Standing with Israel in Pakruojis

Standing with Israel in Pakruojis

The Pakruojis wooden synagogue hosted an event yesterday to support Israel, organized by the Šiauliai Jewish Religious Community.

Before the Holocaust the wooden synagogue–one of only a handful still standing in Europe–was the center of Jewish life and religion.

The one-day photography exhibit there was actually two related exhibits: 22 photographs out of the 724 victims to mark the 80th anniversary of the Kinder Aktion or children’s mass murder operation in the Šiauliai ghetto collected and arranged by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Authority in Israel and the Šiauliai Jewish Religious Community, and pictures of the 242 hostages taken by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, including babies, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly.

Solidarity Bracelets

Solidarity Bracelets

The World Zionist Organization has embarked on a project to distribute commemorative prayer and spirit-strengthening bracelets, which combine the feelings of cohesion, unity, and victory.

The bracelets consist of three values:

In their memory – Dedicated to the memory of the civilians and martyrs who were murdered and fell since the beginning of the war. “And I have cleansed their blood I have not cleansed, and the Lord dwells in Zion” (Joel 4:21)

For their safe return – represents the hope and prayer for the return home of the abductees; those who were cruelly separated from their families, who are experiencing hell, and were taken captive by bloodthirsty enemies. “And I took you from the nations and gathered you from all the countries and brought you to your own land” (Ezekiel 36:24)

For victory – represents the aspiration and confidence in the eternity of the people of Israel, in the victory of its soldiers, in the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. “Blessed are you, Israel, who is like you, a people saved by God, He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword, your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights” (Deuteronomy, 33: 29)

We invite you to take part in the project, receive the bracelets free of charge, wear them, and spread this message widely, as an expression of support and partnership in the fate of the people of Israel.

To receive a bracelet, please click here: https://www.wzo.org.il/department/haravotbarzel/spirit-strengthening-bracelets/en

Sincerely,
Or Cohen

Hanukkah

Hanukkah

The first light of Hanukkah will be lit at the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius with Rabbi Aharon Shmuel Baskin, singing, dancing, Hanukkah treats and smiles. Stay tuned for more details.

Everyone is invited. The event starts at 6:00 P.M. on December 7 at the Choral Synagogue, Pylimo street no. 39, Vilnius.

Pakruojis Wooden Synagogue Hosts Photo Exhibit on Kinder Aktion and Hamas Hostages

Pakruojis Wooden Synagogue Hosts Photo Exhibit on Kinder Aktion and Hamas Hostages

The Šiauliai Jewish Community is holding a half-day photography exhibit at the wooden synagogue in Pakruojis on November 20 detailing the painful past of the Jewish people and current events.

The first part of the exhibit is a joint project between the Šiauliai Religious Jewish Community and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem to mark the 80th anniversary of the Kinder Aktion or children’s mass murder operation at the Šiauliai ghetto. It only contains a small number of photographs of victims conserved by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial.

The second section features the 240 people taken hostage by Hamas and held in the Gaza Strip, including fathers, mothers, children, teenagers, the elderly and the disabled.

Time: 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday, November 20
Place: Pakruojis synagogue, Kranto street no. 8, Pakruojis, Lithuania

DJ A at Darna Festival

DJ A at Darna Festival

DJ A, also known as Anuška, will display her skills at the Darna Festival to celebrate the International Day of Tolerance at the Lithuanian Jewish Community on Thursday, November 16. The festival is free and open to the public and begins at 6:30 P.M.

Algirdas Davidavičius to Speak at Darna Festival

Algirdas Davidavičius to Speak at Darna Festival

Philosopher and ethics teacher Algirdas Davidavičius will share his ideas about harmony and tolerance at the Darna Festival to celebrate International Day of Tolerance at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius on Thursday, November 16.

“At the current time it isn’t sufficient for being a good person to speak abstractedly of good behavior, to criticize or comment on military actions from a safe distance. We are all moral if not actual soldiers for a better common culture. Each one of us must choose which values we defend, because if we don’t defend them we will become hostages and participants of regimes of superstitious fear and violence,” Davidavičius said.

The Darna Festival opens at 6:30 P.M. and is free and open to the public.

Duettissimo Concert at Darna Festival

Duettissimo Concert at Darna Festival

One Dutch newspaper called them the Dream Duo. Violinist Dalia Dėdinskaitė and cellist Gleb Pyšniak’s Duettissimo have been performing since 2009 and have earned a name for themselves as one of the most remarkable groups of young people performing classical music in Lithuania.

They’re performing as part of the Darna Festival to celebrate the International Day of Tolerance at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius Thursday, November 16. The festival starts at 6:30 P.M. and is free and open to the general public.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

We wish Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community member Ieva Rafael a very happy birthday. Since the Šiauliai Jewish Community was formed in Šiauliai in December of 1988, Ieva has been an active participant in community life and a member of the board of executives. Along with everything else she’s done for the Šiauliai Jewish Community, she’s also been responsible for the organization’s bookkeeping over its entire existence.

We wish Ieva endless health, happiness, joy, unceasing energy and that all her dreams come true. Mazl tov. Bis 120!

Condolences

We are sad to report the death of Boris Pojurovskis in September. He was born in 1936. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, daughter Eleonora and grandson Artūras as well as to his many other relatives and friends.

Remembering Hamas Kidnap Victims in Šiauliai

Remembering Hamas Kidnap Victims in Šiauliai

The Šiauliai Jewish Community will exhibit photographs of more than 200 hostages taken and held by Hamas in southern Israel on the city streets in Šiauliai on Thursday.

The posters will go on display outside the building at Višinskio street no. 24, Šiauliai Jewish Community headquarters between 11:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. on November 16.

The Šiauliai Jewish Community asks you to express support for the families of the kidnapping victims and seeks to bring attention to the fate of these people who have been trapped in a living in hell for more than a month now.

Israel reports Hamas is currently imprisoning 239 people abducted from southern Israel.

Jewish and Other Composers Rarely Heard in Lithuania at This Year’s Darna Festival

Jewish and Other Composers Rarely Heard in Lithuania at This Year’s Darna Festival

The Lithuanian Jewish Community and Cvi Parkas are holding the third annual Darna Festival to celebrate the International Day of Tolerance tomorrow, November 16, with a series of readings and musical performances.

The classical music group Duo Andersson, Julija Andersson on violin and brother Paulius on piano, will present a series of rarely-heard classical and contemporary works by Lera Auerbach, Jewish Lithuanian composer Anatolijus Šenderovas and Philip Glass in the Jascha Heifetz Hall on the third floor of the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. The Darna Festival is free and open to the public.

Ukrainian Folklore Ensemble to Perform at Darna Festival to Mark International Day of Tolerance

Ukrainian Folklore Ensemble to Perform at Darna Festival to Mark International Day of Tolerance

The Ukrainian folklore ensemble Namysto will perform first in a series of concerts at the Lithuanian Jewish Community and Cvi Parkas’s third annual Darna Festival to celebrate the International Day of Tolerance.

Namysto was formed in Vilnius in 2019 by a group who performed Ukrainian folk songs in their free time. They’ve since expanded their repertoire with folk music expeditions to Polesia, the Steppe and the central Dnieper River region.

The festival starts at 6:30 P.M. on Thursday, November 16, at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius.

Pianist Darius Mažintas to Perform at Darna Festival

Pianist Darius Mažintas to Perform at Darna Festival

Musician and piano master Darius Mažintas will perform at the Darna Festival to celebrate the International Day of Tolerance on November 16. The program includes a musical composition by Ryuichi Sakamoto from his album BTTB and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.”

The Darna Festival starts at 6:30 P.M. Thursday at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. For more information, click here.

#Atmintis #Memory #AEPJ

Darna Festival: Three Extraordinary Photography Exhibits

Darna Festival: Three Extraordinary Photography Exhibits

The Darna Festival happening this Thursday, November 16, to celebrate the International Day of Tolerance will feature three exceptional photography exhibits featuring work by Antanas Sutkus, Andrey Kezzyn and Bartosz Frątczak. All festival events and performances are free and open to the public.

Time: 6:30 P.M., Thursday, November 16
Place: Third floor, Lithuanian Jewish Community, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius

Antanas Sutkus is considered one of the top Lithuanian photographers of the 20th century. Andrey Kezzyn over the past decade has been staging theatrical photographs with actors in costume, and is a stage director himself. Bartosz Frątczak lives in Vilnius and is a teacher, philosopher and journalist as well as photographer. From 2014 to 2018 Frątczak photographed Holocaust survivors and family members, and rescuers. From 2017 to 2019 he documented living Polish World War II veterans.

#Atmintis #Memory #AEPJ

Happy Birthday to Adomas and Adelina Kofman

Happy Birthday to Adomas and Adelina Kofman

On November 12 our tireless scout leader Adomas and his sister Adelina, also a scout, turned 20. Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky and the entire Lithuanian Jewish Community wish them a wonderful birthday, that all their dreams would come true, endless new adventures and the love of all around them. Mazl tov!