Natalja Cheiifec’s internet discussion club continues Thursday. Participants are invited to submit questions beforehand while registering. To register, click here.
Time: 6:00 P.M., Thursday, August 6
Place: internet
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 9:22 P.M. on Friday, July 31, and concludes at 10:30 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:04 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:22.
Voices of the Departed
The Klaipėda Jewish Community will hold a ceremony at the old Jewish cemetery there to name the names of 1,225 people buried there and to unveil a monument to the lost Jewish community and lost Jewish graves. Ruth Leiserowitz will speak about the history of Jewish cemeteries in Klaipėda, formerly known as Memel. The Jewish actors troupe Shatil will perform as well.
Time: 4:00 P.M., July 30
Place: Old Jewish cemetery, Sinagogų street no. 13, Klaipėda
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 9:34 P.M. on Friday, July 24, and concludes at 10:47 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:16 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:34 P.M. Tisha b’Av ends at sundown on Thursday, July 23.
Ukmergė Jewish Community Planning Holocaust Commemoration for Early September
The Ukmergė Jewish Community is planning a series of events on Sunday, September 6, to remember the victims of the Holocaust in Pivonija Forest. A ceremony will be held in the forest at one or more the mass graves, followed by the opening of an exhibit on Righteous Gentiles and a presentation of a new web site about the Jews of Ukmergė (Vilkomir).
Tentative program:
12:00 noon Commemoration of victims in Pivonija Forest
1:00 P.M. Righteous Gentiles exhibit opening at Tolerance Center, Ukmergė
1:30 P.M. Presentation of web site on Jews of Vilkomir, Tolerance Center, Ukmergė
Natalja Cheifec on Tisha b’Av
Natalja Cheifec continues here internet lecture series and discussion club with a presentation of Tisha b’Av, which starts at sundown Wednesday. Log on and find out why this is the saddest holiday in Judaism, what this date on the Jewish calendar commemorates, why this fast day is different from others and the various stories and traditions associated with Tisha b’Av. Natalja will also discuss what fast days mean in general in Judaism., Everyone interested in Jewish culture, customs and religion is invited. To receive zoom credentials, click here.
Time: 6:00 P.M., Wednesday, July 22
Place: internet
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 9:44 P.M. on Friday, July 17, and concludes at 11:02 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:26 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:44 P.M. Tisha b’Av starts at sundown Wednesday, July 22.
Israeli Team Returns to Shulhoyf Site
Jonathan Seligman and other archaeologists from the Israeli Antiquities Authority have arrived back for summer and are working the Shulhoyf or Great Synagogue site in central Vilnius.
Seligman said they have uncovered already new finds this summer and plan to work down from the bimah to the ground floor in the main hall. The bimah stood about 1 meter high according to Seligman, and the upper surface is completely exposed now.
People interested in taking a guided group tour of the site are able to book a time on July 27, 29 or 30 by calling +370 650 91521 or writing info@gvf.lt. The minimum group size is five people and the cost is 20 euros per person, with an anticipated duration of 45 minutes. The tours are being organized by the Goodwill Foundation. More information available here.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 9:52 P.M. on Friday, July 10, and concludes at 11:32 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:34 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:52 P.M. Tuesday, July 14, is Bastille Day. July 15 is St. Vladimir Day in the Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Tour of Choral Synagogue in Vilnius Thursday
Jewish educator Natalja Cheifec will lead a tour of the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius this Thursday, July 9, at 6:00 P.M. She’ll tell the story of the only traditional synagogue still operating in Vilnius and explain its architectural secrets, symbolism and storied traditions. Cantor Shmuel Ya’atov will also be on hand to offer his extensive knowledge of the edifice and to talk about his work there as cantor. The tour will be followed by an informal discussion with questions and answers. Natalja asks participants to make a 5 euro donation to the synagogue. To register, click here.
Time: 6:00 P.M., Thursday, July 9
Place: Pylimo street no. 39, Vilnius, around the corner from the Conti Hotel and the egg statue, across the street from the Leonard Cohen statue
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 9:57 P.M. on Friday, July 3, and concludes at 11:25 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:39 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:57 P.M. Thursday, July 2, is the fast day of Shivah Asar b’Tamuz, commemorating the breach of Jerusalem’s city walls in AD 68, AD 69 or AD 70 (3828, 3829 or 3830), according to different sources, just three weeks before the destruction of the Second Temple, and also commemorates four or five other tragedies associated with this date on the Jewish calendar. Saturday, July 4 is Independence Day in the United States, with Monday included as a day off work in many parts of the country. Monday, July 6, is Coronation of King Mindaugas Day in Lithuania, a state holiday.
Holocaust Testimonies in Palanga
The Palanga Jewish Community and the Jonas Šliūpas Museum invite you to attend Lithuanian-American historian and journalist Ina Navazelskis;s presentation “Voices from the Blood-Lands” which includes eye-witness testimonies of the Holocaust and World War II. Ina worked at the US Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., for 25 years, soliciting oral testimonies from over three hundred witnesses and Holocaust survivors. She focused on Eastern Europe and especially the Baltic republics in her work, even writing a book about the period between 1990 when Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union and the attempted coup in Moscow in the fall of 1991. The presentation includes testimonies from Poles, Jews, Lithuanians, Germans and others. The presentation is free and open to the public, but the organizers ask that you register beforehand by calling +370 612 86114 or by sending an email to j.sliupo.muziejus@lnm.lt. Palanga Jewish Community chairman Vilius Gutmanas will also speak at the event. A discussion is planned after the main presentation.
Time: 5:00 P.M., Wednesday, July 15
Place: Jonas Šliūpas Museum, Vytauto street. no 23a, Palanga
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 10:00 P.M. on Friday, June 26, and concludes at 11:31 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:42 P.M. and completed before sunset at 10:00 P.M. Monday, June 29, is the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul in the Orthodox, Catholic and Anglican Churches this year. July 1 is Canada Day.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 9:59 P.M. on Friday, June 19, and concludes at 11:32 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:41 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:59 P.M. Celebrations of the summer solstice or Midsummer’s Eve, the longest day of the year, take place around the world starting Friday, but the Lithuanian state holiday called Švento Jono diena, or St. John’s Day, is on Wednesday, June 24, with solstice celebrations taking place the evening before, called Joninės.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 9:55 P.M. on Friday, June 12, and concludes at 11:27 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:37 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:55 P.M. Sunday, June 14, is Flag Day in the United States and Freedom Day in Malawi.
Lietūkis Garage Commemoration
The Kaunas Jewish Community is inviting the public to mark the 85th anniversary of the Lietūkis Garage massacre on Monday, June 29. The ceremony will take place at the commemoration to victims at Miško street no. 3 in Kaunas at 4:00 P.M., followed by a concert in the Great Hall at Vytautas Magnus University, Gimnazijos street no. 7, Kaunas, at 6:00 P.M.
Solomon: King and Wise Man
Natalja Cheifec continues her lecture series and discussion club Thursday at 6:00 P.M. with a presentation on King Solomon, both on his monarchy considered a time of peace and plenty, and on his renowned wisdom. To receive zoom credentials and participate, click here.
Jewish Life in the Baltic Countries, 1917-1945
Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas in cooperation with the US Holocaust Museum, the Sugijara House Museum in Kaunas and the Ninth Fort Museum in Kaunas is holding a conference called “Jewish Life in the Baltic Countries, 1917-1945: from June 9 to June 11. The conference marks the 85th anniversary of the beginning of the Holocaust in the Baltic states with presentations on Jewish life including art, music, literature, education, languages, religion, government, land and nature, emigration, resistance, the rescue of Jews and commemoration. The Kapela Kotra trio will perform Litvak music and documentary films by Saulius Beržinis will be screened.
The conference will be held in the Senate Hall at Vytautas Magnus at Donelaičio street no. 28 in Kaunas. The program begins at 9:00 A.M. on Tuesday, June 9. It begins at 11:00 A.M. on June 10 and at 9:30 A.M. on June 11.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 9:49 P.M. on Friday, June 5, and concludes at 11:18 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:31 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:49 P.M. Saturday, June 6, is D-Day in the United States. Sunday is Father’s Day in Lithuania and Curaçao.
Evening of Entertainment in Šiauliai
The Šiauliai District Jewish Community is pleased to present a neighborhood evening of entertainment called “The Story of One Building from Memory and Live.” The story circles around the building at the address Višinskio street no. 24, told by historian and guide Alfonsas Zaleskis. Next door over you’ll have the chance to take in a new exhibit at the From Šiauliai Studio. Šiauliai State Drama Theater actor Juozas Bindokas is to recite poetry and students from the Sondeckis Art Academy will perform music. Reporter Jūratė Sobutienė will talk about interesting books over tea and coffee.
Time: 5:30 P.M., Tuesday, June 9
Place: Jewish House, Višinskio street no. 24, Šiauliai