of the courtyards of the Old Town and continue on to the secrets and discoveries of the present day.
The cost is 7 euros per person. Registration is required by sending an email to zanas@sc.lzb.lt before 12:00 noon on November 28.
Time: 11:00 A.M., Saturday, November 30
Place: starting point to be announced following registration
Duration: ~2 hours
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:48 P.M. on Friday, November 22, and concludes at 5:10 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Saturday, November 23, is also Fibonacci Day.
Animated Shorts about Jewish Life
The EJC using financial aid from the European Union is creating a series of short animated films to teach young people about the diversity of Jewish life, culture and traditions and to educate the public about the danger of anti-Semitism, andon other topics.
EJC executive vice-president Raya Kalenova said it’s important to reach people whose main source of information is not traditional news media.
The ten-part series is called Glad You Asked. Themes explored include Jewish identity, the Sabbath, Jewish holidays, anti-Semitism, the Holocaust and Jewish history.
The first part discusses the diversity of the Jewish people, cultures and traditions in Europe and the world. Each episode is 90 seconds long.
Part 1: