Greetings – Page 19 – Lithuanian Jewish Community

Happy Birthday to Eugenijus Bunka

We wish Eugenijus Bunka a happy 70th birthday. He created the Litvak Memorial Garden in the Žemaitijan National Park, is a great journalist, ethnographer and public figure.

Bunka was awarded the title of Tolerant Person of the Year for 2019. The award is made annually by the Chiune Sugihara/Diplomats for Life Foundation to Lithuanian citizens who stand up against xenophobia, anti-Semitism, radicalism and expressions of violence in Lithuanian public life by their words and deed.

Eugenijus has long led his father and sculptor Jakov Bunka’s fund, civic initiatives and restoring Jewish memory of Plungė, Žemaitija and Lithuania locally and around the world.

We wish you excellent health and may your life also be illuminated by happiness and joyful moments.

Mazl tov! Bis 120!

2020-12-07

Dr. Moshe Kantor Re-Elected President of the EJC

Dr. Moshe Kantor has been re-elected the president of the European Jewish Congress by representatives of European Jewish communities. A press release from the EJC said there were no election violations and voting was safe and credible in the vote of confidence.

Marie van der Zyl, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, was re-elected head of the EJC’s executive committee.

“I am honored and I feel the support shown by the Jewish leaders and communities across the entire Continent,” Dr. Kantor said. “European Jews are a powerful force in the Jewish world; we have remained in the forefront in fighting anti-Semitism, defending Jewish traditions and reviving Jewish communities and institutions.”

In recent months the EJC under Kantor’s leadership has undertaken new action helping provide support to Jewish communities and institutions, including schools, community centers and other organizations vitally important to European Jews facing the complex challenge of the corona virus epidemic.

2020-11-102020-11-20

Happy Birthday, Libė Britanskina

The Lithuanian Jewish Community sends heartfelt congratulations to Libė Britanskina on her milestone birthday and we wish you a happy birthday, great health and much joy!

Libė is said to the be the only Jew left from Utena and is an active member of the Community and our seniors club.

Mazl tov! May you live to 120!

2020-11-09

2020-10-06

Before Yom Kippur, please forgive me if I unintentionally hurt people. I wasn’t sensitive enough, I can admit that right now. I needed to exert myself to better recognize and understand others, to become more sensitive. “I’m sorry” is the most miraculous phrase which could ever be uttered. It is a bridge between war and peace and is the foundation for the survival of humanity.

Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman,
Lithuanian Jewish Community

2020-09-27

European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas Reaffirms EU Pledge to Jewish Communities on Rosh Hashanah

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2020-09-24

Lithuanian Ministry of Culture Awards Six Creators

The Lithuanian Jewish Community congratulates the six winners of the highest award given by the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture, “Carry Your Light and Believe.” The winners this year were Marijus Jacovskis, Birutė Banevičiūtė, Aldona Elena Puišytė-Grigaliūnienė, Gintaras Grajauskas, Gediminas Gelgotas and Liubomiras Laucevičius.

Culture minister Dr. Mindaugas Kvietkauskas awarded the honors at a ceremony at the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture September 22.

2020-09-232020-10-06

Lithuanian President Sends Rosh Hashanah Greetings

Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda has issued Rosh Hashanah greetings to the Lithuanian Jewish Community and the global Jewish community.

He wished the people of Israel strength, resolution and health in the struggle against the corona virus and its effects, and Jews of Lithuania and the world a beautiful, sweet New Year’s celebration and success in all things. “We live in a time-period filled with challenges, but holidays always remind us of the fundamental values, placing our misfortunes in the background. Today is it is important not to forget the power which shared goodness, support and unity have. I wish you a successful and peaceful 5781,” the Lithuanian president said. He also said it’s significant 2020 was declared the Year of the Vilna Gaon and Litvak History. “Despite the outbreak of the pandemic, we were successful in marking the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Vilna Gaon, in appreciating his influence on the development of Judaism, and in recalling the undeniable contribution the Jewish community has made in promoting Lithuania’s image in the world.

2020-09-22

Lithuanian MPs Send Rosh Hashanah Greetings

Members of Lithuania’s parliament Gediminas Kirkilas and Aušrinė Armonaitė sent Rosh Hashanah greetings to the Lithuanian Jewish Community as the country’s Jewish community marked the beginning of the new year, 5781 on the Jewish calendar.

Former prime minister Gediminas Kirkilas, now deputy speaker of parliament and chairman of the European Affairs Committee there as well as heading his Social Democratic Labor Party, regularly sends greetings to the Community on major holidays and occasions.

Aušrinė Armonaitė was voted in as an MP in 2016 on the Liberal Movement ticket and was a member of the independent faction there. In 2019 she helped found and was voted in as chairwoman of the new Freedom Party. Vilnius mayor Remigijus Šimašius is a deputy chairman in the new party.

2020-09-21

2020-09-18

Rosh Hashanah Greetings from Israeli President Reuven Rivlin

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2020-09-17

Rosh Hashanah Greetings

2020-09-172020-09-17

Congratulations to Kaunas Jewish Community Chairman Gercas Žakas on Unanimous Re-Election

On July 29 the Kaunas Jewish Community held their reporting and elections conference. Despite summer vacations and renewed fears of the corona virus, a large contingent of members of the Kaunas Jewish Community turned out to express their will. Many who weren’t able to come authorized family members or friends to vote for them. Gercas Žakas gave a positive assessment of his activity to date in the post of chairman and was re-elected unanimously with just under 200 votes.

2020-08-122020-08-25

Congratulations to Ruth Reches on Becoming Principal of the Vilnius Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium

The Lithuanian Jewish Community, school students, parents and staff congratulate Ruth Reches on her selection to become the next principal of the Sholem Aleichem school in Vilnius. She had acted as temporary principal following the retirement of Miša Jokubas last year.

The world ORT organization has also sent congratulations to the new principal of their affiliate school.

Ruth has been doing an outstanding job as acting principal and we wish her continued success at the multicultural school which has consistently placed in the top ten best schools in Vilnius and Lithuania.

Ruth Reches recently earned a PhD in clinical psychology at an Israeli university following her master’s work at Vilnius University in the same subject. She has long worked at the Sholem Aleichem school as a Hebrew teacher and psychologist. She earned her teaching certificate in Vilnius as well at the Vilnius Pedagogical University.

2020-07-03

Happy Birthday to Roza Bloch

Dear Roza,

The Lithuanian Jewish Community greets you on your birthday and wishes you great health, happiness, joy, that you remain young at heart and that your future always be bright!

Mazl tov! Bis 120!

§§§

The following text was posted by the Kaunas European Capital for 2022 project’s Memory Bureau internet site:

MEMORY OFFICE: R. BLOCH

Roza Gapanavičiūtė Bloch, a Litvak born in Kaunas in 1930, talks about her family’s experience during the Second World War in Kaunas ghetto, and later – in the Stutthof concentration camp. The Holocaust took almost all her loved ones – mother Anna, father Markus, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins… Roza ran across her brother Boris in the empty Laisvės Alėja in Kaunas, where she returned to after the war.

2020-06-032020-06-04

Chag Shavuot Sameach from the ECJC Board and Team

2020-05-28

Shavuot Begins May 28

Shavuot is the holiday which celebrates the receiving of the Torah. This marks the day the Jewish people received the Law. It is celebrated on the 6th day of Sivan on the Jewish calendar. This is a state holiday in Israel.

Shavuot means “weeks” in Hebrew. It is the seventh week from the second day of Passover. It marks the day when Moses received the Ten Commandments of G_d on Mount Sinai. They were written on two stone slabs. These are known in Hebrew as “Aseret haDvarim” and in Greek as the Decalogue.

2020-05-282020-06-02

Happy Birthday to Viktoras Reizinas

The Lithuanian Jewish Community greets Viktoras Reizinas on his 80th birthday. Happy birthday, Viktoras. We wish you the best of health, much happiness, warmth and love.

Mazl tov. Bis 120!

2020-05-22