Learning

The Religious and Secular Meaning of Hanukkah and Litvak Traditions

Religinės ir pasaulietinės Chanukos šventės prasmės bei litvakų tradicijos

for lzb.lt by Dr. Aušra Pažėraitė, associate professor and lecturer, Religious Studies and Research Center, Vilnius University

“…While the Chabad Hassidim cannot be excluded from the ranks of Lithuanian Jews (their communities in Vilnius go back to the time of the Russian Empire), they do not represent all Lithuanian Jews, and especially not those who consider themselves misnagdim, largely known simply as Litvaks. Perhaps the Vilnius municipality this year could seek for some sort of Solomonic solution which wouldn’t step on the toes of the Litvak community and would take their traditions into account. Or simply point out that the erection of a giant menorah is not tacitly understood as a universal Jewish tradition…”

The holiday of Hanukkah, celebrated for 8 days beginning on Kislev 25, is one of those holidays which the Torah does not demand be celebrated. That’s understandable, since the holiday comes from a time after the Torah was given. The name of the holiday is explained by examining the root, which indicates inauguration, celebration, dedication, establishment, and these actions are connected with the reconsecration of the Temple in Jerusalem. The holiday is begun by lighting a candle or an oil lamp, over the eight days lighting one more flame each day. The Talmud (Shabbat 21b-22a) relates that one school of thought in the first century, Beit Shammai, was of the opinion all eight flames should be lit initially and successively extinguished one by one daily, while Beit Hillel followers believed one flame should be lit the first day, two the second day until all eight were lit, which is the belief which took hold and is followed till today. As Rabba bar bar Hana explains, relying upon what Rabba Johanan said on the issue: “The thinking of Beit Hillel is that we should grow in the light, not shrink” (Shabbat 22a). Light should increase daily. It is the opinion of many authors that something which burns up by itself in a limited time should be burned, and that there be just enough “fuel reserves” that it extinguish itself within 30 minutes after “the onset of night.” Therefore electric light bulbs are inappropriate. Although some allow their use, if there is nothing else available, no special blessing is said upon their lighting.

Read more

Hanukkah Envy

cimen

by Geoff Vasil

There’s a bit of mystery as to what Hanukkah is among non-Jews. I grew up in America and went to an “alternative” grade school in the 1970s, where they attempted to teach us about different cultures. One winter, when I was in the first grade, some nice ladies came and told us the Hanukkah story. I think even then they stressed it was NOT the Jewish Christmas, and they told us the traditional gift for children was a simple orange, which were scarce in Northern Europe and reminded Jews of their true homeland.

That’s the good news about Hanukkah, if you’re worried about what gifts to buy. Hanukkah isn’t a big gift-giving holiday. Children may expect an orange or Hanukkah gelt, foil-wrapped chocolate coins. It’s traditional for children to spin the dreidl on Hanukkah, and foods fried in oil—doughnuts and potato pancakes or latkes—are traditional, for reasons to be explained below.

Of course in Western society, in majority-Christian cultures, Hanukkah must compete in the mind of the child with that grand finale of all holidays, Christmas. Christmas is so pervasive it has been adopted even by the non-Christian Japanese. In the Soviet Union they could never quite get rid of it, despite determined efforts to create a universal Winter Holiday with all sorts of fairytale and cartoon characters (including Disney characters towards the end-times for the USSR). Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu only really met his fate after he outlawed Christmas. Santa Claus seems to have some very powerful friends, and as the saying goes, you can’t fight city hall, in this case, you can’t fight the pull of the North Pole and Santa’s workshop. Of course Jews aren’t fighting, or joining, just maintaining what is called the minor holiday of Hanukkah in parallel with the Christian festival.

Read more

The Four Epochs of Professor Irena Veisaitė: Images, Portraits, Words and Theater

Cultural historian Aurimas Švedas’s book “Irena Veisaitė. Gyvenimas turėtų būti skaidrus” [Irena Veisaitė. Life Should Be Transparent] will be launched at the Vilnius Picture Gallery at 6:00 P.M. on December 15. Historian Saulius Sužiedėlis says the book contains unforgettable images of 20th century Lithuanian history, including the Jewish and Lithuanian interwar period in Kaunas, the ruthless reality of the war and the Holocaust, rescue and rebirth.

veisaite-knygos-virselis-73117528

Author Švedas, the subject of the book Irena Veisaitė herself, theater producer Audra Žukaitytė, director Gintaras Varnas and literary scholar Kęstutis Nastopka are to attend the book launch, to be moderated by Vytenė Muschick. The book details the extraordinary life of the German literature specialist, drama expert and long-time director of Lithuania’s Open Society Fund.

Poet, translator and student of culture Tomas Venclova said of the book: “This book belonging in the genre of long conversational is a prerequisite for everyone who is interested in Lithuanian history over recent decades. Irena Veisaitė is one of the most enlightened people of our land, the incarnation of tolerance and common sense. She devotes the most attention to culture, especially the theater, and the cultural opposition in the Soviet period, but very wisely, avoiding extremism and empty words, also lays out painful philosophical questions.”

Full story in Lithuanian here.

Condolences

Word has reached the Lithuanian Jewish Community Dov Levin passed away December 3. Levin was born in Kaunas January 27, 1925. He joined the partisans and left Lithuania on foot for Jerusalem on January 17, 1945. He is the author of numerous groundbreaking works about the Holocaust in Lithuania and about Litvak culture. Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones on the death of a man who meant so much to so many.

Plaque Commemorating Litvak Coin Designer Victor David Brenner Unveiled in Šiauliai

A plaque commemorating Litvak coin and medal designer Victor David Brenner (1871-1924) was unveiled in his hometown Šiauliai (Shavl) December 14. Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky, Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon, Šiauliai mayor Artūras Visockas, Šiauliai Jewish Community chairman Josifas Buršteinas and Community members took part in the ceremony to unveil the plaque on the outside wall of the Šiauliai Bank building at Tilžės street no. 149. Brenner designed the Lincoln-head United States one cent piece still in circulation over 100 years ago.

lenta-brener2

The Secret’s Out: Bagel Shop Featured on Russian Travel Site

Evgenii Golomolzin

Travel journalist and photographer Evgenii Golomolzin from St. Petersburg, Russia, has written a long piece about the culinary experiences available in Vilnius, with the Bagel Shop featured prominently.

Vilnius is a cosmopolitan city where all sorts of ethnic dishes are on offer, he writes. As a heavily Jewish city of many centuries, it has preserved Jewish traditions even after the Holocaust. There is an old Jewish quarter. A year ago the Bagel Shop Café appeared as well. The kosher café the Bagel Shop is an exotic attraction. The Bagel Shop is located at Pylimo street no. 4. The café is not large and is very simple, but original. It feels like a small apartment with the books and knickknacks on the shelves. You can read the books as you sip coffee, you can buy a Hebrew dictionary or a Jewish calendar. But people come here not for the books, but for the real Jewish treats and the bagels (€0.85 apiece). Five kinds are sold at the café.

bk1

The display case also has lekakh, a Jewish sweet-cake; imberlakh, a pastry made of carrots, ginger and orange; and teiglakh, small cakes cooked in honey. You can order something more filling, for example, soup with dumplings (€2.00), an egg-salad sandwich (€3.60), tuna sandwich (€3.60) or hummus sandwich (€3.60). It’s all delicious. The café opened just recently—in 2016—but has already become a tourist attraction, the St. Petersburg-based travel publication writes.

Full story in Russian with very nice photographs here.

Plaque Commemorating Litvak Designer Victor David Brenner

victor-david-brener1

A ceremony to unveil a plaque commemorating Litvak and Šiauliai native Victor David Brenner will take place at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, December 14, at the Šiauliai Bank building at Tilžės street no. 149 in Šiauliai.

Victor David Brenner is best known as the designer of the Lincoln one-cent piece in the United States. which replaced the former one-cent piece featuring an Indian in 1909. He also designed the obverse of the new penny, replacing the former wreath and coat of arms with two sheaves of wheat surrounding the words “United States of America” and “ONE CENT.” The “wheat-back” reverse of the penny has since been replaced with one featuring the Lincoln memorial in the center with the same inscription around the edge in 1959. In 1982 the United States began to mint one-cent pieces with reduced copper content, replacing the earlier copper and tin denomination with a copper-plated zinc fac-simile.

1909-vdb-lincoln-wheat-cent

Canadian Celebrity Chef Chuck Hughes Visits Bagel Shop Café

chuck-hughes1

Chuck Hughes, the Canadian celebrity chief who has an entire collection of series on Canada’s Food Network cable channel and the owner of two renowned restaurants in Montréal, visited the Bagel Shop Café last week.

Best known for his show Chuck’s Day Off, now carried by the Cooking Network on cable networks in the United States as well, Hughes has a special place in his heart and his kitchen for seafood.

riva-bk

The LJC’s Ilona Rūkienė caught up with Chuck last week and asked him a few questions.

Read more

LJC Social Department Jewish Family Services Pre-Hanukkah Event for Children

December 10–In the run-up to Hanukkah children’s activities were held at the LJC. Twenty-two people, parents and children in the LJC Social Department’s Jewish Family Services program, took part.

During the activities parents helped their children and everyone learned how to make candles, an essential tribute of the Festival of Lights. The children seemed to enjoy handling the pliable wax which will light up the holiday this year at their homes. They were also told the Hanukkah story. After the candle-making and story the children were treated to traditional Hanukkah doughnuts. It was an enjoyable event in the run-up to the Hanukkah holidays.

New Book by Lithuanian Writer about State of Israel

izraelis-zydu-valstybe

Accomplished author, lecturer and media personality Giedrius Drukteinis has a new book out called “Izraelis – žydų valstybė” [Israel: The Jewish State] and as with his comprehensive treatment of the United States-Viet Nam war, it’s a long one, 832 pages. It was published by Sofoklis publishing house in Vilnius in 2016.

Drukteinis goes through the main events in Jewish history in chronological order, from exile to Babylon, the Middle Ages, modern emancipation, roots of anti-Semitism, aliyah, Zionism, relations with Arabs, the Jewish experience during both world wars, the foundation of the state and modern development in the current period. The chronological layout is intended to help Lithuanian readers orient themselves to the creation and history of the Jewish state, according to the publisher.

The book devotes much space to the concept of aliyah leading up to the founding of the unique State of Israel. One reviewer said most of the book is about warfare.

Plaques to Famous Litvaks Unveiled in Ukmergė

ukm2

Two commemorative plaques honoring the famous Litvaks Solomon Levit (1894-1938) and Chackelis Lemchenas (1904-2001) have been unveiled in Ukmergė (Vilkomir), Lithuania. Levit and Lemchenas were from the area. Levit is noted for his work in biology and medicine, and as the founder of the Genetic Medicine Institute in Moscow. He attended school in the city of Ukmergė. Lemchenas was a talented and respected Lithuanian philologist, lexicographer, linguistic reformer and cultural figure in his own right, and taught at the Jewish Real-Gymnasium in Ukmergė.

The ceremony on December 6 was attended by Israeli ambassador to Lithuania Amir Maimon, Ukmergė Regional Jewish Community chairman Artūras Taicas, Ukmergė regional administrator Rolandas Janickas and vicar Šarūnas Petrauskas, among others.

Chairman Taicas said at the ceremony he was encouraged to see so many people turn out for the event. He invited the Israel ambassador and the regional administrator to unveil the commemorative plaques.

Read more

Makabi Soccer Team Fighting to Win

The mini soccer team of the Makabi Lithuanian Athletics Club is competing successfully in the Vilnius district tournament Select II in the Sunday League, which includes 10 teams. After foru matches Makabi are now in fourth place. The tournament continues and let’s hope after some injured players return our team makes it to the top. Good luck!

makabi-futb2

Lesson by Rabbi Kalev Krelin at Choral Synagogue

jokubas-su-angelu

Dear Community members,

This is to inform you that the series of teachings about Jacob, the patriarch of Israel, is continuing. You are invited to Rabbi Kalev Krelin’s lesson called “The Metamorphosis of Jacob” where you will learn what changed after Jacob wrestled the angel, to be held at 6:30 P.M. on Thursday, December 15, 2016, at the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius located at Pylimo street no. 39.

Death of Daniel Dolski Marked in Kaunas

The Kaunas Jewish Community marked the 85th anniversary of the death of Daniel Dolski (stage name of Daniel or Donil Broides), one of the founders of the genre known as “estrada music” in Eastern Europe, popular and sometimes humorous schlager-style songs performed on stage. Iser Shreiberg, the chairman of the Kaunas Hassidic Synagogue Religious Community and a member of the Kaunas Jewish Community, said a prayer for the dead at Dolski’s grave in the Jewish cemetery in the Žaliakalnis neighborhood of Kaunas. Those who turned out for the commemoration recalled the Kaunas Jewish Community had tended the grave of the performer.

Read more

Four Musical Views on a Jewish Theme

remejai

You are invited to attend the launch of the compact disc called Four Musical Views on a Jewish Theme at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius at 6:00 P.M. on December 12. The compact disc is a project by the Lithuanian Union of Musicians, Muzikos Barai magazine and the Goodwill Foundation. Participants are to include composer and president of the Lithuanian Union of Musicians Audronė Žigaitytė-Nekrošienė, pianist and music professor Leonidas Melnikas, violinist Borisas Traubas and cellist Valentinas Kaplūnas.

muzikinis-projektas

The Four Musical Views on a Jewish Theme CD is a unique musical excursion into the tragic 20th-century history of the Jews. Never before had anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews reached such proportions, never before had epiphanies of evil been accompanied by such violence and suffering. Artists were unable to remain silent and their work testifies to, and sometimes screams about these shameful pages of history, condemning evil and exalting good. Four great 20th-century musicians– Maurice Ravel, Darius Milhaud, Aaron Copland and Dmitri Shostakovich—have immortalized this in their work. The tragic passages of Jewish history retold by these artistic geniuses are performed by Lithuanian artists on the compact disc, including singer Liora Grodnikaitė, violinist Boris Traub, cellist Valentinas Kaplūnas and pianist Leonid Melnik. It is an appeal to every individual and to everyone.

Muzikos Barai magazine has made this disc available to readers as a free gift. In their October issue they published an article about those who rescued Jews from the Holocaust in Lithuania.

Antanas Makštutis Concert

makstutis

You’re invited to attend a concert by Kaunas Jewish Community member Antanas Makštutis, an accomplished clarinet player. The concert is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. on December 8 at the Gariūniai Business Park’s concert hall.

The event is free but registration is required, please send an email to info@nmgeneration.com

For more information in Lithuanian, see here.

South Africa: Union of Jewish Women Performs Mitzvot in 6 Cities

ujwmitvahday

November 30, 2016–The Union of Jewish Women gave tangible substance to Mitzvah Day this year by performing mitzvot [good deeds] in six cities in South Africa.

Johannesburg held a blood drive at the Norwood Mall, where 82 pints of blood were collected, a record for such an event, according to the South African National Blood Services. This amount of blood is expected to save 246 lives.

Cape Town’s UJW joined forces with Temple Israel and the Rotary Club and not only provided lunch for the residents of Includid, a state-run institution for adults with mental and physical disabilities, but some of the volunteers also assisted with gardening at the facility, while others painted the interior of one of the houses. All the residents were provided with gifts sponsored by UJW.

ujw-logo-16392bdd3e47cf6007affdff0000014754

Durban’s Mitzvah Day project was a combined party for the residents of Beth Shalom Retirement Home and the residents of Issy Geshen Home.

East London donated food parcels to indigent families and in addition distributed beautiful knitted beanies and teddies to children in the oncology ward at Frere Hospital. A joint mitzvah between two branches was performed when the Port Elizabeth branch advised East London that a man, going only going by the name of Velapi and whom they had previously assisted with medical help, had moved to East London and was in desperate need of a wheelchair. And so a wheelchair was promptly handed over to the delighted Velapi.

Port Elizabeth held a “Sunshine for Seniors” Mitzvah Day party for the residents of Glenvandale Frail Care Centre, an extremely under-resourced home in an impoverished area. Each resident received lunch as well as a gift.

Pretoria enlisted help from the residents of Jaffa Retirement Home to assist in making sandwiches for the outpatients at the Steve Biko Hospital.

Full story here.

Israeli Booth at Annual Charity Fair in Vilnius

Labdaringos mugės metu Izraelio ambasados stende

The Israeli booth at the annual International Christmas Fair on December 4 at Old Town Hall Square in Vilnius, set up jointly with the Bagel Shop of the Lithuanian Jewish Community, offered passer-by kosher snacks and kosher wine and all types of souvenirs. Young female volunteers from the Bagel Shop Café “manned” the booth and cheerfully explained every item on offer to visitors. The embassy of the State of Israel and the Lithuanian Jewish Community were both very happy with the success of the joint venture and with having the opportunity to contribute to the noble goal of the fair. The Israeli embassy booth took in 1,310.80 euros during the event.

Our deepest gratitude goes out to the volunteers:
Eglė Rimkevičiūtė, Unė Kormilcevaitė, Agota Laurinavičiūtė and Naomi Alon

This fair brings together for charity work annually representatives of the different embassies in Vilnius who present hand-made items for sale to city residents and guests. Thirty-four different countries and a number of communities as well as five international schools in Vilnius are represented traditionally at the winter holiday fair. Income from the Christmas charity fair goes to the coffers of a charity fund which currently supports 10 organizations: The Raseiniai Special-Needs School, the Way of Hope Raseiniai day center, the Vilijampolė social welfare home, the Visaginas social services center, the Overcoming Crises Center, a home for the elderly in Alanta in the Molėtai region, the hospital of the Lithuanian Health Sciences University, the Tautmilės Globa animal shelter, the Family Home of Mother Teresa and the Vilties Namai charity and welfare fund. The International Women’s Association of Vilnius of women from Lithuania and foreign countries who are temporarily living and working in Vilnius stages the International Christmas Charity Fair annually.

Read more

Mark Harold: Arguments, Counter-Arguments and Facts on Škirpa Alley

markas-haroldas

by Mark Harold, Vilnius City Council member
15 min.lt

Let us begin with my argument, which is very simple and against which my opponents have counter-arguments. One short paragraph:

Kazys Škirpa led the LAF. Current competent institutions of the Republic of Lithuania recognize the LAF was an anti-Semitic organization. Therefore, naming a street after the leader of this sort of organization in Vilnius, where the Holocaust was especially brutal, within the European Union in 2016 is inappropriate. Now more laconically I will analyze each attempt to argue against this, which I have encountered over recent days, and will explain why these counter-arguments are invalid.

Full story in Lithuanian here.