The Sabbath begins at 3:41 P.M. on Friday, December 29, and concludes at 5:05 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Wooden Synagogue in Alanta Renovated
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Lithuanian Jews Oppose Any Commemoration of Kazys Škirpa
Sabbath Times
Condolences
With deep sadness we report the death on December 23 of long-time Community member and Saul Kagan Welfare Center client Liubov Indenok. She was born in 1930. We extend our condolences to her daughter Galina and other loved ones.
Condolences
Frume Malka Kučinskienė died December 22. She was born in 1933. She was a long-time member of the Kaunas Jewish Community, a Holocaust survivor and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. We extend our deepest condolences to her family and friends but also to Lithuania for the loss of this friend who suffered so much but never lost her inner light.
Condolences
Community member and Social Center client Zoja Archangarodskaja passed away December 22. She was born in 1930. Our deepest condolences go to her husband Ilja and friends and family members.
Israeli Ambassador Says Australian Position Contradictory
Israeli ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon has accused Australian Labor Party prime minister Anthony Albanese of contradictory messages over the war with Hamas, declared the Jewish homeland’s fight against terrorism has been held to a different standard from Australia’s own operations in Afghanistan and lamented that his citizens did not feel secure in this country, in a piece published in the Australian newspaper over Christmas and at the National Press Club of Australia.
In an interview called “The Agony of an Ally: Anthony Albanese’s Gaza Contraditions” by Alexi Demetriadi published in the Australian on December 25, Maimon says:
“The Prime Minister understands that Hamas cannot be part of future governance in Gaza… yet supports a ceasefire. These are contradictory positions.”
Full video here.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:36 P.M. on Friday, December 22, and concludes at 5:00 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Art Exhibit in Inspired by Abraham Sutzkever
The Shofar Gallery of the Jewish Culture Information Center in Vilnius is hosting an exhibit of works by art and book restorer and artist Modestas Saukaitis inspired by Abraham Sutzkever’s poetry. Saukaitis’s works on exhibit are verre églomisé, an ancient technique which uses white gold painted on glass to produce an extraordinary effect.
The exhibit runs till December 23 and is open to the public during the gallery’s working hours, from noon to 6:00 P.M. on weekdays and from noon till 4:00 P.M. on Saturday. The gallery is located at Mėsinių street no. 3A in the Vilnius Old Town.
For more information, see here.
Kaunas Jewish Community Celebrates Hanukkah
“In lighting the final, the eighth Hanukkah candle, we wish all hope and faith, that light overcome the darkness, but we wish for victory to be reached as early and rapidly as possible there were it is most needed,” Kaunas Jewish Community chairman Gercas Žakas said at a ceremony marking the final day of Hanukkah in Kaunas.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:34 P.M. on Friday, December 15, and concludes at 4:57 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Tomas Venclova Wins Lithuanian Writers Union Prize
The Lithuanian Writers Union announced they were awarding their bi-annual prize to writer and thinker Tomas Venclova for his latest book of poetry entitled “Už Onos ir Bernardinų” [Behind/Beyond the Church of St. Anne and the Church of the Bernardines (aka Franciscans)]. The book was published by the Apostrofa publishing house and contains 31 poems Venclova wrote over the past seven years.
The Lithuanian Writers Union awards their prize to one author every two years in recognition of high literary value. They will present the prize to Venclova on January 6 at Union headquarters in Vilnius.
Anniversary of Escape from Ninth Fort
On December 25, 1943, 64 prisoners at the Ninth Fort in Kaunas pulled off a daring escape. The Jews and Soviet POWs were the crew selected by the Nazis to exhume and burn corpses.
The Ninth Fort Museum in Kaunas has set up a special exhibit to mark the 80th anniversary of the escape featuring the testimonies of survivors.
Ya’arit Glezer’s father Pinia Krakinovski was one of the escapees and she came from Israel to speak at the opening of the new exhibition. Yakov Faitelson also spoke through an audio recording–his father Aleks was one of the escapees–as did Medel Deich’s son Grisha Deich. Israeli ambassador to Lithuania Hadas Wittenberg-Silverstein attended the event and spoke to the audience about the importance of history in the context of current events.
Play for Kids
The Amehaye children’s day camp invites children of members to the closing ceremony for the winter day camps, a performance of Charles Perrault’s version of the “Puss ‘n Boots” fairy-tale.
Actors from Mroj-Hall theater will perform the tale. It takes place at 12 noon on Sunday, December 17. Registration is required and please register by December 16 by sending an email to viljamas@lzb.lt.
Strashun Street Library Space to House New Museum
Lithuanian construction company Infes reported they concluded a contract with the Vilna Gaon Jewish History Museum for help creating a museum inside the Vilnius ghetto library space located on Žemaitijos street, formerly Strashun street, where library director Herman Kruk wrote most of his Vilnius ghetto diary and where the FPO, the Vilnius ghetto partisan fighters force, had a shooting range in the basement.
Infes said they would undertake capital renovation of the building and do other construction there. According to their press release, the museum will teach visitors about the Vilnius ghetto and the Holocaust in Lithuania and will feature unique items from the Vilna Gaon Museum’s collections.
Condolences
We are saddened to report the death on December 8 of Kaunas ghetto inmate Kęstutis Deltuvas. He was born in 1931. He was a member of the Union of Ghetto Prisoners and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Our deepest condolences to his widow Angelina, son Ričardas, daughter Dalia and grandson Ričardas.
Lost World Photo Exhibit
December 13 the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture opened an exhibit of 15 specially selected photographs of the former Jewish quarter and Great Synagogue by pre-war photographer Jan Bulhak as part of closing ceremonies in the celebration of Vilnius’s 700th birthday, the newspaper Lietuvos Rytas reports on its website lrytas.lt
Culture minister Simonas Kairys, former culture minister Arūnas Gelūnas who now directs the Lithuanian National Art Museum which selected the photographs for the exhibit, Israeli ambassador to Lithuania Hadas Wittenberg-Silverstein, Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky and others attended the opening. Boris Kizner provided Jewish airs on violin.
Gelūnas told Lietuvos Rytas television only two of the fifteen photographs contain human beings because the photographer thought empty streets and vacant sidewalks showed off the architecture better and presented a more romantic picture of the city.
“In a way he was prophetic in this: after World War II all these streets were emptied of people,” Gelūnas noted. He added the lessons of history haven’t been learned, anti-Semitism is alive and well in the world and people still cling to authoritarianism.
Polish MP Extinguishes Menorah Calling Jews “Satanic Cult”
MP in Polish Sejm tore fire extinguisher from wall at Hanukkah event in parliament
A far-right Polish politician has been filmed attacking a menorah during a Hanukkah ceremony. Polish MP Grzegorz Braun used a fire extinguisher to douse a hanukiya during a candle-lighting ceremony in the Polish parliament on December 12.
In videos shared on Twitter, the politician can be seen in the parliament lobby tearing a red extinguisher from the wall and marching over to the large hanukiya, where he douses it in white powder.
After extinguishing the candles, Braun blasted a nearby woman who had attempted to stand in his way with the spray from the fire extinguisher. Those around him could be heard saying: “You should be ashamed.”
Braun responded: “Those who take part in acts of the satanic cult should be ashamed.”
Braun is the leader of the monarchist Confederation of the Polish Crown party. He has opposed NATO expansion into the Ukraine. According to wikipedia: “Braun’s activities have been characterized by a series of anti-Semitic incidents and pro-Russian stances. In 2023 he disrupted a Holocaust lecture, destroyed equipment and made derogatory comments about Jews.”
Parliamentary speaker Szymon Holownia denounced the incident and told reporters “this never should have happened.” The speaker ordered Braun to leave the event and said he would call for the incident to be investigated. Parliamentary proceedings were suspended.
Article here.
In Every Generation: Vancouver Remembers 1985 Firebombing of Synagogue
Photo: This menorah survived a firebomb attack at Vancouver’s Temple Sholom in 1985. (CBC)
A menorah has become a symbol of hope after surviving a 1985 firebombing at a Vancouver synagogue
The old Temple Sholom was destroyed during an arson attack in 1985, but a menorah withstood the blaze
A menorah is one of the last remaining vestiges of a Vancouver synagogue that was ravaged by a firebomb in 1985.
In the pre-dawn hours of January 25, 1985, a Molotov cocktail was hurled through a first-floor window into Temple Sholom, which at the time was located on West 10th Avenue.
While no one was hurt in the bombing, it destroyed much of the building. The arsonist was never apprehended.
Lecture: The Miracle of Hanukkah
You’re invited to a lecture by Natalja Cheifec called The Miracle of Hanukkah this Wednesday at 5:30 P.M. via the zoom internet platform. You’ll learn:
-about Hanukkah as a holiday preserving tradition
-what the Most High does during Hanukkah
-why Jews gaze at candle flames during Hanukkah
-about Hanukkah doughnuts and Hanukkah gelt
Register and receive log-in credentials here: https://bit.ly/3K73kEE
Lithuanian Prime Minister Sends Hanukkah Greetings
Lithuanian prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė released a video Hanukkah greeting. An unofficial translation follows.
I sincerely greet all Jews of Lithuania and the world on the Hanukkah holiday! Hanukkah tells the story of the strength of the human spirit. It reminds us that even the most fragile flame can dispel the darkness, overcome evil and light the way forward. This holiday is dedicated to expressing gratitude for the miracles in our life, big and small, seen and unseen, from the most ancient times till today. It reminds us that nothing is impossible. That’s so important now when there is so much hatred, brutality and growing anti-Semitism in the world. I am convinced the miracle of Hanukkah, faith and wisdom will help us overcome all obstacles. May the light of the Hanukkah candles bring peace and tranquility into your homes and hearts! Happy Hanukkah! Hag Hanukkah sameakh!
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:35 P.M. on Friday, December 8, and concludes at 4:57 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.