The Šiauliai Jewish Community will mark the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust at 6:00 P.M. on January 27 with a reading event called “Prayer to Myself” based on texts by the poet Abraham Sutzkever at the Šiauliai District Jewish Community at Vileišio street no. 24 in Šiauliai.
The Klaipėda Jewish Community’s Shatil Theater is to perform a play called “Man baisus pasaulis, kuriame nėra tavęs” [A World without You Frightens Me] on Sunday, January 26, to mark the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust on January 27.
The play is about a young Jewish woman called Mirka who escapes a train transport to a death camp and her decision to leaver her new-born son with a female villager who had saved her. The play is in Russian and is based on the original work by Asia Kotliar.
UNESCO declared the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust on January 27 in 2005. January 27 is the day in 1945 when the Red Army liberated Auschwitz.
The play starts at 6:30 P.M. on January 26 at the Palace of Fishermen at the Culture Center in Klaipėda.
Monday marks the 90th anniversary of Tsemakh Shabad, the renowned doctor from Vilnius. Besides being a medical doctor, Shabad was a philanthropist and served on the Vilnius city council and in the Polish Senate. He was a founding member of the YIVO. Legendary during his own lifetime, Shabad was immortalized in literature as Dr. Aybolit in the work of the same name by the extremely popular Russian-language children’s author Korney Chukovsky. Dr. Aybolit was the main character in three Soviet films and spawned a Soviet cartoon series as well. Janina Valančiūtė from the Lithuanian Library of Medicine wrote a study of the man in Lithuanian several years ago, available below.
Irena Giedraitienė celebrated a milestone birthday Tuesday. An engineer by profession, she is also an accomplished photographer with many exhibits under her belt. The LJC and the Union of Former Ghetto and Concentration Camp victims wish her continuing good health, strength of spirit, love and quality time spent with friends and loved ones. We wish her continued success in carrying out the goals she has set for herself. Happy birthday, Irena. Mazl tov. Bis 120!
Natalja Cheifetz’s discussion club will discuss the greenest of Jewish holidays, Tu b’Shvat, at their next meeting via zoom at 5:30 P.M. on Thursday, January 16. Sometimes described as Jewish Arbor Day, the 15th day of the month of Shvat falls on February 13 this year. Everyone is invited to attend. To gain zoom credentials and indicate topics of interest for discussion, click here.
Jewish tradition expert and educator Natalja Cheifec’s Shalom discussion club is starting the new year with a zoom meeting at 5:30 P.M. on January 9. To receive log-on credentials click here. Please indicate your topics of interest on the registration page. Everyone is welcome.
Mina Levitan-Babenskienė died Sunday at the age of 92. She was a member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. She was known as one of Lithuania’s best tapestry makers and her works were demonstrated at numerous exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad over many decades. Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky and the entire Community extend our deepest condolences to her son Edmondas and her many friends and family.
Everyone is invited to attenda 3-D light show, accompanied by music and traditional Hanukkah treats and warm tea. Boris Kizner and the Faylerkh ensemble will perform.
Time: 6:30 P.M., Monday, December 30
Place: Outside the Lithuanian Jewish Community, Vilnius
Hanukkah starts today, December 25. Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky sends her holiday greetings to everyone and wishes you light in your life, love in your family and friendship in your surroundings.
Happy holidays! Hag Hanukkah sameakh!
by Grant Gochin
The government of Lithuania’s threats of criminal charges against me remain open. These threats were instigated as an intimidation tactic to silence me. My supposed crime was investigating the truth about who perpetrated the Holocaust in Lithuania.
I began my efforts towards exposing the truth about the Holocaust in Lithuania in the early 2000s. I was perplexed by the apparent acquiescence of some major Jewish organizations to the rampant Holocaust frauds committed by the government of Lithuania. My repeated outreach made me realize that if I did not address the issues myself, they would be ignored. Over the course of the past 15 years, this revelation has repeatedly proven itself to be accurate.
Approximately thirty legal actions I launched against Lithuania displayed how resolutely the Lithuanian government coalesced to invert Holocaust truth, while continuing their intimidation tactics against history researchers and activists. The Lithuanian courts took instruction from members of the government to deny legal review of governmental Holocaust fraud. Historical researchers such as Evaldas Balčiūnas and Andrius Kulikauskas were insulted, intimidated and threatened by the Lithuanian government simply for conducting research on inconvenient subjects and exposing the truth.
There was an attempt to bribe documentarian Michael Kretzmer to create a falsified narrative. Their conduct revealed to Kretzmer the country’s Holocaust inversions. His response was to make the documentary J’Accuse! which revealed to the world the full ghastly truth about Lithuania’s Holocaust frauds.
Eduard Kuznetsov has died. He was born in 1939. He was a prominent Soviet-era dissident and former Prisoner of Zion who endured imprisonment for anti-Soviet activities. He died Sunday at the age of 85.
Born to a Jewish father and a Russian mother, Kuznetsov established himself as a journalist, writer and editor before his activism led to his first arrest by Soviet authorities in 1961. He served seven years in prison for publicly reading protest poetry and anti-regime literature in Moscow’s central square.
In June of 1970 after being denied permission to leave the country, Kuznetsov joined fellow activist Mark Dymshits in a bold attempt to hijack an empty aircraft bound for Israel. The escape plan failed and both men were sentenced to death. Their sentences were later commuted to 15-year prison terms following intense international pressure, while Kuznetsov’s wife received a 10-year sentence.
Kuznetsov finally gained his freedom in 1979 through a US-negotiated prisoner exchange that released him and four other dissidents. He subsequently immigrated to Israel.
His daughter Anat Zalmanson-Kuznetsov shared an emotional tribute on Facebook: “At 1:00 A.M., Eduard Kuznetsov, the man, the legend and my father, passed away. I can’t write these words without breaking into tears.”
She recounted a meaningful moment from 2018 when they shared the stage, where he received recognition for his contributions to Russian-language journalism in Israel. “I knew this was a defining moment in my relationship with my father, one I would return to again and again throughout my life,” she wrote. Despite his reluctance to accept the honor, claiming, “I don’t deserve it. I haven’t been involved in journalism for many years,” she insisted on his worthiness.
School was target of previous overnight shootings in October and May. Hate crime unit investigating shots fired at Jewish elementary school, 3rd this year.
Toronto police are investigating another incident of gunshots fired outside a Jewish girls elementary school in North York. Bais Chaya Mushka Girls Elementary School was the target of two previous overnight shootings in October and May.
Toronto police are investigating after a Jewish girls elementary school in North York was shot at for the third time this year.
The most recent shooting at the Bais Chaya Mushka Girls Elementary School happened shortly after 2:30 A.M. Friday, according to superintendent Paul MacIntyre.
By invitation of the Goodwill Foundation and the Lithuanian Jewish Community, world-renowned Litvak architect Massimiliano Fuksas paid a visit to Vilnius this week.
The author of extraordinary projects around the world, Italian Litvak Fuksas and Studio Fuksas director Giovanni Podesta met with the co-chairpeople of the Goodwill Foundation–Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky and American Jewish Committee International Jewish Affairs Department director Rabbi Andrew Baker–as well as GWF director Indrė Rutkauskaitė and toured Jewish Vilna, met members of the GWF board of directors, spoke with Israeli Antiquities Authority architect Jon Seligman, met the architects Daina and James Ferguson and also met with Lithuanian ambassador to Italy Dalia Kreivienė and Italian embassy to Lithuania chargé d’affaires Alice Barberis.
The co-chairpeople of the Goodwill Foundation–Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky and American Jewish Committee International Jewish Affairs Department director Rabbi Andrew Baker–have met with the new speaker of the Lithuanian parliament and former prime minister Saulius Skvernelis.
They discussed the Middle East and the rising tide of anti-Semitic incidents in Europe. Speaker Skvernelis affirmed Lithuania is a safe country for Jews.
“The fight against anti-Semitism must be a constant on the political agenda. Everyone knows my views of the Holocaust and anti-Semitism from the time when I was prime minister, and my views haven’t changed even a little. We will not tolerate expressions of anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial or disrespect towards Holocaust victims. I believe we as a country under the rule of law will judge anti-Semitic expressions as a legal matter, and our newly-formed ruling coalition will be a reliable and trustworthy partner in that,” Skvernelis said during their meeting.
The Progressive Judaism association Bnei Maskilim invites you to attend the lighting of the third Hanukkah light while greeting the Sabbath with psalms and blessings, followed by holiday foods and kiddush. The ceremony will take place on third floor of the Lithuanian Jewish Community followed by kiddush and treats at the Bagel Shop Café at street level.
The cost is 20 euros for adults and 10 euros for children from 3 years of age. Registration is required by sending an email to viljamas@lzb.lt.
Time: 4:00 P.M., Friday, December 27
Place: Lithuanian Jewish Community, Bagel Shop Café, Vilnius
Dear parents and children and young adults in the Dubi, Ilan and Knafaim Clubs,
The Lithuanian Jewish Community invites you to a holiday celebration called Hannukah Is Here! The event includes:
• Havadala ceremony
• Fire show “Lords of the Flame”
• Performance by magician with bewitching tricks and a good dose of fun
• Traditional Hanukkah foods
• Gifts
Please note: registration is only open till 2:00 P.M., December 20. To register, send an email to levickajasimona@gmail.com with the names of all attendees including parents and children plus their ages. If your plans change and you cannot attend, please send an email indicating that as well. Please be on time, the doors close at 4:15 P.M. For more information, write or call (+370) 678 81514.
Time: 4:00 P.M., Saturday, December 21
Place: Bagel Shop Café, Pylimo street no. 4, Vilnius
Natalja Cheifec continues her series of discussions with “The Miracle of Hanukkah” which will address:
• The holiday of Hanukkah as a conservator of tradition;
• What the Most High does during Hanukkah;
• Why Jews observe the burning of candles during Hanukkah;
• What the doughnuts are about and what Hanukkah geld means.
It’s happening this Thursday, December 19, at 5:30 P.M. via zoom.
To register and receive zoom credentials, click here. Remember to includes which topics interest you for possible future discussion while registering.
The Lithuanian Jewish Community has a special Hanukkah events planned for the Dubi Club and Ilan Club. Dubi is for children aged 4 to 6 and Ilan for those 7 to 11.
At 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, December 14, we’ll make and eat delicious sufganiyot doughnuts.
Please note the clubs on these dates will not be meeting at the LJC but at the HEY HEY Kaip Skaniai space located at Odminių street no. 3 in Vilnius.
Space is limited, so make a reservation by sending an email to levickajasimona@gmail.com. Please call +370 678 81514 for more information.
The first evening of Hanukkah falls on December 25 this year.
Delegations and representatives of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance met in congress in London from December 2 to 5 to discuss current events in Holocaust and Roma genocide commemoration, education and combating anti-Semitism. Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky was part of Lithuania’s legation.
The plenary session discussed rising anti-Semitism in Europe and conflicts in the Middle East.
Eric Pickles who serves as chairman of IHRA said Jews are more afraid now than ever before, making fighting hatred and preserving memory more important than ever as well.
Lithuanian ambassador for special assignments Arvydas Daunoravičius led the Lithuanian legation. Other members of Lithuania’s team were chosen by the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, Education Ministry, Ethnic Minorities Department, the International Commission for the Assessment of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupational Regimes in Lithuania and the Vilna Gaon Jewish History Museum. Kukliansky represented the Lithuanian Jewish Community among the Lithuanian delegates.
Representatives from the EJC and UNESCO have been meeting for several days in Paris to discuss better ways of fighting anti-Semitism through public education. Faina Kukliansky represented the Lithuanian Jewish Community at those talks.