Wooden Synagogue in Alanta Renovated
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LJC, International Comminission and Olga Lengyel Institute Holding Holocaust Seminars for Teachers
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LJC Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky Speaks at Commemoration of Grosse
Aktion in Kaunas
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Šiauliai Opens Righteous Gentile Square at the Intersection of Vilniaus and Ežero Streets at Former Ghetto Gates
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"Symphony from Jerusalem of the North” Mark Day of Lithuanian Jewish Victims of Genocide in Presidential Courtyard
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The renovated synagogue in Žiežmariai will become a new cultural center. The first synagogue in appeared sometime between 1690 and 1696. In the 19th century there three synagogues. Not surprising, since the majority of the population were Jewish. This synagogue which has survived and has now been renovated stands in the southern part of town between Vilniaus and Žalgirio streets, with the Strėva river flowing from southeastward from there.
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The Lithuanian Post Office has issued a stamp commemorating 300 years since the birth of the Vilna Gaon
The Lithuanian Post Office has issued a stamp commemorating 300 years since the birth of the Vilna Gaon
with a face value of 0.81 euros, enough to mail letters abroad.
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Lithuania Marks 300th Anniversary of Birth of Vilna Gaon, 2020 Named Year of the Gaon and Litvak History.
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Most important events at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in 2018
Most important events at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in 2018
Revival of Jewish Scouting in Lithuania: The first new Litvak scouting camping trip with children from Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Panevėžys and Molėtai took place August 24 to 26.
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Jewish newspapers and advertisements from Vilnius in the period between the two world wars. Jews and other minorities were given equal rights in the reconstituted Lithuanian state. Yiddish thrived with many newspapers and books published in the language.
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New Cultural Attaché for Lithuanian Embassy in Tel Aviv Hired

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Vilnius, May 23, BNS–Historian Elena Keidošiūtė has been hired as the new Lithuanian cultural attaché for the embassy to Israel. The Lithuanian Ministry of Culture, which conducted the job search, reported Keidošiūtė received the highest rating out of ten candidates. She studied the history of culture and anthropology at the History Faculty of Vilnius University and received a master’s in Jewish history and culture at Stony Brook Southampton, a campus of the State University of New York at Stony Brook located in Southampton, New York. She is now a visiting scholar at the Hebrew and Judaic Studies Department at New York University and Prins Foundation postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Jewish History in New York City.

Currently Saulius Pilinkus is serving as Lithuanian cultural attaché in Israel, according to the embassy’s website. Keidošiūtė could begin in the post as soon as she receives a certificate of reliability and upon receipt of written approval by the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry.

Start-Work Ceremony at Wooden Synagogue in Žiežmariai

The Lithuanian Jewish Community’s heritage protection expert Martynas Užpelkis travelled to attend a ceremony in Žiežmariai, Lithuania to mark the beginning of work to renovate the unique wooden synagogue there, one of only a handful of wooden synagogues still standing in Lithuania. He took some snapshots which you can find below.

In related news, the board of supervisors of the Kaišiadorys regional administration, where Žiežmariai is located, approved the region’s membership in what is known as the Association of the Itinerary of Jewish Cultural Heritage, a new tourism network which includes the Kėdainiai, Ukmergė and Joniškis regional administrations now.

On July 30, 2015, the Kaišiadorys regional administration agreed to a 99-year lease agreement for the synagogue, the property of the Lithuanian Jewish Community, to be used by the regional administration without fee. In August an agreement was concluded between the LJC and regional administration on the uses to which the former synagogue could be put and for its restoration. Currently work has begun on the roof and façade and archaeological work is on-going. The regional administration has allocated 24,840 euros for restoration work. Further financing is being sought and the regional administration believes membership in the Association of the Itinerary of Jewish Cultural Heritage could open doors for new partners in Belarus and Poland under the Interreg program.

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Sporting Event

The Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Lithuanian Jewish Makabi Athletics Club invite you to

a celebration of the grand opening of the summer season
for the entire family.

Program:

Soccer tournament for children and adults
Registration of teams: Pavel Guliakov, telephone: 370 685 42463, email: p.guliakov@gmail.com

Badminton tournament
Registration: Genadijus Plavinas, telephone: 370 699 40918, email: plavinas@takas.lt

Israeli dance marathon
with Karina Semionova, no registration required, 12:00 noon to 2:00 P.M.

Activities for younger holiday-makers
with Dubi and Dubi Mishpoha Club coordinators
Alina Azukaitis and Margarita Kožetova and the other guides

Event is free and open to the public!

Time: 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Sunday, June 5, 2016
Location: The Vilnius Soccer Fan Stadium, Linkmenų street no. 8, Vilnius

In the Dock for Holocaust Denial

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The agenda item for commemorating the work of the American Jewish welfare organization the Joint Distribution Committee in the Lithuanian city of Panevėžys came up at city council in August, 2014. The main point was to celebrate 100 years of activities by the Joint in Lithuania and to commemorate the organization in Panevėžys. The proposal made at council was to set up a stele to honor the organization at what was formerly Joint Street, now Zikaro street, in the Lithuanian city.

During consideration one council member, Raimondas Pankevičius, opposed the project. Pankevičius went beyond slandering the activities of the Jewish welfare organization and presented a false history of the Holocaust in Lithuania to his fellow council members.

Over 90% of all Jews living in Lithuania were murdered during the Nazi occupation. Panevėžys Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman went to Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky over the matter of these anti-Semitic statements, who in turn sent a complaint to the Office of Prosecutor General of Lithuania regarding the councilor’s words. Prosecutors began an investigation and laid charges against Pankevičius. At the first court hearing in March, Pankevičius said he had misspoken, and instead of saying “Jewish SS,” meant to say “Jewish police.”

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What Should Be Done with the Law on Dual Citizenship of Several Years Standing

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Dear members of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and Litvaks living abroad,

I would like to explain in an understandable way what the current situation is regarding the Lithuanian law on citizenship and its provisions affecting those who seek to restore Lithuanian citizenship without renouncing their current citizenship, whether that be of the Republic of South Africa, Israel, the United States, Great Britain or another country.

To begin, we are not at war, although it almost seems like a war for the Jews in South Africa, and the great majority of Jews in other countries enjoy a higher standard of living than we do. It is also clear the Lithuanian law on restoration of citizenship was not written especially for Jews. We, the Lithuanian Jewish Community, care about the Jews of the world and their legitimate aspirations to restore Lithuanian citizenship. The first question which undoubtedly comes up is, when exactly did Jews lose that citizenship?

Jews who left Lithuania with Lithuanian passports before the war, and those who were deported from Lithuania to concentration camps, and those who were deported to Siberia did not renounce Lithuanian citizenship voluntarily. In fact they formally lost it when Lithuania became independent again as people of non-Lithuanian ethnic origin (it turns out Jews who come from Lithuania are not considered people of Lithuanian origin, and are not members of Lithuanian émigré organizations abroad), and moreover, some of them have “repatriated” from Lithuania.

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A School Bar/Bat Mitzvah

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The ORT Vilnius Sholem Aleichem Gymnasium held a Jewish rite of passage Monday as a small group of Jewish boys and girls were ushered into adulthood at a public Bar and Bat Mitzvah on the third floor of the Lithuanian Jewish Community.

School principal Miša Jakobas greeted an overflow audience of parents, pupils, friends and Community members, and singled out the children undergoing the ritual, saying if he could wish them one thing, it would be patience.

Lithuanian Jewish Community deputy chairwoman Maša Grodnikienė congratulated the youngsters and spoke with evident joy about a new generation of Lithuanian Jews reaching maturity. She noted it was the 100th anniversary of the birth of the famous Yiddish writer Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich whose pseudonym was Sholem Aleichem, and wished everyone peace and health.

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New Museum of Jewish Culture to Open in Slonim, Belarus

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A new Museum of Jewish Culture will be housed in the 17th century synagogue in Slonim, Belarus, the BELITA news agency reports. The Slonim regional administration and the Slonim Jewish Association in Israel are to finance directly further restoration of the synagogue.

The synagogue, built in the mid-17th century, is located in the middle of the city of Slonim. Restoration work has been performed and the roof has been fixed. Original interior elements have been preserved.

“In earlier times Jews constituted more than 80% of the population in Slonim. Visitors from abroad continuously come to see the homes of their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Many visit the synagogue. The Jewish museum would be a tourist attraction and would draw more visitors to the city,” the regional administration observed.

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Summer Camp Schedule and Registration

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Dear Parents,

Ensure your children’s place at the Dubingiai recreational site!
Camp sessions and dates:

  • First session: July 4-13, ages: 7-12
  • Second session: July 18-28, ages 13-18
  • Szarvas International Camp: August 4-21, ages: 13-17
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Work to Renovate Žiežmariai Wooden Synagogue Begins

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A ceremony was held at the unique wooden synagogue in Žiežmariai, Lithuania on May 19, 2016, to mark a new stage in its life: its resurrection. The ceremony marked the beginning of work by the Kaišiadorys Regional Administration and Lithuania’s Cultural Heritage Department to restore the house of worship and featured a concert by the Rakija Klezmer Orkestar and works of Paganini by violinist Gediminas Dalinkevičius.

An allocation of 85,000 euros from the Ministry of Culture to the Kaišiadorys Regional Administration and an additional 24,840 euros from the regional administration are to be used initially to fix the roof and repair the façade, stabilize the building and perform archaeological work. A total of 693,000 euros is needed for reconstruction of the synagogue and additional sources of funding are being sought.

“The Lithuanian Jewish Community agrees to turn the synagogue over for public use because the Jewish community of Žiežmariai no longer exists and the synagogue won’t be used as a house of prayer. The synagogue can be utilized very well for the cultural needs of the region and at the same time remain a place of commemoration for the Jewish community of the area,” LJC chairwoman Faina Kukliansky said.

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Chess Tournament

The Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Rositsan and Maccabi Elite Chess and Checkers Club invite you to an amateur chess tournament!

Time: 11:00 A.M., Sunday, May 22, 2016
Location: Lithuanian Jewish Community, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius

Director: FIDE master Boris Rositsan

To register and for further information, contact:

email: info@metbor.lt
telephone: 3706 5543556

Lithuanian Jewish Community Celebrates Israeli Independence Day

Rakija

The Lithuanian Jewish Community celebrated Israeli Independence Day Monday. Happy 68th birthday, Israel! In 1948 David Ben-Gurion declared the independence of Israel from the British Mandated Palestine and became the country’s first prime minister. On November 29, 1947, the United Nations partitioned Mandate Palestine between its Arab and Jewish inhabitants with heavy lobbying in favor of the move from the United States. Fighting ensued in Palestine. The British were resolved to pull out by May 15, 1948, the day their League of Nations mandate ended, no matter what happened, and most diplomats though a direct UN trusteeship was the only solution. At 4:00 P.M. on the afternoon of Friday, May 14, Ben-Gurion as leader of the Jewish Agency proclaimed Israeli independence at the Tel Aviv Museum and the event was broadcast live on Kol Yisrael radio. Those present broke into singing Hatikvah, which was to become the national anthem. President Harry S. Truman in Washington, D. C., recognized the state of Israel at 6:11 P.M., just after midnight in Israel.

Israelis often spend the holiday with family outdoors at scenic locations around the country.

Our celebration featured holiday greetings from Israeli ambassador to Lithuania Amir Maimon and Lithuanian Jewish Community deputy chairwoman Maša Grodnikienė, and a concert by the Rakija Klezmer Orkestar. Guests also got to sample traditional Israeli treats and snacks. A big thank you goes to Žana Skudovičienė who not only organized the entire event, but also served as MC.

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Jews: Lithuania’s Misfortune

moletaikids1
by Marius Ivaškevičius

It appears we can finally say exactly what all those who today speak publicly about the mass murder of Jews in Lithuania are truly seeking. Either they are doing PR for themselves through this, advertising themselves, because this is trendy in Europe, or their activities are being financed by the Jews themselves.

All of those shocking details, talk about smashing the heads of Jewish infants on trees to save bullets, is nothing other than the scratching of still unhealed wounds with dirty, dilettante fingers.

In this manner the attempt is made to traumatize yet another generation of Lithuanians, our children born in a free Lithuania, because these sorts of actions, instead of inviting repentance or at least sorrow, actually create even greater hatred of Jews, because this is how the natural defensive reaction of the nation operates. Every nation is different, so Germany’s experience doesn’t fit our situation, that is, healing and finally recovering by demonstrating and revealing through education and openness the brutality of the Nazi concentration camps. All that took place in the period after the war, when events were still vivid, but today the murderers and the witnesses have all but died off, so Lithuania must blaze her own trail. It’s not for no reason at all that our intellectuals, chroniclers and commentators say: don’t do it, don’t pick at that wound with your fingers, let it first heal, let it be forgotten. Sometimes forgetfulness is more worthwhile than remembering.

I am from Molėtai. A small town of extraordinary beauty with three lakes inside the town and another three hundred in the surrounding area. There’s no need to say much, everyone knows Molėtai, Lithuanian vacationers’ paradise. During the war, or more precisely, during one day in the summer of 1941, two thousand Jews were shot there. In other words, eighty percent of the population of Molėtai. More than two-thirds of the town’s residents vanished over the course of a few hours and were buried in a mass grave. German Nazis were in command of the massacre. Local Lithuanians did the shooting. These are the cold, hard facts and numbers.

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YIVO Awarded $260,000 by NEH

YIVO Receives $260,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
May 16, 2016

New York, NY – The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research (YIVO) is pleased to announce that is a recipient of a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for the Vilna Collections Project, a seven-year initiative to preserve, digitize and virtually reunite YIVO’s prewar archives and library located in New York City and Vilnius, Lithuania, through a dedicated web portal.

The NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access has awarded $260,000 over two years for the processing, conservation and digitization of rare archival documents rescued from the destruction of the Holocaust. The materials, looted by the Nazis and recovered with the help of the U.S. Army, were brought to New York in the late 1940s. They are a diverse resource on Jewish life, community and culture in Europe. They span the range from handwritten autobiographies by Jewish youth and humble folktales and folk songs to the archives of scholars, such as that of Simon Dubnow, known as the father of Russian Jewish history. They include photographs, Yiddish theater and political posters and the administrative records of Yiddish and Hebrew schools and yeshivas.

As City University of New York historian Jack Jacobs noted in a letter of support for YIVO’s application to the NEH, “It is simply impossible to write a dissertation or do any serious research project related to Eastern European Jewry without consulting the YIVO materials.”

Full story here.

Litvaks Visit Panevėžys

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Gilla Back from Melbourne and Leanne Cohen and her daughter from Johannesburg visited the Panevėžys Jewish Community and toured the city recently to learn more about the land whence their ancestors came.

They examined displays of photographs at the community and talked about their ancestors who lived in the city. Cohen’s antecedents emigrated to South Africa in 1900. They signed the guest book and said it had been a real privilege to walk the streets and breath the air in the city, although the Ponevezh of their relatives no longer exists.

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In Memoriam Saulius Sondeckis

Sondeckis-Likimai

The Destinies series of lectures, seminars and meetings invite you to attend our 26th evening in the series,

In Memoriam Saulius Sondeckis

featuring the premiere of the film “… mūsiškiai žydai muzikai” [“…Our Own Jewish Musicians”]

In the film maestro Saulius Sondeckis shares his memories of his friends and colleagues, Lithuanian Jewish musicians.

Participants to include: the filmmaker and journalist Saulius Sondeckis and professor Silvija Silvija Sondeckienė

Moderator: Dr. Leonidas Melnikas.

Time: 6:00 P.M., Thursday, May 19, 2016.
Location: Lithuanian Jewish Community, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius

Event initiator and MC: LJC deputy chairwoman Maša Grodnikienė

Anti-Semitic Attacks Worldwide Drop to 10-Year Low

The Times of Israel reports a new survey by the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University found a drop in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide in 2015 by 46% over the previous year’s number.

The report noted the steep drop was due in part to a dramatic spike in attacks in 2014 amid the summer war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

“The number of violent cases in 2015 is more or less equal to that of 2011,” the report’s executive summary says.

Full story here.
IL times

Lithuania to Grant 30,000 Euros to Vilnius YIVO Project in 2017

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The Lithuanian Ministry of Culture plans to allocate 30,000 euros in 2017 for the Vilnius YIVO project.

The Vilnius YIVO project is a seven-year endeavor to preserve, digitize and join together virtually two pre-war YIVO collections in New York and Vilnius. The project will also attempt to recreate digitally the Strashun library, one of the largest collections of judaica in pre-war Europe. YIVO, the Lithuanian Central State Archives and the Lithuanian Martynas Mažvydas National Library are partners in the project.

The project covers approximately 10,000 rare and unique books and publications and around 1.5 million documents. Material includes literary works, correspondence, memoirs, theater posters, photography, rare books, brochures, newspapers, political pamphlets and documentation of religious and communal activities.

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LJC Chairwoman Speaks on Lithuanian National Radio about Citizenship for Litvaks

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Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky was one of three distinguished guests on the late morning Aktualiju studijas [News Studio] program on Lithuanian radio May 12.

“This question keeps bothering me: when did the institution of citizenship, when did that institution stop, when was it interrupted? Was it when the person was imprisoned in the ghetto? When he was transported to the concentration camp? Nobody saved those passports anywhere. You see this is such an inhumane, such an unintelligent step when you look to the future. But as the chairwoman of the Lithuanian Jewish Community I would like to say, that Litvaks are welcome in our community, with or without a passport, and we would be very proud if our Lithuanian Jewish Community grew thanks to those people who left Lithuania. So we gladly invite and welcome them without regard to their political status,” Faina Kukliansky said during the discussion.

The main topic for the show as “Why don’t we want to grant citizenship to Litvaks?” The introductory blurb for the show was: “Lithuanian Jews–Litvaks–are not just people who have achieved great things in the world, they contributed greatly to the strengthening of the Lithuanian state as well. They sought Lithuanian independence and they fought in the battles for independence [in 1918-1919]. Unfortunately, almost all of them were murdered during World War II. Only a small portion survived. Today some Lithuanian bureaucrats don’t want to grant citizenship to the small group of Jews who want it. Why not?”

The other two guests were former Lithuanian prime minister, current deputy parliamentary speaker MP Gediminas Kirkilas and the historian Alvydas Nikžentaitis.

The audience was invited to call in and pose questions.

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Condolences

Rūta Gorinienė passed away May 12 (March 28, 1938-May 12, 2016). We are saddened by her loss and share in the sadness of her loved ones. Our deepest condolences.

Congratulations to the Newlyweds!

Segal šeima

The Lithuanian Jewish Student Union congratulate Karina Segal and Aleksandr Segal on tying the knot after a long and beautiful friendship! May you spend many happy years together, may you be an example for others to follow, and may you keep Jewish traditions! Mazl tov! Hurrah!