anti-Semitism – Page 24 – Lithuanian Jewish Community

Discussion on Jewish Contributions to Lithuanian Statehood

Arkadijus Vinokuras will moderate a discussion on Jewish contributions to Lithuanian statehood from 1918 to 1940 and from 1988 to 2022 as part of the #ŽydiškiPašnekesiai series of talks at the Bagel Shop Café in the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius at 5:00 P.M. on January 12. This is the eve of January 13, an important date in modern Lithuania’s history, the morning on which Soviet tanks attacked and killed citizens defending the Vilnius television tower in 1991. Participants are to include father of Lithuanian independence Vytautas Landsbergis, Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky and Lithuanian MP and signatory to the 1990 Independence Act Emanuelis Zingeris, among others.

Musical accompaniment is to be provided by Vytas Mikeliūnas on violin and Darius Mažintas on piano performing Lithuanian and Jewish songs. The discussion will be held in Lithuanian. Those wishing to attend may come in person or watch the live-feed on the LJC facebook page.

2022-01-10

Emmanuel Levinas’s Son Cries Foul over Use of Father’s Name

Valdemaras Šukšta, LRT.lt

Michael Levinas, the son of Litvak French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, isn’t happy a center was named after his father in Kaunas. He said his objections because of the Holocaust weren’t taken into consideration. The Levinas Center is part of the Lithuanian Health Sciences University who claim Levinas’s daughter and grandson liked the idea.

Michael Levinas explained his position on the internet page of the French newspaper Le Figaro in late December. His main objection was the anti-Semitism and crimes against humanity aimed at Jews in the Holocaust in Lithuania. He pointed out the center is located near the apartment where his father lived, and where his father’s family was abducted and taken to the Ninth Fort where they were subjected to the depredations of the Nazis and Lithuanians.

The younger Levinas recalled he had received a letter from then-rector of the Lithuanian Health Sciences University Remigijus Žaliūnas in 2019 in which Žaliūnas is alleged to have said his wishes would not be taken into consideration and there would be no further discussion of the matter. Levinas said his father repeated vowed never to visit Lithuania again and not to have anything to do with the country.

2022-01-102022-01-21

A Look at the Recent Lithuanian Press on the Holocaust

Geoff Vasil

In December the Lithuanian news outlet 15min.lt treated its readers to the strange spectacle of a Lithuanian defense against American and Allied accusations of the collective guilt of average Germans in the crime of genocide against the Jewish people.

“‘Nonetheless, too many people tried not to see what was happening.’ German president Richard von Weizsäcker said these words on May 8, 1985, at a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II.

“…The Belarussian opposition website zerkalo.io tells how Germans suffered de-Nazification and tried to come to terms with the past. ‘This town is guilty!’ Many have heard of the process known as de-Nazification. The Allies who won World War II (USA, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union) began the process of de-Nazification.”

2021-12-202021-12-20

LJC Rejects Communist China’s Statements on Lithuanian Ethnic Minorities

The Lithuanian Jewish Community looks on in surprise and with concern at statements issuing from the press secretary of the Communist Chinese Foriegn Ministry claiming Jews and other ethnic minority communities in Lithuania are suffering “serious discrimination” and pressure, the LJC said in a press release.

Although there is public and free dialogue between the LJC and Lithuanian government institutions concerning commemoration of the past and other painful chapters of history regarding the Holocaust, we vigorously reject any and all accusations Jews are experiencing discrimination in Lithuania today.

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky said: “Lithuania is a democratic country which respects its Jewish citizens and safeguards the rights of all its citizens. While we sometimes have differing opinions regarding heritage and property destroyed during World War II by the Nazis and their Lithuanian collaborators, or regarding unreturned property, we are nonetheless and active and free part of Lithuanian society. In our country we freely express our views, and we support open and public dialogue with institutions and other groups of society. It is absolutely unacceptable attempting to draw our small community into a solution of bilateral and international disagreements through mendacity and manipulation.”

2021-12-052022-08-09

Vilnius Ghetto Diary Donated to Schools More than a Book

The Lithuanian Jewish Community has donated a thousand copies of Yitzhak Rudashevski’s Vilnius Ghetto Diary. [Several days ago] the Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Athletics hosted a ceremony for the symbolic hand-over with education and athletics minister Jurgita Šiugždinienė, Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky, former culture minister Kindaugas Kvietkauskas, who translated the book from Yiddish to Lithuanian, and book designer Sigutė Chlebinskaitė participating.

It’s symbolic this is happening in the run-up to Rudashevski’s birthday on December 10, which will be a good opportunity for teachers and students to talk about him and his diary. The book has been included in the Lithuanian language and literature curriculum and Rudashevski is also mentioned in the history curriculum now undergoing revision.

“The simplest matter in embarking upon the path of Holocaust education is literature. It often facilitates better understanding of some of the matters involved than history textbooks can. Anne Frank’s diary is read around the world and is popular, and here in Lithuania we have a similar diary written by an adolescent. My assignment is to donate this book to schools, and it is the job of the education system to say, and there a million Yitzhak Rudashevskis,” Faina Kukliansky said.

2021-11-17

LJC Donates 1,000 Rudashevski Diaries to Lithuanian Schools

The Lithuanian Jewish Community has delivered 1,000 copies of Yitzhak Rudashevski’s “Vilnius Ghetto Diary” in Lithuanian translation to the Lithuanian National Education Agency for distribution to almost all primary school libraries across the country.

At the hand-over ceremony several days ago, LJC chairwoman Faina Kukliansky said the gift will contribute to Holocaust education in Lithuania and that Rudashevski’s diary provides a personal perspective which children are able to grasp more easily. Rudashevski wrote the diary as a teenager from Vilnius. She presented one copy of the book personally as a symbolic gift to Lithuania’s education and athletics minister Jurgita Šiugždinienė on the occasion.

“While we provide the book to the schools, it’s important to remember there were thousands of Rudashevskis,” chairwoman Kukliansky said.

2021-11-16

European Jewish Congress Holds First Sit-Down since Pandemic in Vienna

The European Jewish Congress held their firs in-person meeting since the outbreak of the corona virus in Vienna on November 10. Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky attended.

The meeting touched on current problems of concern to European Jewish communities.

On November 9 members of the executive board attended a commemoration of the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht at the Holocaust memorial Judenplatz in Vienna. The same day EJC president Moshe Kantor presented a comprehensive plan to defeat anti-Semitism.

2021-11-122021-11-12

Kristallnacht in Königsberg and Lithuania Minor

The following was sent from the Lithuanian consulate in Tilsit, aka Tilžė in Lithuanian, in East Prussia to the Political Department of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry on November 10, 1938. The second page is a telegram from Königsberg to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry dated November 12, 1938.

2021-11-11

Austria Commemorates Kristallnacht

In the night between November 9 and 10, 1938, Nazi paramilitary brownshirts and German citizens went on a staged rampage destroying Jewish stores, homes and synagogues and killing Jews. At that time Austria had been annexed by the Third Reich. Today, on November 9, 2021, the president of Austria, members of the European Commission and EJC representatives gathered to commemorate the dead in Vienna.

On Thursday the Austrian capital will present two projects to mark the 80th anniversary of the violent attacks against Jewish homes, companies and houses of prayer. Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, is considered a milestone on Hitler’s path towards the total extermination of European Jewry. The names of 68 Jews murdered during the bloodletting will be projected every evening of the week at 7:38 P.M. local time till dawn every twelve minutes on the front of the building housing the Uniqa insurance agency in the center of Vienna.

“We want to preserve the memory of every person murdered by the Nazis,” Austrian Resistance Archive (DOW) director Gerhard Baugmartner said. The Tower of Names will likely be seen by tens of thousands of people.

2021-11-092021-11-15

Joe Slovo Remembered

by Alistair Boddy-Evans

Joe Slovo, the anti-Apartheid activist, was one of the founders of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the ANC, and was general secretary of the South African Communist Party during the 1980s.

Early Life

Joe Slovo was born in a small Lithuanian village, Obelai, on May 23, 1926, to parents Woolf and Ann. When Slovo was nine years old the family moved to Johannesburg in South Africa, primarily to escape the increasing threat of anti-Semitism which gripped the Baltic states. He attended various schools until 1940, including the Jewish Government School, when he achieved Standard 6 (equivalent to American grade 8).

2021-11-082021-11-12

Silvia Foti at the Tolerance Center

Silvia Foti presented her book “The Nazi’s Granddaughter: How I Discovered My Grandfather Was a War Criminal” at the Tolerance Center of the Vilna Gaon Jewish History Museum October 29.

She spoke about her painful experience confronting and coming to terms with the fact her grandfather Jonas Noreika collaborated with the Nazis in Lithuania and committed Holocaust crimes. She said she regretted he is still revered in Lithuania as a hero and an example to follow.

The book will be published in Lithuanian translation by Kitos Knygos publishing house in 2022 under the title “Vėtra lietaus šalyje” [Storm in the Country of Rain].

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky took part in the discussion as well, saying: “I have no doubt at all that, despite the fact the media are ignoring this discussion, after this event we will hear heavy criticism from people who were not here and did not participate. But as I have said many times, Lithuania’s reputation is being tarnished not by those who speak the truth, but by those who hide it.” She said she understood how hard it was for Foti and how much courage and sincerity she had shown in telling the truth about a close family member.

2021-11-032021-12-05

European Days of Jewish Culture Lead to Regular Discussions

The #ŽydiškiPašnekesiai web discussion started as part of the European Days of Jewish Culture this fall, whose motto this year was “Dialogue,” has turned into real-life meetings and discussions. Starting now every second Wednesday of the month will be devoted to discussions of Jewish history and heritage, subtle aspects of history and the issues which came up last fall with political, educational and public figures, held at 5:00 P.M. at the Bagel Shop Café at the Lithuanian Jewish Community, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius. There will also be relevant passages of music performed at these events.

The first such discussion is scheduled for November 10 under the title “Reflections of the Holocaust in Political Rhetoric and the Media.” The discussions will likely be held in Lithuanian. Founder of this new discussion club Arkadijus Vinokuras says: “Today only a small portion of Lithuanian society and especially politicians are able to speak at least respectfully about the tragedy which befell us all in the mid-20th century. Yes, all of us, all of Lithuanian society, without regard to ethnicity. It’s important to realize that ‘speaking respectfully’ about the Holocaust is one thing, and understanding the connections between the Holocaust and institutionalized anti-Semitism is another thing altogether. This kind of dualism arises often in speeches by politicians and is reflected in their actions. There are cases in the media (not just in Lithuania) where there is a lack of reflection and ‘innocent’ opinions are expressed, under the alleged right to ‘an alternative view of the holocaust.’ And no, writing the Holocaust uncapitalized is not an unintentional mistake here.”

2021-11-03

LJC Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky Speaks at Commemoration of Grosse Aktion in Kaunas

Your excellency, the president of the Republic of Lithuania,
Honorable mayor of Kaunas,
Ladies and gentlemen,

The Passion, the path of suffering leads us to this place from Democrat Square, which eighty years ago was witness to a disgusting and horrific crime committed against ten thousand Jewish residents of Kaunas.

Earlier that same year the kommandant and the burgermeister of Kaunas issued order no. 15, point 4 of which evicted all Jews of Kaunas from their homes and lives: “All people of Jewish ethnicity living within the borders of the city of Kaunas without regard to sex or age must remove to the Kaunas suburb Vilijampolė between July 15 and August 15 of this year.”

2021-10-292021-11-25

WJC Thanks Lithuanian PM for Boycotting Durban Process

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2021-10-28

Holocaust Seminars for Teachers

The Lithuanian Jewish Community, the Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights and the secretariat of the International Commission to Assess the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupational Regimes in Lithuania are currently implementing a project to educate Lithuanian teachers about the Holocaust and human rights.

The goal of the project is to improve quality of education by examining different aspects of the Holocaust and human rights and social justice in light of the main historical events of the 20th century. The project is aimed at teaching new teaching methods and talking about opportunities for including them in the education process.

The lessons and seminars are intended to provide a deeper understanding of the effect stereotypes, superstitions and discrimination have on people, different groups and society as a whole. There is also broad discussion with teachers about Jewish life before the Holocaust and after. The sessions include painful and uncomfortable topics and histories which need to be told to the younger generation.

2021-10-272021-11-25

Silvia Foti to Speak at Vilna Gaon Museum

Silvia Foti will present her book “The Nazi’s Granddaughter: How I Discovered My Grandfather Was a War Criminal” at the Vilna Gaon Jewish History Museum located at Naugarduko street no. 10 in Vilnius at 3:00 P.M. on Friday, October 29. She is the granddaughter of Jonas Noreika, the Lithuanian Nazi war criminal whom some in Lithuania consider a hero and an example to follow. Also participating in the discussion will be Lithuanian Restoration of Independence Act signatory and chairman of the International Commission to Assess the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupational Regimes Emanuelis Zingeris, International Commission director Ronaldas Račinskas, Jewish Public Library founder and director Žilvinas Bieliauskas, Lithuanian ambassador Marius Janukonis, Vilnius University professor Jurgita Verbickienė and Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky.

2021-10-272021-10-28

Snapshots from Book Presentation

Some snapshots taken at the presentation of the book “Dešimties stebuklų liudytojai” held at the Lithuanian Jewish Community on October 19.

2021-10-20

POLIN Museum and the Polish Memory Wars

At 4:00 P.M. on October 15 the Lost Shtetl project and Vilnius University will continue the series of discussions called “Public Conversations about History.” During these discussions we will raise the issues of historical truth, memory wars and the motivations behind choosing to serve one ideology or another.

This time the topic is “The POLIN Museum and Poland’s Memory Wars.” We will engage historian and former POLIN director Dariusz Stola in conversation.

POLIN, the Polish museum of Jewish history, opened in 2014 and has had millions of visitors since then. The museum successfully addresses the complex past of Poles and Jews. But when POLIN demonstrated an exhibit about the anti-Zionist campaign of 1968 and expressed opposition to Poland’s new law on Holocaust complicity, right-wing nationalists and politicians in the ruling party attacked the museum.

Dariusz Stola will talk about the museum’s achievements and about how everything changed when the culture wars began dividing the country. In the discussion we’ll talk about how national commemoration policy rejects a critical judgment of the past as a “shaming methodology.” We will reflect on how these factors affect us.

Moderators: Sergejus Kanovičius and Paulius Gritėnas

The discussion will take place in English in the Theater Hall of Vilnius University. Certificate of vaccination or equivalent required for entry.

More information available here.

2021-10-142021-10-18

Lithuanian Pledges Made at Malmö Forum

Statement by Lithuania at the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Anti-Semitism

Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Anti-Semitism
October, 12-13, 2021

Pledges by Lithuania for 2021-2025

The Lithuanian government is engaged in a number of initiatives on Holocaust remembrance and education, which are to be implemented within a 5-year perspective. The most significant of them include opening new museum spaces and updating existing school curricula incorporating modern teaching recommendations on the Holocaust. This is an important contribution to raising awareness and educating society not only about the Holocaust but also the ages rich history of Jews in Lithuania. It was extensively presented during the year 2020, which was officially dedicated to the Vilna Gaon and saw a significant increase of interest in Jewish life, history and heritage in Lithuania.

2021-10-14

Lithuanian President Says Country Ready to Implement EU Strategy for Fighting Anti-Semitism

Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda at the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Battling Anti-Semitism Thursday called for educating young people and resisting hate-speech and attempts to falsify history.

He said the great tragedy of the Jews of Lithuania touched almost every city and town and left a void. He said while it’s not possible to fill that void, it is necessary to insure the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten.

“We have to make sure the future generations remember and think about what happened. There is no other way to guarantee the horrific events of the past never happen again. Our pledges today must become specific actions aimed at the young generation and all of society,” he said.

Presenting Lithuania’s pledges for Holocaust remembrance and fighting anti-Semitism, the president stressed the importance of educating society, strong academic research and the preservation of Lithuanian Jewish heritage. The Vilna Gaon Jewish History Museum being expanded for this purpose will help better reveal the rich history of the Jews of Lithuania, he said.

2021-10-14