Condolences

Condolences

We are deeply saddened to report the death of Ida Vileikienė, a long-time member of the Šiauliai Jewish Community. The Šiauliai Jewish Community sends our deepest condolences to her husband Petras, daughter Svajonė and grandson Donatas.

Šiauliai Jewish Community

 

Statement by Lithuanian Jewish Community, All 32 Constituent Members, about the War in Israel and the Situation in Lithuania

Statement by Lithuanian Jewish Community, All 32 Constituent Members, about the War in Israel and the Situation in Lithuania

When terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 the world witnessed acts of incomprehensible brutality where women, children, the disabled and the elderly were taken hostage and murdered, taken hostage and used as human shields, and publicly tortured and executed.

We say with no reservations at all that Israel is a sovereign state. No one has the right to attack Israel, to invade Israel’s territory and to murder the people of Israel. There can be no justification nor mercy of any kind for the murderers.

Today, 50 years later, the words of beloved Israeli prime minister Golda Meir sound prophetic: we had a secret weapon in the war: there was no alternative. Again Israel is fighting for survival.

This brutal war is especially painful to the members of the Lithuanian Jewish Community, there is no Jewish family in Lithuania whose members haven’t been touched by these terrific events. Our close relatives are fighting on the front lines, healing the wounded, rescuing people buried in rubble, helping those who are stuck and who could die. We are extremely proud of them.

Our thoughts and hearts are with our parents, brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren and friends who remain in Israel. With every person fighting for our historical homeland. With everyone who is experiencing the horror and loss.

Unfortunately it isn’t just our relatives in Israel who have found themselves in danger, but also in Lithuania. In the country where we were born, grew up and work, the country which we love, whose citizens we are, anti-Semitism is spreading, not just on the social media and at protests, but from the podium at the Lithuanian parliament, and even children are being attacked: they are being threatened and hurt on purpose. Yesterday a Bolt taxi driver of dark complexion who didn’t speak Lithuanian asked a minor, a child, what his ethnicity was, and when he found out his passenger was Jewish, he refused to take him to school. This is certainly not the only and not the worst incident, but it’s very illustrative of the situation.

These kinds of incidents make our community feel unsafe, but we are concentrated and unified, we are unified both by our thousands of years of history, but also by the future.

We are inn close cooperation with the Lithuanian Police Department and other security structures. Ee are in continual contact with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Lithuanian embassy to Israel and international Jewish organizations. We are exchanging information and sharing data.

Despite the shock of it all, we are striving to help Lithuanian citizens stranded in Israel as well, and to help Israeli citizens in Lithuania to fly home. We are providing information, consulting, helping to provide solutions to the unexpected problems which have come up all at once.

We thank Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda, speaker of parliament Viktorija Čmilyte-Nielsen and prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė for the firm support for Israel and the Lithuanian Jewish Community they have expressed. We are very encouraged Lithuania has condemned unequivocally the actions of the terrorists and has stood for the right and just side.

We are extraordinarily grateful to the people of Lithuania as well who have sent us their messages of condolence and support and who are praying for our brothers and sisters taken hostage by the terrorists. At the same time we caution people should assess critically the information they receive and only share news from official Israeli institutions and agencies.

Am Yisral khai. The people of Israel live.

Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman
Lithuanian Jewish Community

Condolences

We are sad to report the death of long-time member of the Švenčionys Jewish Community and teacher Galina Kozlova. She was born in 1938. The Švenčionys Jewish Community, its chairman Moishe Shapiro and the entire Lithuanian Jewish Community extend our condolences to her sons Aleksei and Boris, her grandchildren and her many friends and relatives.

Condolences

Martynas Kuzmickas, an Israeli soldier, died Saturday during Hamas’s attack on Israel. He was born in Lithuania and moved to Israel in 1995 at the age of 17. Our deepest condolences to his sister Evelina and his many friends and family members.

Condolences

Dolores Kaganovič has died unexpectedly. A long-time Community member, she volunteered at Seniors Club events for two decades and was always the life of the party, the exemplar of style and the eidolon of energy and friendship. Faina Kukliansky and the entire Lithuanian Jewish Community extend our condolences to her daughter Elen, son Aleksandras and her many friends and family members. Her burial service will take place today, Friday, September 29, at 3:00 P.M. at the Jewish cemetery on Sudervės road in Vilnius.

Condolences

Riva Špiz passed away Tuesday. She was born in 1924. A long-time member of the Community, she was also a combat veteran and beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. The entire Community mourns her passing and extend their condolences to her daughter Ela and her husband, to her grandson Edvinas and to all who knew and loved her. The funeral is scheduled for 5:00 P.M. today, Wednesday, at the Jewish cemetery on Sudervės road in Vilnius.

Condolences

Ela Matiuchina passed away September 6. She was born in 1937. We extend our deepest condolences to her widower Valentinas, daughter Irina and all who knew and loved her.

Condolences

Larisa Kalinkina, a member of the Kaunas Jewish Community, passed away September 4. She was born in 1938. Our deepest condolences go to her son, friends and all who knew and loved her.

Condolences

Borisas Furmanskis passed away Sunday, August 27. He was born in 1955. Our deepest condolences to his widow, daughter and all his friends and relatives.

Condolences

Isaak Markus has passed away. He was born in 1938 and was a long-time member of the Community and a Saul Kagan Social Welfare Center client. Our deepest condolences to his widow Basia, son Leonid, daughter Rimona and his many friends and family members.

Condolences

Tamara Jagėlienė passed away on August 16. She was born in 1955 and was a member of the Kaunas Jewish Community. We extend our deepest condolences to her son and other family members.

Condolences

Adasa Skliutauskaitė has died. She was born in Kaunas on May 5, 1931. Skliutauskaitė, a Litvak, was an accomplished illustrator of children’s books and magazines. She also painted and made lithographs. Our deepest condolences to her children, relatives, friends and those who knew her through her work.

Condolences

We are sad to report Romanas Švarcas died today, August 10. He was born in 1937. He was a Lithuanian Jewish Community member of long standing and a member of the Abi Men zet Zich Seniors Club. We extend our deepest condolences to his widow Danutė and daughter Lina.

Last farewells can be made between 5:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. today, August 10, and between 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. tomorrow, August 11, at the Nutrūkusi Styga funeral home located at (Ąžuolyno street no. 10 in Vilnius. He will be buried at 2:30 P.M. at the Jewish cemetery located at Sudervės road no. 28 in Vilnius on August 11.

Condolences

Isaakas Markusas passed away August 8. He was born in 1938. He was a long-time member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky and the entire Community extend our condolences to his widow Basia, son Leonidas and daughter Rimona.

Condolences

Aleksandras Rutenbergas has passed away. He was an active member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community’s board of directors and dedicated his life to preserving the Litvak legacy. Our deepest condolences to his son, family members and many friends. Those wishing to say farewell may attend the wake at the Nutrūkusi styga funeral home at Ąžuolyno street no. 10 in Vilnius from 4:30 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Thursday, July 27. The burial will take place at 4:00 P.M. on July 28 at the Jewish cemetery on Sudervės road in Vilnius.

Condolences

Jefimas Libmanas died on July 25. He was a member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community for many years and a client of our Social Center. He was born in 1935. Our deepest condolences to his widow Tatjana as we grieve along with his many friends and family members.

Condolences

Mendelis Askotskis passed away on July 24. He was born in 1928. He was a Community member of long standing and a client of the Community’s Saul Kagan Welfare Center. We extend our deepest condolences to his daughter Mira and all his many friends and family.

Condolences

Abramas Goldfarbas, a client of the Lithuanian Jewish Community’s Saul Kagan Social Center, passed away July 15. He was born in 1934. Our deepest condolences to his widow, family members and friends.

Condolences

Natalija Rozman passed away June 27. She was born in 1950. Our deepest condolences to her son, loved ones and many friends.

Condolences

Dovydas Leibzonas passed away Monday, June 5, at the age of 88. He was born in 1936. He was a member of the Union of Former Ghetto and Concentration Camp Prisoners and a Lithuanian Jewish Community Social Center client. Our deepest condolences to family members and friends.