by Grant Gochin, July 18, 2025

Tisha b’Av, observed annually on the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av, is a solemn day of mourning in Judaism, commemorating a series of tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, most notably the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Over time, this day has also become a time to reflect on other catastrophic events in Jewish history, including the Holocaust, which saw the systematic murder of approximately six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1941 and 1945. For many Jewish communities, Tisha b’Av serves as a moment to mourn the six million victims of the Holocaust, often through the recitation of kinnot, liturgical dirges that lament historical persecutions, including those of the 20th century. As we commemorate these profound losses, however, a troubling issue persists in Lithuania: the government’s ongoing efforts to revise and deny its historical role in the Holocaust, a matter I have confronted through extensive legal action. This article explores the intersection of Tisha b’Av’s remembrance, Lithuania’s Holocaust revisionism and my legal battles to expose this distortion, drawing on insights from my work and the broader discourse on antisemitism.

Tisha b’Av: A Day of Collective Mourning

Tisha b’Av is marked by a 25-hour fast and the recitation of the Book of Lamentations, which mourns the destruction of Jerusalem. Over centuries the day has evolved to encompass additional tragedies, such as the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 and the Holocaust. Religious communities often incorporate special kinnot composed after the Holocaust, such as those by Rabbi Shimon Schwab in 1959 and Rabbi Solomon Halberstam in 1984, to honor the six million Jewish victims. This practice underscores the day’s role as a time to reflect on the enduring impact of antisemitism and the importance of historical truth. The Holocaust as a pinnacle of antisemitic violence is a focal point of this commemoration, making Lithuania’s revisionist policies particularly jarring in the context of Tisha b’Av.

Lithuania’s Holocaust Revisionism: A Denial of Accountability

Lithuania’s role in the Holocaust is a painful chapter in its history. During World War II, approximately 96% of Lithuania’s pre-war Jewish population was annihilated, with most raped, tortured and murdered by Lithuanian neighbors and collaborators before and alongside Nazi forces. Despite this, the Lithuanian government has engaged in systematic efforts to downplay or deny the complicity of Lithuanian nationals in these atrocities. As noted in my blog on the Times of Israel, the Lithuanian government has an agency dedicated to Holocaust denial, revision, inversion, distortion and triumphalism, often glorifying individuals who participated in the genocide as national heroes. This revisionism is not merely a distortion of history but an act of antisemitism as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), which equates Holocaust denial and distortion with antisemitic behavior.

The Lithuanian government has claimed a “zero tolerance” policy for antisemitism and Holocaust denial, asserting efforts to promote critical thinking among students about the Holocaust’s consequences. These assertions, however, are undermined by actions which contradict them. For instance, the government has initiated legislation, such as the so-called “Noreika Law,” intended to address disputed commemorations but applied selectively to Soviet monuments, while ignoring Lithuanian collaborators such as Jonas Noreika, who instigated, promoted and conducted the murder of Jews. Such actions reveal a deliberate attempt to whitewash history, excusing revisionism as a defensive response to a “shameful” past rather than confronting it with honesty.

Legal Actions against Lithuanian Holocaust Fraud

My personal journey to seek justice for my family, murdered during the Lithuanian Holocaust, has led to over thirty legal actions against the Lithuanian government, detailed on my website. These cases, spanning from May 10, 2015, to April 15, 2022, aim to expose the government’s Holocaust fraud and hold it accountable for honoring perpetrators such as Noreika. My litigation has revealed a pattern of collusion among Lithuanian authorities, including the president, prime minister, parliament, public prosecutor and the courts, to perpetuate these deceptions, for example, the Lithuanian Genocide and Resistance Research Center, described as serving nationalist and pro-Nazi interests rather than scientific truth, has been a key player in these frauds.

In one notable case I challenged the government’s portrayal of Noreika, a figure celebrated as a national hero despite his documented role in the Holocaust. The courts, acting as a rubber stamp, Soviet-style entity, dismissed these challenges, validating antisemitic narratives. The government has even threatened me with constitutional and criminal charges for exposing these truths, labeling me a Russian agent to discredit my efforts. These tactics mirror broader patterns of silencing critics, a form of antisemitism that deflects accountability by accusing whistleblowers of ulterior motives.

My work, supported by documentaries such as J’Accuse! and Baltic Truth, and Silvia Foti’s book The Nazi’s Granddaughter, has aimed to dismantle these falsehoods. Yet Lithuanian officials consistently refuse to engage with these exposés, declining invitations to screenings and discussions worldwide, from Sydney to Tel Aviv. This refusal underscores their commitment to a false narrative, which not only dishonors Holocaust victims but also endangers future generations by normalizing impunity for genocide.

The Confluence of Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial

The broader discourse on antisemitism, as discussed in my Times of Israel blog, highlights how Holocaust denial and revisionism are forms of antisemitism which dehumanize Jews and distort historical truth. The IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism explicitly includes denying or exaggerating the Holocaust as an antisemitic act. Lithuania’s actions fit this definition, as they glorify perpetrators and obscure the nation’s role in the genocide. This revisionism is part of a global pattern; in Lithuania’s case, the denial itself is the antisemitic act, undermining the memory of victims and the integrity of historical justice.

The American and German governments have recognized Lithuania’s revisionism as promoting impunity for war criminals and normalizing antisemitism, racism and discrimination. This acknowledgment indicates the urgency of my legal efforts and the need for international pressure to compel Lithuania to confront its past. Failure to do so risks repeating the failures of “Never Again,” a phrase that loses meaning when governments such as Lithuania’s evade accountability.

Tisha b’Av and the Call for Historical Truth

As we observe Tisha b’Av, the day’s somber reflections compel us to confront not only historical tragedies but also contemporary distortions which perpetuate antisemitism. The Lithuanian government’s refusal to acknowledge its role in the Holocaust and its veneration of collaborators contrast starkly with the day’s call for remembrance and accountability. My legal battles, rooted in a personal commitment to honor my family’s memory, reflect the broader Jewish imperative of zakhor (remember), as instilled un me by my grandfather.

The commemoration of Tisha b’Av with its kinnot and fasting serves as a reminder that historical truth is a prerequisite for justice. Lithuania’s Holocaust revisionism, by contrast, seeks to erase this truth, honoring murderers while silencing critics like me through legal threats. The international community, including Jewish organizations, must demand transparency and accountability from Lithuania, ensuring Holocaust narratives are not manipulated for nationalist agendas.

Conclusion

Tisha b’Av is a day to mourn the destruction of sacred spaces and the slaughter of millions of lives including those extinguished in the Holocaust. It is also a call to action against a revisionism which seeks to erase these truths. My legal efforts against the Lithuanian government’s Holocaust denial reflect this commitment to historical justice, challenging a system which glorifies perpetrators and threatens truth-tellers. As we recite kinnot and reflect on our history, we must also press for a future where “Never Again” is not just a slogan but a reality upheld through truth-telling and accountability. Lithuania’s failure to confront its past is a warning that the fight against antisemitism and Holocaust denial remains urgent, lest we allow history to be rewritten at the expense of our collective memory.

Full text here.