The Sabbath begins at 3:55 P.M. on Friday, December 5, and concludes at 4:58 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 3:37 P.M. and completed before sunset at 3:55 P.M. Saturday is Finnish Independence Day and Sunday is Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in the United States.
MP and lear of the Nemuno Aušra party chief in the ruling coalition Remigijus Žemaitatis was found guilty of violating article 170, point 2, of the Lithuanian criminal code against inciting ethnic discord, denying genocide and belittle the Holocaust in seven different charges in a verdict issued Thursday morning by the Vilnius Precinct Court. Opposition party the Conservatives are calling for him impeachment as a memner of parliament. Coalition partners say they’ll await the court’s final verdict. At issue were anti-Semitic posts Žemaitatis made on facebook several years ago.
The Palanga Jewish Community and the Jonas Šliūpas Museum in Palanga are holding an event to remember the courage displayed by the Righteous Gentiles, those who rescued Jews from the Holocaust. MEP professor Liudas Mažylis will share his insights and Palanga Jewish Community chairman Vilius Gutmanas will talk about his family’s experience. The Mažylis family rescued Jews and were recognized posthumously as Righteous Gentiles by Yad Vashem in 2006. The presentation and discussion will be in Lithuanian. The event is free and open to the public.
Time: 5:00 P.M., December 11
Place: Jonas Šliūpas Museum, Vytauto street no. 23A, Palanga
Hanukkah us more than just lighting the eight candles on the menorah, it’s a time to have a good time with family and friends, a time for children to play and adults to talk. With that in mind we invite you to the Waiting for Hanukkah celebration this Saturday, December 6 starting at 2:00 P.M. at the renovated Bagel Shop café now known as Pylimo 4 located at Pylimo street no. 4 in Vilnius. We’ll make doughnuts, spin the dreidl, play other games and sing and dance. Registration required by sending a request to levickajasimona@gmail.com.
The shtetl was bit just a tiwn, but a self-contained world where Jewish traditions were maintained, students attended the yeshiva, people were married and buried under the precepts of Judaism and almost everyone spoke Yiddish.
To receive zoom credentials, click here.
Time: 6:00 P.M., Tuesday, December 4
Place: internet
Violinist Dalia Dėdinskaitė and pianist Walter Delahunt will perform selections from their new album at the album lauch at 6:30 P.M. on Wednesday, December 3 at the Samuel Bak Museum of the Vilna Gaon Jewish History Museum, Naugarduko street no. 10, Vilnius. The album is called Estrellita and features works by Litvak composers from Lithuania to Hollywood.
Life with Pastels is an exhibit of works by renowned Lithuanian visual artist Raimondas Savickas which opens at 6:00 P.M. on December 6 and runs till December 27 at the Savickas Picture Gallery, Tumo-Vaižganto street no. 5, Vilnius. A new exhibit of paintings by Savic;as also opens on December 30 at the Lithuanian Artists Union gallery at Vokiečių street no. 2.
In the run-up to Hanukkah, the Lithuanian Jewish Community invites you to an evening of live music and tables laden with holiday foods. The Shalom Band and other Jewish musicians will perform. The location is the Pylimo 4 café formerly known as the Bagel Shop café located at Pylimo street no. 4 in Vilnius. It all happens early Saturday evening on December 13.
Hanukkah is on the way and the Lithuanian Jewish Community invites you to celebrate the festival of lights together at the LJC located at Pylimo street no.4 in Vilnius. Come witness the lighting of the lights, try holiday foods and enjoy the live music. It all happens on December 19, 20 and 21. For more information and to make a reservation, sebd ab enail to info@lzb.lt.
The Sabbath begins at 4:00 P.M. on Friday, November 28, and concludes at 5:01 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 3:42 P.M. and completed before sunset at 4:00 P.M. Thursday, November 27, is Thanksgiving.
Everyone’s favorite Community staff member Liuba Šerienė is xelebrating a milestone birthday this week.
Dear Liuba,
Your dedicated work over many years at the Lithuanian Jewish Community is deeply appreciated by all who know you. Your unfailing respect and cheerfulness strengthen and unite the entire Community. We are all very grateful to you.
May this year bring even more joy, peace and precious moments. We wish you health, a great homelife, love and that your seemingly endless source of inspiration never fail.
Mazl tov. Bis 120!
The Litvak Culture and Identity Museum of the Vilna Gaon Jewish History Museum will show a short film by Shoshana Simons called “Fifty Voice across the Shtetl Multiverse on Saturday at 12:30 P,M. This will be followed by a discussion with the audience and a violin performance by Morgan Rosario Maruthiah, followed by bagel snacks. Registration required by clicking here,
Time: 12:30 P.M., Saturday, November 29
Place: Litvak Culture and Identity Museum, Pylimo street no. 4A, Vilnius
Jewish history is an important part of the identity of Jews from Shavl and Žagarė. Last Sunday members of the Šiauliai District Jewish Community took a tour called “Jewish Houses, Trades and History.” sampled bagels and were treated to a lecture by ethno-musicologist Eirimas Velička about Jewish music.
The Šiauliai District Jewish Community also opened an exhibit Sunday on the kinder aktion in the Shavl ghetto in 1943. The exhibit is on display at the Culture Center in Šiauliai. Community members finished the day attending the play “The Thinking Heart of the Barracks” which recalled the injunction to remember.
EJC President warns of dangerous influence of social media in youth radicalization at Paris Mayors’ Summit against Anti-Semitism
Paris, November 20, 2025–European Jewish Congress president Moshe Kantor launched a radical plan aimed at eradicating hate-filled anti-Semitism from social media forums targeting disaffected youth.
Addressing the Paris Mayors Summit against Anti-Semitism Thursday in the French capital, Kantor told the gathering that the new social media environment has become “a breeding ground for anti-Semitism fueled by conspiracy theories about global financial cabals and Jewish elites in control of the media.”
“Hatred has gone viral,” he added.
The event brought together dozens of city leaders from around the world, policy makers and community and civil society representatives, all united in their commitment to confront and prevent anti-Semitism in all its forms.
The Sabbath begins at 4:08 P.M. on Friday, November 21, and concludes at 5:07 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 3:50 P.M. and completed before sunset at 4:08 P.M. Thursday, November 20, is World Pancreatic Cancer Day.
October 18 students from the Juventos pre-gymnasium arrived early at the Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community for a special day of lessons on Jewish culture, history, tradition and customs. Teachers Aurelija Dirginčienė, Loreta Stankuvienė and Gaiva Šimonienė delivered the lessons. Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community chairwoman Rašella Galinienė and Oser Gleizer answered the cikdren’s questions. There are plans to include more of the school’s student body in future lesson days.
The concert “When Dolskis Met Gorbulskis” concert at the Kaunas State Pjilharmonic ib late October was a rousing success according to all involved.
THe concert celebrated the 150th birthday of Lithuanian estrada music founder Daniel Dolksis and the 100th birthday of Benjaminas Gorbulskis, a composer who contributed much to this genre of popular stage music.
Performers included tenor Rafailas Karpis, the Lithuanian Symphonic Horn Orchestra formerly known as Trimitas and a number of other talented musicians and actors.
The Kaunas Jewish Community would like to apologize to everyone who was unable to attend because of limited seating or had to stand during the free concert.
Some snapshots from the remarkable evening follow.
Roza Bloch has passed away. She was born in 1930 in Kaunas, survived the Kaunas ghetto, the Kaunas concentration camp and the Stutthof concentration camp. Almost her entire family was murdered, excepting her maternal grandparents who also survived the Holocaust. She repatriated from the Soviet Union with her family to Israel in 1973. She was a long-standing member of the Association of Lithuanian Jews in Israel and served on its board of directors. We extend our deepest condolences on her loss to her friends and family, members of the Association and to all who knew and loved her.
Psychologist, teacher and principal of the Sholem Aleichem Gymnasium Ruth Reches continues to offer Hebrew courses ti the general public at Sholem Aleichem on Sundays. Classes resume December 7, including an advanced group.
Schedule:
9:30 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. Level 3
11:15 A.M. – 12:45 P.M. Level 2
It all takes place on Sundays at the Sholem Aliechem ORT Gymnasium located at Kraševskio street no. 5 in Vilnius. Registration is required, contact ruthreches@gmail.com.
The Sabbath begins at 4:18 P.M. on Friday, November 14, and concludes at 5:16 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 4:00 P.M. and completed before sunset at 4:18 P.M.