Lithuanian Jewish Community

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 4:33 P.M. on Friday, November 6, and concludes at 5:28 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit and prayers recited at 4:15 P.M. and completed before sunset at 4:33 P.M. Wednesday, November 11, is Veterans Day in the United States and U.S. territories, originally marking the anniversary of the armistice in World War I, but later expanded to honor American veterans of all wars. The same anniversary on November 11 is marked in the United Kingdom as Remembrance Day and in Belgium and France as Armistice Day.

2026-11-05

Hebrew Lessons

A new series of Hebrew lessons for young and old, beginners and the more advanced, under the tutelage of Ruth Reches, will meet for the first class on Sunday, November 15. The class for more advanced students starts at 9:30 A.M. and runs till 11:00 A.M., followed by the class for beginners at 11:15 A.M., ending around 12:45 P.M. The classes will be held at the Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium, Kraševskio street no. 5, Vilnius. Registration is required by sending your full name and desired group to ruthreches@gmail.com.

Note: the language of instruction is Lithuanian.

2026-11-052026-11-05

Lithuanian Makabi Athletics Club to Hold Shooting Competition

The Lithuanian Makabi Athletics Club is holding a pistol-shooting competition in Vilnius on Sunday, November 8, from 10:00 A.M. till 1:30 P.M. The cost is €11.00 and registration is required by midnight, November 6.

For more information, call Daniel at +370 687 83 005 or write info@maccabi.lt.

2026-11-05

Illusion of Return Exhibit at Savickas Gallery

An exhibit of works called “Sugrįžimo iliuzija” [Illusion of Return] by Petras Vaitiekūnas will open at the Savickas Picture Gallery in Vilnius on November 7 and run till December 1.

Petras Vaitiekūnas was signatory to Lithuania’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. He has served as deputy foreign minister and diplomat. He’s also a physicist and a painter.

Time: opening at 4:00 P.M., Saturday, November 7, runs till December 1, 2026
Place: Savickas Picture Gallery, Tumo-Vaižganto street no. 5, Vilnius

2026-11-042026-11-04

Lithuanian Ethnic Minority Department Officials Visit Panevėžys Jewish Community

Lithuanian Ethnic Minority Department director Dainius Babilas led a delegation of his colleagues on a visit to the Panevėžys Jewish Community on October 26. They met with chairman Gennady Kofman and member Nerijus Jakštonis and the group discussed a number of issues including regular reporting by Lithuania to implement the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and measures to fight anti-Semitism. They also spoke about the activities of ethnic minority NGOs and the need to publish information about their activities, as well as other issues including Holocaust education.

2026-11-042026-11-04

Ninth Museum Honors Victims of Grosse Aktion

The Ninth Fort in Kaunas held a commemoration of victims of the Grosse Aktion on the 85th anniversary of the massacre at the fort on October 28. The commemoration organized by the Kaunas Jewish Community and the museum featured speeches, music and a dramatized documentary film. Candles were lit and stones placed at the mass murder site.

From October 28 to 29 in 1941 around 10,000 Jews were murdered in one mass murder operation. Most were taken from the Kaunas ghetto.

Kaunas Jewish Community chairman Gercas Žakas, Lithuanian Jewish Community executive director Michail Segal, representatives of the Lost Shtetl Museum in Šeduva, Israeli embassy chargé d’affaires Shimon Pesach, French embassy chargé d’affaires Emmanuel Carnesecca, German cultural attaché Valerie Hog, deputy Lithuanian foreign minister Rūta Statulevičiūtė-Kaučikienė, Lithuanian MP Vytautas Juozapaitis, Jurbarkas mayor Skirmantas Mockevičius, Ninth Fort Museum director Marius Pečiulis and others attended the commemoration.

2026-11-04

Happy Birthday, Valdas Adamkus

The Lithuanian Jewish Community wishes former president Valdas Adamkus a very happy 100th birthday. One hundred years of meaningful work, wisdom, love for Lithuania and human respect. Your life, civic-mindedness and dedication to Lithuania are an inseparable part of the history of our country. The Lithuanian Jewish Community holds your friendship, attention to Litvak history, culture and commemoration and your respect for the human being in the highest esteem. Thank you for your sincerity, warmth and openness. Mazl tov. Bis 120!

2026-11-042026-11-04

Dedication to Ona Šimaitė: Concert to Celebrate Lithuania’s Righteous Gentiles

A concert tour to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the naming of Vilnius University librarian Ona Šimaitė as a Righteous Gentile is coming to Vilnius November 11.

Performers include Rokas Vaitkevičius on cello, Simona Zajančauskaitė playing piano and Tadas Daujotas blowing the shofar horn.

Tickets cost 10 euros and are available here. More information here.

Time: 5:00 P.M., Wednesday, November 11
Place: Theater Hall, Vilnius University, Vilnius

2026-11-032026-11-03

Jacques Lipchitz Discussion at Vilna Gaon Museum

The Vilna Gaon Jewish History Museum will host a discussion on Jacques Lipchitz, the artistic influence Vilnius had on his development, Vilnius cultural life in the early 20th century, Vilnius art guilds, the Vilnius Drawing School and other topics. The discussion will be in Lithuanian and the entrance fee is the cost of a museum ticket, €12,00. Samuel Bak Museum director Ieva Šadzevičienė will moderate the panel which includes art historians Laima Laučkaite-Surgailiene .and Jolanta Širkaite

Time: 6:00 P.M., Wednesday, November 4
Place: Samuel Bak Museum aka the Tolerance Center, Naugarduko street no. 10, Vilnius

2026-11-032026-11-03

Secret Order behind Jewish Holidays

by Rabbi Eric Coopersmith, September 17, 2026

The Jewish calendar follows an arc that consists of a seven-stage journey, starting with a broken relationship and ending with the joy of reconciliation.

The Jewish holidays aren’t isolated celebrations scattered across the calendar. Together, they form a carefully structured system of spiritual growth. Each holiday marks another stage in the development of our relationship with God.

We begin with distance and brokenness, gradually rediscover our longing for closeness, recommit ourselves to serving God, remove the barriers separating us from Him, and ultimately arrive at reconciliation, joy, and intimacy.

This journey has seven stops, beginning with Tisha B’Av and culminating in Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

1. Tisha B’Av: The Relationship Is Broken

The journey begins on Tisha B’Av, when we confront the painful reality that our relationship with God is in crisis.

2026-11-032026-11-03

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 4:47 P.M. on Friday, October 30, and concludes at 5:41 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit and prayers recited at 4:29 P.M. and completed before sunset at 4:47 P.M. October 31 is Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve, the evening before the fast on All Saints’ Day, November 1, in the Christian calendar. The holidays were intended to honor collectively the early Christians martyred by the Roman Empire who were called saints.

2026-10-29

Attack on Israeli Embassy to Serbia

Photo: Darko Vojinovic/AP

A teenage boy shouting “Allahu akbar” threw a knife at a policeman outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, just after midnight early Wednesday and was shot dead by the wounded policeman. The Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade reported the teen had two knives and was dressed all in black.

Serbian interior minister Ivica Dačić said security services had been monitoring the suspect prior to the attack.

“Based on the information available to us so far, he was known as a supporter of the Islamic State. His Instagram profile featured a black flag and symbols associated with the organization,” he told the Associated Press.

This was the second attack at the Israeli embassy in Belgrade in two years. In June of 2024 an assailant shot a Serbian police officer in the neck with a crossbow.

The police officer wounded Wednesday is recovering in hospital. He suffered a cut to his left cheek and is expected to make a full recovery.

2026-10-292026-10-29

Kaunas Jewish Community Invites You to Concert

The Kaunas Jewish Community and the Kaunas City Museum are holding a concert called From Čiurlionis to Today at 5:00 P.M. on November 4 at the Petrauskas House venue. Works include those by Čiurlionis, Balsys, Šenderovas and others. Klezmer Klangen members Ramunė Buikaitė will provide vocals, Saulė Buikaitė will perform on violin and Rasa Vaičiulytė will play piano.

Time: 5:00 P.M., Wednesday, November 4
Place: Petrauskas House, Petrausko street no. 31, Kaunas

2026-10-29

New Ninth Fort Book Launched

Mexican advertising expert, filmmaker and author Roberto Valdes presented the English translation of his latest book, The 9th Fort (El Noveno Fuerte), at the Aušra Museum in Šiauliai last week. The book is an historical novel combining real events and fictional dialogue to shed light on one of the most obscure chapters of World War II. In just over 24 hours in 1941 around 10,000 Jews were murdered at the Ninth Fort in Kaunas.

The author told the gathering how the book came about and his views on the Holocaust, Lithuania and World War II.

The Aušra Museum invited attendees to take a tour of the new exhibits at the Frenkl mansion there following the book launch. Snacks were served.

2026-10-29

Amir Maimon Visits Šiauliai

Former Israeli ambassador to Lithuania Amir Maimon and wife Tal visited the Šiauliai Jewish Community earlier this week. He recalled warmly his first visit to the Community and attended a barbecue with members. He also inspected an oak tree he planted seven years ago.

The group visited the grave of Sania Karbelis. Karbelis was the energetic chairman of the Šiauliai Jewish Community for many years before his unexpected. early death while serving in the post. Amir Maimon performed kaddish at the grave side.

Amir Maimon was sent to Ethiopia in 1990 to open an Israeli embassy there. He was a key figure in Operation Solomon, the airlift and repatriation of 14.325 Ethiopian Jews to Israel. Maimon was a lieutenant colonel in Israel’s elite paratrooper corps. He served as a diplomat in London, Ottawa, Ankara and Washington, D. C., before becoming Israel’s first ambassador to Lithuania. After that he served until recently as Israel’s ambassador to Australia.

2026-10-292026-10-29

Likkud Wins Parliamentary Elections

Incumbent prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likkud bloc appears to have won 57 seats ahead of Gadi Eisenkot’s Yarash bloc with 47, with more than 50% of votes counted. Neither party achieved a Knesset majority of 61 seats, but were not expected to do so. Israel reports the highest voter turnout since 1999 at 77.7%.

2026-10-282026-10-28

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 6:02 P.M. on Friday, October 23, and concludes at 6:55 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit and prayers recited at 5:44 P.M. and completed before sunset at 6:02 P.M.

2026-10-22

Delegation of Rabbis Visit Lithuania

A delegation of 80 rabbis from the Dirshu organization recently visited Lithuania. They visited the graves of the Vilna Gaon and Rabbi Baruch ber Leibowitz, then visited the grave-site of Chafetz Chaim. The kosher kitchen of the Lithuanian Jewish Community played a role in their visit in receiving the rabbis and catering to their needs. Members of the delegation were thankful for their sincere concern over their kosher needs. The LJC also organized a Sabbath celebration. Three rabbis from the same organization were the victims of an anti-Semitic attack in Vilnius last summer.

2026-10-212026-10-21

Mini Makabiada

The Lithuanian Makabi Sports and Athletics Club invites sporting enthusiasts and friends of the club to our annual mini-Makabiada on October 25. The event opens at 10:00 A.M. at the Vilnius City Tauras Athletics school at Žygio street no. 46, Vilnius. Participants can play in 3-on-3 basketball, volleyball, table tennis and badminton.

All participants will be invited to lunch after the final matches and awards ceremony. Those wishing to attend should register by October 23 by clicking here. For more information call Daniel at +370 687 83 005.

Time: 10:00 A.M., Sunday, October 25
Place: Vilnius City Tauras Athletics School at Žygio street no. 46, Vilnius

2026-10-212026-10-21

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Israeli President Isaac Herzog Visits Lithuania

On the War in Israel and the Situation in Lithuania