The following was sent from the Lithuanian consulate in Tilsit, aka Tilžė in Lithuanian, in East Prussia to the Political Department of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry on November 10, 1938. The second page is a telegram from Königsberg to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry dated November 12, 1938.
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Austria Commemorates Kristallnacht
In the night between November 9 and 10, 1938, Nazi paramilitary brownshirts and German citizens went on a staged rampage destroying Jewish stores, homes and synagogues and killing Jews. At that time Austria had been annexed by the Third Reich. Today, on November 9, 2021, the president of Austria, members of the European Commission and EJC representatives gathered to commemorate the dead in Vienna.
On Thursday the Austrian capital will present two projects to mark the 80th anniversary of the violent attacks against Jewish homes, companies and houses of prayer. Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, is considered a milestone on Hitler’s path towards the total extermination of European Jewry. The names of 68 Jews murdered during the bloodletting will be projected every evening of the week at 7:38 P.M. local time till dawn every twelve minutes on the front of the building housing the Uniqa insurance agency in the center of Vienna.
“We want to preserve the memory of every person murdered by the Nazis,” Austrian Resistance Archive (DOW) director Gerhard Baugmartner said. The Tower of Names will likely be seen by tens of thousands of people.
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Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 4:16 P.M. on Friday, November 5, and concludes at 5:32 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
![The Unknown Connection between Zambia and Ukmergė The Unknown Connection between Zambia and Ukmergė](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/zukas_title-670x300.jpg)
The Unknown Connection between Zambia and Ukmergė
by Rytas Sakavičius
One average day doing my usual thing, scrolling through facebook, an entry caught my eye about a European who is a national hero of Zambia. The most interesting part was his surname, Zukas.
It sounded familiar, but I didn’t really believe it: is it possible we wouldn’t know about this person? We so love stories about people whose ancestors came from Lithuania and it hardly matters whether they identified themselves with Lithuania. Not expecting much, I put “Simon Zukas” into a search engine. The results were suprising. Born July 31, 1925, in Ukmergė [Vilkomir], Lithuania. That’s when I got interested, thinking it strange such an important and exceptional African political figure might be completely unknown in his native land.
![European Days of Jewish Culture Lead to Regular Discussions European Days of Jewish Culture Lead to Regular Discussions](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Žydų-pašnekesiai250988808_4769073716458017_2347259249596056964_n-670x300.jpg)
European Days of Jewish Culture Lead to Regular Discussions
The #ŽydiškiPašnekesiai web discussion started as part of the European Days of Jewish Culture this fall, whose motto this year was “Dialogue,” has turned into real-life meetings and discussions. Starting now every second Wednesday of the month will be devoted to discussions of Jewish history and heritage, subtle aspects of history and the issues which came up last fall with political, educational and public figures, held at 5:00 P.M. at the Bagel Shop Café at the Lithuanian Jewish Community, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius. There will also be relevant passages of music performed at these events.
The first such discussion is scheduled for November 10 under the title “Reflections of the Holocaust in Political Rhetoric and the Media.” The discussions will likely be held in Lithuanian. Founder of this new discussion club Arkadijus Vinokuras says: “Today only a small portion of Lithuanian society and especially politicians are able to speak at least respectfully about the tragedy which befell us all in the mid-20th century. Yes, all of us, all of Lithuanian society, without regard to ethnicity. It’s important to realize that ‘speaking respectfully’ about the Holocaust is one thing, and understanding the connections between the Holocaust and institutionalized anti-Semitism is another thing altogether. This kind of dualism arises often in speeches by politicians and is reflected in their actions. There are cases in the media (not just in Lithuania) where there is a lack of reflection and ‘innocent’ opinions are expressed, under the alleged right to ‘an alternative view of the holocaust.’ And no, writing the Holocaust uncapitalized is not an unintentional mistake here.”
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Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 5:30 P.M. on Friday, October 29, and concludes at 6:43 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
![LJC Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky Speaks at Commemoration of Grosse Aktion in Kaunas LJC Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky Speaks at Commemoration of Grosse Aktion in Kaunas](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Faina-KuklianskyDidžioji-akcija1-670x300.jpg)
LJC Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky Speaks at Commemoration of Grosse Aktion in Kaunas
Your excellency, the president of the Republic of Lithuania,
Honorable mayor of Kaunas,
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Passion, the path of suffering leads us to this place from Democrat Square, which eighty years ago was witness to a disgusting and horrific crime committed against ten thousand Jewish residents of Kaunas.
Earlier that same year the kommandant and the burgermeister of Kaunas issued order no. 15, point 4 of which evicted all Jews of Kaunas from their homes and lives: “All people of Jewish ethnicity living within the borders of the city of Kaunas without regard to sex or age must remove to the Kaunas suburb Vilijampolė between July 15 and August 15 of this year.”
![Volunteer Clean-Up at Šiauliai Jewish Cemetery Volunteer Clean-Up at Šiauliai Jewish Cemetery](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Šiaulų-kapinėsIMG_20211024_122340-670x300.jpg)
Volunteer Clean-Up at Šiauliai Jewish Cemetery
The Šiauliai Jewish Community organized a volunteer clean-up at the Donelaitis cemetery in Šiauliai. Everyone did a great job and many graves were put in good order. Well done!
![Bagel Shop Café Produces Seventy-Five Loaves of Challa Bread Bagel Shop Café Produces Seventy-Five Loaves of Challa Bread](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/247735143_4743734712325251_4626150229618573379_n-1-670x300.jpg)
Bagel Shop Café Produces Seventy-Five Loaves of Challa Bread
The Bagel Shop Café baked 75 small and large loaves of challa bread Friday evening as part of the world Shabbos Project. The Sabbath on October 22 was special. The Lithuanian Jewish Community invited everyone young and old to bake challa together with the world Jewish community. Members, friends and a ton of children gathered at the Bagel Shop Café, had fun making and baking challa, and were treated to a performance by the Fayerlakh ensemble. We counted around 75 loaves. Snapshots below.
Chief Rabbi Goldstein from South Africa Greets Jews in Lithuania
![Sabbath Times Sabbath Times](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/wine-challah-web-600x300.png)
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 5:46 P.M. on Friday, October 22, and concludes at 7:02 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
![Challa Bake-Off around the World and at Bagel Shop Café Challa Bake-Off around the World and at Bagel Shop Café](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Didžioji-chalų-kepimo-šventė-Facebook-Cover-2-670x300.png)
Challa Bake-Off around the World and at Bagel Shop Café
As the weather turns colder out, it’s almost natural for us to retire to our kitchens and engage in baking bread. For most of us this is a solitary vocation, perhaps a weekly one, with few around us to enjoy the pleasing aroma of baking bread. This year as in past, the Shabbos Project is inviting people around the world to bake Sabbath challa bread together, if only in spirit. The Bagel Shop Café will host a challa-bread-making event at 5:00 P.M. on Friday, October 22, as part of this world-wide project connecting millions of people in over 1,600. At 6:00 P.M. the Fayerlakh ensemble will perform for participants at that event.
More information here.
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Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 6:02 P.M. on Friday, October 15, and concludes at 7:12 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
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Lithuanian Pledges Made at Malmö Forum
Statement by Lithuania at the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Anti-Semitism
Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Anti-Semitism
October, 12-13, 2021
Pledges by Lithuania for 2021-2025
The Lithuanian government is engaged in a number of initiatives on Holocaust remembrance and education, which are to be implemented within a 5-year perspective. The most significant of them include opening new museum spaces and updating existing school curricula incorporating modern teaching recommendations on the Holocaust. This is an important contribution to raising awareness and educating society not only about the Holocaust but also the ages rich history of Jews in Lithuania. It was extensively presented during the year 2020, which was officially dedicated to the Vilna Gaon and saw a significant increase of interest in Jewish life, history and heritage in Lithuania.
![Bagel Shop Café to Teach Cooking Secrets to Children Bagel Shop Café to Teach Cooking Secrets to Children](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/kinder-tiš-Facebook-Event-Cover-670x300.png)
Bagel Shop Café to Teach Cooking Secrets to Children
Dear reader,
You might make it a point to have bagels for breakfast, to bake challa on Fridays and to drive out all colds with chicken broth on those cold winter nights, but do you really know how to make these foods? We’re inviting children aged 7 to 12 to come learn old Jewish recipes from balabosta Rivka and to spend Sunday afternoons in the kitchen of the Bagel Shop Café at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. All events are free.
Register here.
For more information, write projects@lzb.lt
![Launch of Book about Rescuers Launch of Book about Rescuers](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/book4-670x300.jpg)
Launch of Book about Rescuers
The Lithuanian Jewish Community will host the launch of the Lithuanian book “Dešimties stebuklų liudytojai” [Witnesses to 10 Miracles] by Rimantas Stankevičius at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at the Community located at Pylimo street no. 4 in Vilnius.
The book’s title comes from a quote by Litvak Holocaust survivor Sameul Bak, who said at least ten miracles had to occur for him to have survived. It tells the story of rescuers at the Benedictine Monastery in Vilnius, Juozapas Stakauskas, Vladas Žemaitis and Marija Mikulska, who hid twelve Jews from September of 1943 to July of 1944.
The book launch will feature a panel of speakers including Ginas Dabašinskas, Libertas Klimka, Indrė Valantinaitė, Benediktas Stakauskas and author Rimantas Stankevičius. The discussion will take place in Lithuanian.
![LJC Holding Human Rights Roundtable LJC Holding Human Rights Roundtable](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/diss-670x300.jpg)
LJC Holding Human Rights Roundtable
The Lithuanian Jewish Community is hosting a round-table discussion on human rights and specifically the rights of Jews in Lithuania at 6:00 P.M. on October 20 at the Bagel Shop Café at Pylimo street no. 4 in Vilnius. The discussion will be broadcast via internet as well.
As a member of the Lithuanian Coalition of Human Rights Organizations, the LJC has contributed this year to a “shadow report” to the United Nations initiated and presented by the Law and Justice and the Educational and Scientific and Human Rights Committees of the Lithuanian parliament, intended to improve the human rights situation for ethnic minorities in Lithuania, including Jews.
Those recommendations are available in Lithuanian here.
Participants will include LJC chairwoman and attorney Faina Kukliansky, Sholem Aleichem principal Ruth Reches, human rights expert Jūratė Juškaitė, diplomat Marius Janukonis, equal opportunities ombudsman Birutė Sabatauskaitė, MP and chairwoman of the parliament’s Commission on Battles for Freedom and State Historical Memory Paulė Kuzmickienė, MP and Lithuanian Supreme Court judge Stasys Šedbaras, General Prosecutor’s Office prosecutor Justas Laucius, former Constitutional Court judge and dean of the International and EU Law Faculty at Mykolas Romeris Justinas Žilinskas and others.
More information about registering and attending virtually available on facebook here.
![Sabbath Times Sabbath Times](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/challa_spoon-670x300.jpg)
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 6:19 P.M. on Friday, October 1, and concludes at 7:28 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
![EJC Condemns Belgian Constitutional Court Decision Upholding Ban on Kosher Butchering EJC Condemns Belgian Constitutional Court Decision Upholding Ban on Kosher Butchering](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/content_Kantor.jpg)
EJC Condemns Belgian Constitutional Court Decision Upholding Ban on Kosher Butchering
Brussels, October 1, 2021–The European Jewish Congress expresses its profound regret at the decision of Belgium’s Constitutional Court to uphold a ban on the Jewish method of slaughter of animals for meat, known as shechita.
The Court upheld two decrees adopted in 2017 which banned shechita in the Flemish and Walloon regions of Belgium in 2017, ruling that these did not violate religious freedoms according to the Belgian constitution.
This follows a 2020 decision by the European Court of Justice that ruled that Belgium was allowed to impose stricter rules on the slaughter of animals than those prescribed by the EU.
![LJC Chairwoman Visits Toronto LJC Chairwoman Visits Toronto](https://www.lzb.lt/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Kanadareceived_1273147139793513-670x300.jpeg)
LJC Chairwoman Visits Toronto
Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky attended an event by the Lithuanian embassy to Canada and the Canadian-Lithuanian community held Saturday at the Anapilis Hall set up by Canadian-Lithuanians generations ago in Toronto.
Kukliansky welcomed attendees at the event which was intended to issue Lithuanian state awards and letters of thanks from the ambassador to members of the Toronto Lithuanian community for support rendered to the Lithuanian state. It included a presentation of virtual Canadian Lithuanian Museum and archive exhibits and a musical performance by Litvak opera soloist Rafailas Karpis accompanied by. D. Mažintas. After the event participants visited the St. John’s Church cemetery adjacent to the venue and laid a wreath for those who fought for Lithuanian independence. Attendees also visit the Canadian Lithuanian Museum there.
Faina Kukliansky visited the Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto Sunday, which included “A Letter from the Past: Yiddish Songs” performed by Karpis and Mažintas. Lithuanian ambassador to Canada Skusevičius and Kukliansky presented the 300th anniversary coin commemorating the Vilna Gaon issued by the bank of Lithuania to synagogue leaders and the Lithuania Order of the Life-Saver’s Cross to the family members of Righteous Gentile V. Baltušis