The Šiauliai Jewish Community gathered Friday to celebrate the Sabbath and Sukkot. Everyone had the opportunity to spend time in the Community’s sukka. On Wednesday the Community plans to mark the final day of Sukkot and on Thursday Simchat Torah, with guests expected from Vilnius.
Hag Sukot sameakh!
Members of the Šiauliai District Jewish Community gathered to celebrate the Jewish new year on October 4 at the Žemaitis restaurant in Šiauliai. The evening began with a blowing of the shofar horn. Chairman Naumas Gleizeris welcomed everyone and wished them a good, healthy and sweet new year. Community member Vadimas Kamrazeris provided music throughout the evening which included dancing. The youngest members of the Community, Sofija Kamrazerytė and Karina Šer, also sang.
Dear reader,
This year we mark Yom Kippur in difficult times when many of our brothers and sisters are suffering from the ongoing, awful war and hatred. Today, on the eve of Yom Kippur, when we will all stand and reflect on the past, I wish everyone, first of all, to find peace, tranquility and courage within.
G’mar chatima tova.
Dear friends,
On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and Repentance, we put aside mundane concerns and reflect on what has happened in our lives.
May our thoughts be heard this day, may our thoughts become pure and our hearts kinder. Good health and strength to everyone, may our mistakes be corrected and our weaknesses overcome. May all continue life’s journey with dignity, sincerity and integrity. Peace and love.
G’mar chatima tova.
Members of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Bnei Maskilim progressive Judaism community were pleased to have US Army chaplain Rabbi Hanoch Fields lead celebrations of the High Holy Days Rosh Hashanah and presently Yom Kippur.
The Panevėžys Jewish Community celebrated Rosh Hashanah last week with music and food, including apples and honey. The prayer was performed before blowing the shofar. Yekaterna Radionova performed Jewish melodies on violin and members of the Community wished one another well in the coming year.
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The Kaunas Jewish Community celebrated Rosh Hashanah with gusto and flair, and with a large number of Community members, friends and musicians.
Participants ate and chatted, and listened to Jewish melodies, which led to dancing. There was a quiz to test knowledge of the holiday, well-wishes for the coming year and prayers for more peace, love and human warmth in the world.
The Šiauliai Jewish Community came together to celebrate Rosh Hashanah Thursday evening. It began with a prayer and blowing the shofar horn, followed by breaking of challa and apples with honey, other dishes, well-wishes for the coming year 5785 and a glass of wine with a hearty “lechaim!”
Dear reader,
Today Jews around the world celebrate Rosh Hashana, the New Year 5785. At this difficult time it is more important than ever to take pride in our identity and to celebrate our traditions. So I wish you to sit down with your families and friends at the table laden with challa and sweets, to share your joy and smiles, but not to forget our brothers and sisters target by rockets in our homeland, nor the 101 hostages still held by Hamas. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
A peaceful and sweet new year. Shana tova u’metuka.
Dear Community members, readers and friends,
May the new year 5785 bring you and your loved ones good fortune and health, happiness and a willingness to share your love with others. May all past and future errors and ill-chosen words be forgiven. May the New Year generously bestow upon all of us good news and good deeds, peace, prosperity and abundance.
Shana tova!
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Here are some snapshots from a very special birthday celebration for Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky last week. A big thank-you to everyone who attended and made this afternoon birthday party a success, including the German embassy, the US embassy, the Polish embassy, the Lithuanian Government, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, the Lithuanian parliament, the Lithuanian Department of Ethnic Minorities, the Vilnius Jerusalem of Lithuania Jewish Community, the Kaunas Jewish Community, the Palanga Jewish Community, the Ukmergė Jewish Community, the Švenčionys Jewish Community, the Klaipėda Jewish Community, the Vilna Gaon Jewish History Museum, Northway Medical Centers, the Vilnius regional administration, Bella Toscana, Lithuanian Makabi, the Prabudimo orkestras, Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium, Cvi Park Israeli street food kiosk and performance space, the Šiauliai Jewish Community and many others too numerous to name.