Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky has posted a video address to members. She said the following:
“Good day. I am addressing members of our Jewish community. Unfortunately, I can’t speak with you in person. Under these conditions I must speak with the aid of technology, but I would say the exact same thing if we were speaking in person.
“A certain time has come which is not pleasant and not favorable to anyone. Somehow we must live through this period with the hope that this period overall will end sometime. I believe that very much, and I hope it will end very soon.
“It’s said God helps those who help themselves, so let’s help ourselves. Let’s find the power and the opportunity to remain as far away as possible from one another. However painful that is. I for two weeks now haven’t been inviting my grandchildren for lunch and I only seem through the window.
“We must try to find the power in ourselves, or order our daily agenda in such a way that the day passes sufficiently well, that everyday you would experience joy, and nothing more remains to us than to appreciate every minute in which we can find joy.
“I would like to share that our Community began to organize all work via internet and from a distance quite a long time ago. We don’t have a choice. We are a large center of social work, and we’ve had to take care of the health and safety of our caregivers as well, so that no one is left behind. Perhaps not everything went as smoothly as one might like or as things went elsewhere in the world, but this has happened the first time for our generation and can only be compared to war or natural disaster. This is what happened and no one among us, not the state nor the entire world, was prepared for it. So if someone wants to criticize or is criticizing, they should refrain and think about whether all these critics would have been able to do what the Community collective has done under these conditions, to whom I am very grateful.
“About Passover, matzo will reach every home. Matzo has been sent already to all the regional communities a long time ago. Those communities are doing it themselves and here in Vilnius we will help all those who need help. I’d like to say the rabbi hasn’t removed himself either from our Community’s problems and together with us is preparing packages and together with us he will distribute those packages to people for Passover.
“I wish everyone a good holiday and a happy mood as much as it is possible. Read books, look out the window, look how beautiful it is outside, the blue sky. Everything remains in the future. Happy holidays.”
Video address in Lithuanian: