Today is Simchat Torah.
Jäger Report Documentary in Palanga
The Palanga Jewish Community and Lithuania’s Onternational Commission for Assessing the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Ocuppational Regimes will screen a documentary film called “Following the Jäger Repor” at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, October 28 at the Kurhaus Theater, Grafų Tiškevičių alley no. 1, Palanga. The documentary will be followed by a discussion with historian Stanislovas Stasiulis. TYhe film was directed by Boris Maftsir, and Rony Katzenelson ftom Israel.
The Jäger Report is a report Wehrmacht officer Karl Jäger made for his superiors in Berlin detailing the number, location and gender of Jewish mass murder victims in the early months of the Holocaust in Lithuania, the fall of 1941 when almost all Lithuanian Jews were murdered by Lithuanians and Germans. In some cases affitional information was provided, e.g., the entry for July 4, 1941, for Kaunas noted the murder of two American citizens.
Hamas Fails to Release Bodies
Hamas has delivered the remains of four hostages murdered in captivity instead of the 28 sets of human remains called for within 72 hours of the ceasefire coming into effect. Media analysts say while Hamas may be unable to locate all remains this number is below the amount which could’ve been expected, and Hamas is using the dead bodies as a bargaining chip.
Israeli health officials say some of the 20 men released were tortured over their two years of captivity.
Factions opposed to Hamas inside Gaza are engaged in firefights with the terrorist organization, according to media reports. Hamas claims it still has 7,000 fighters who have reemerged from hiding after the ceasefire which went into effect four days ago.
Natalja Cheifec on Golda Meir
The internet discussion club continues with a look at the biographical drama Golda about late Israeli prime minister Golda Meir and what she did during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. To insure a more fruitful discussion, try to watch the film before the meeting. To get zoom credentials. click here.
Time: 6:00 P.M., Thursday, October 16
Place: internet
Sukkot in Šiauliai
Last Thursday members of the Šiauliai District Jewish Community celebrated Sykkot with a sukka in the courtyard where members dwelt, handled the four species, prayed, shared blessings and ate. The sukka is open for the entirety of Sukkot which ends on Tuesday (or Wednesday, depending on your tradition and inclination). Members and friends are invited to come and dwell.
Daniel Fradkin and Nijolė Beniušytė to Perform
The international duet of Nijolė Dorotėja Beniušytė on harpsichord and violinist from Israel Daniel Fradkin will perform with a chance for the audience to hear a rare instrument, the mysterious viola d‘amore. The program includes works by Handel, J.S. Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Jiří Antonín Benda/
For tickets and more information in Lithuanian, click here.
Time:6:00 P.M., October 23
Place: Samuel Bak Museum, Naugarduko street no. 10, Vilnius
Nechama Lifshitz Song Contest Concert
Contestants will perform in the fifth International Nechama Lifshitz Song Contest at the Lithuanian Jewish Community at 6:00 P.M. on October 28. There will be snacks, coffee and an opportunity to meet the contestants following the concert.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 6:32 P.M. on Friday, October 10, and concludes at 7:23 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 6:14 P.M. and completed before sunset at 6:32 P.M. October 12 is Columbus Day.
Family Sukka and Kiddush at the LJC
Dear members,
We invite members of the Dubi and Ilan Clubs and their parents to come celebrate Sukkot together in the courtyard of the Lithuanian Jewish Community with kiddush blessings inside the booth, aka sukka, erected there. Cantor Daniel Zakhry from Sao Paulo will ;ead the ceremony.
Time: 1:00 P.M., Saturday, October 11
Place: LJC, Vilnius
Natalja Cheifec on Sukkot
Natalja Cheifec continues her internet lecture and discussion club with a lesson on Sukkot this Thursday.
Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles is one of the happier holidays on the Jewish calendar amd a great opportunity to spend time with family, visit others, share food and enjoy life. Natalja will talk about the origin and traditions of Sukkot. She’ll discuss the meaning of “dwelling” in the sukka or makeshift booth during the week of Sukkot and the four species.
To receive zoom credentials and participate, click here.
Time: 6:00 P.M., Thursday, October 9
Place: internet
Sukkot
Sujjot (Ashkenazic Sukkos) begins at 5:13 P.M. at sunset today, Monday, October 6, and ends at sunset 7, 8 or 9 days later, depending on your location and disposition.
The festival of Sukkot–literally meaning booths, tents, tabernacles–is celebrated for seven days in Israel and eight days in the Diaspora, starting on the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. It is one of the three festivals during which Jewish men were required to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem in Temple times.
Lithuanian Makabi’s Maccabiada October 19
The Lithuanian Makabi Athletic Club is holding their annual Maccabiada this October 19 and you’re invited.
Competitions include 3-on-3 basketball with 5 teams competing, volleyball with 6 teams, table tennis in men’s and women’s matches and men’s and women’s badminton. Participation is free. Makabi requests you register before October 15. To gesiter and for more information, call +370 687 83005.
Program:
11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. Badminton and basketball
11:00 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. Table tennis
1:00 P.M. to 2:30 P.M. Volleyball
3:30 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. Lunch at the Crowne Plaza Hotel restaurant
Time: 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Sunday, Ovtober 19
Place: Taurus Sports School, Žygio street no. 46, Vilnius
LJC Statement on Machester Synagogue Attack
The Lithuanian Jewish Community is shocked by the events in Manchester and expresses our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the entire British Jewish community.
“This brital attack again reminds us of the danger which is posed by the ever-deepening hate and anti-Semitism which is taking root in society/ Eighty years ago European Jews experienced how that ends” more than 96% of Lithuanian Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. Evil often begins from lesser things which might seem insignificant at the time–apatjy, averted glamces–so we must be especially vigilant right now to insure history doesn’t repeat itself,” Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky said.
We pray for the victims and wish strength and resolution to everyone battling hate.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 6:59 P.M. on Friday, September 26, and concludes at 7:58 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 6:41 P.M. and completed before sunset at 6:59 P.M. Yom Kippur begins at 6:36 P.M. on Wednesday, October 1, and ends at 7:45 P.M. Thursday, October 2. Sukkot begins at 6:24 P.M. on Monday, October 6.
Join the Lithuanian Jewish Community and Bnei Maskilim for Yom Kippur
The Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Bnei Maskilim progressive Judaism association invite you to come mark Yom Kippur together at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. Cantor Daniel Zekhry from the rabbinical studies program of the Abraham Geiger College will lead the services. Everyone is welcome but registration is required by sending an email to viljamas@lzb.lt.
Schedule:
October 1
6:30 P.M. Kol Nidre
October 2
10:00 A.M. Torah reading
5:00 P.M. Yizkor
5:15 P.M. Neila
6:30 P.M. Shofar
Yom Kippur at the Choral Synagogue
This Wednesday the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius begins observing Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
Prayer services:
October 1
6:30 P.M. Kol Nidre
7:00 P.M. Maariv
October 2
10:00 A.M. Shacharit
12:00 noon Yizkor
12:30 P.M. Musaf
5:45 P.M. Mincha
6:30 P.M. Neila
7:45 P.M. Maariv
Fresh Challa Every Friday
While the café is undergoing reconstruction and will change its name to its address, Pylimo 4, when it reopens, the kitchen is still operating and many have enjoyed its special Sabbath menu. Now the café is offering challa to order for pickup on Fridays. The regular price is 7 euros per loaf, and if you want to donate to the operation, then 10 euros. Your donation will insure an earlier opening of the venue. Orders should be placed by 8:00 P.M. on Thursday each week. Payment and pickups can be done at the café from 4:00 P.M. till 7:00 P.M. on Fridays. To place your order, send an email to gut.shabbos.vilnius@gmail.com. A gut shabes!
Fifth International Nehama Lifshitz Song Contest
For the fifth time now the International Nehama Lifshitz Song Contest will bring together highly talented young performers from around Lithuania and the world. The contest named after the songstress from Lithuania called the Jewish nightingale encourages young perfomers to popularize Jewish song, to discover diverse musical compositions and to spread artistic cooperation internationally.
The competition is open to people from the age of 10 to 35 with performances over four evenings of classical Jewish melodies, works in Hebrew and Yiddish imparting centuries of stories, emotions and culture. This year the organizers are doing something new, with vocal mastery lessons provided by professor Claudia Visca of the Vienna Music and Performance Arts University and voice teacher Sofia Mazar from the Jerusalem Music and Dance Academy.
The public is invited to attend the performances. The Yiddish song contest takes place starting at 3:00 P.M. on October 26 at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. The Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater will host the remaining evenings as well as voice lessons from October 27 to 30. Audience members will be treated to a concert by the finalists as the jury decides on a winner. All performances will be free and open to the public. Stay tuned for more information.
Ravel and Čiurlionis
As part of the on-going Joseph Achron music festival, the piano duet of Justas Sherveniko ir Johan Randvere will perform a musical homage to the composers Mikalojus Čiurlionis and Maurice Ravel on the 150th anniversary of their births at the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius starting at 4:00 P.M. on Sundaym October 5. The program includes works by Čiurlionis, Ravel, Schubert and Mendelssohn.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Commemoration of the Liquidation of the Švenčionys Ghetto
As on every first Sunday in October, people will gather to commemorate those who were incarcerated in the ghetto and murdered during the Holocaust in the Švenčionys region in southwest Lithuania. The gathering takes place at the city park where the ghetto once operated, and at the mass grave in Platumai village in the Švenčionėliai aldermansjip at what is generally called the polygon. You are invited to attend at 11:00 A.M. on Sunday, October 5.
Program:
11:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M. Commemoration of victims at the Menorah statue in the city park;
12:30 P.M. Commemoration at the monument to the victims at the mass murder site in Platumai village.
Moshe Shapiro, chairman
Švenčionys Regional Jewish Community