The Sabbath begins at 3:52 P.M. on Friday, January 7, and concludes at 5:17 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Name Changes but Fate Remains the Same
by Lina Dranseikaitė
The century-old red-brick synagogue standing on M. Valančiaus street in almost the exact center of the city of Panevėžys from now on will be known by its true name, the Torah Association.
Panevėžys Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman said historical justice has been restored. But even with the restoration of historical justice, this decaying heritage site in the historical part of the city might completely vanish over the coming decades.
Although Lithuania’s state Property Bank attempted to sell the synagogue two years ago, no takers have appeared. Panevėžys Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman says he isn’t even considering that Jews might buy the red-brick synagogue since this building is supposed to belong to Jews already.
Full text in Lithuanian here.
Lithuanian Culture Minister and Israeli Ambassador Sign Agreement on Film Production
On January 7 new opportunities opened for Lithuanian filmmakers: Lithuanian culture minister Simonas Kairys and Israeli ambassador to Lithuania Yossef Avni-Levy signed a governmental understanding on joint production of films by the two countries.
Minister Kairys said: “Until now Lithuania hasn’t had a single joint film production with Israel. This agreement between the Governments of the two countries, clearing defining bilateral cooperation in the field of film production, presents greater opportunities for Lithuania and Israeli filmmakers, including attracting additional financing. All of this will allow for greater Lithuanian competitiveness in the international arena in making films.”
The agreement between the Lithuanian and Israeli Governments provides more favorable conditions for filmmakers from both countries to receive state support. It also expands opportunities for cooperation, providing a foundation for the wider presentation of films.
Full text in Lithuanian here.
Taiwan to Establish $200 Million Lithuanian Investment Fund
Tensions between China and Lithuania soared after Taiwan was allowed to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius. Now Taiwan wants to help offset the financial cost that comes with angering Beijing.
Taiwan said Wednesday it will create a $200 million (€176 million) fund to invest in Lithuania weeks after the self-ruled island claimed by China opened a representative office, a de facto embassy, in Vilnius. China views Taiwan as part of its own territory, and is putting immense pressure on foreign nations not to deal directly with the government in Taipei.
The announcement comes after Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda called the decision to permit Taiwan’s representative office in Vilnius “a mistake.”
On Wednesday Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis rejected the president’s characterization of that decision.
What is the purpose of Taiwan’s investment fund?
Israeli-American Civic Action Network Looks at 2022
ICAN chairman and CEO Dillon L. Hosier writes:
Today, as we start a new week at the beginning of a brand new year, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for making 2021 an exceptional success at ICAN.
I’d also like to share with you a look ahead as we prepare to take ICAN, our community of activists, and our pro-Israel agenda to the next level in 2022 and beyond.
In 2021, thanks to activists like you, ICAN grew significantly and overperformed by every measure:
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:44 P.M. on Friday, December 31, and concludes at 5:08 P.M. on Saturday, January 1, in the Vilnius region.
May You Live Long and Be Prosecuted
Efraim Zuroff
At 100, Herbert Wahler has outlived other Germans listed as members of the genocidal Einsatzgruppe C. His age should not shield him from accountability.
This past Friday [December 10, 2021], Herbert Wahler celebrated his 100th birthday. Quite an achievement for a German who spent a significant part of World War II serving on the Eastern front in Ukraine. Yet upon closer examination of Wahler’s service record, it’s not that surprising, since, for a significant part of the conflict, Wahler was not dodging bullets shot at him by Red Army soldiers, but rather contributing to the efforts of Einsatzgruppe C to mass murder innocent Jews and other “enemies of the Reich.”
Einsatzgruppe C was one of the four special killing squads, labeled A, B, C, and D, the Nazis sent in June of 1941, along with the Wehrmacht troops invading the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa, to begin the mass murder of Jews, even before the formal decree of the Final Solution was officially adopted at the Wannsee Conference on January 20, 1942. They spread out over the entire territory, with A responsible for the former Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia; B in charge in Belarus; C was active in central Ukraine and D in southern Ukraine. Over the course of 1941-1943 these units which numbered approximately 3,000 men with assistance from members of the Wehrmacht, German police units, and local collaborators, were responsible for the mass murder by shooting of approximately 2 million people, including 1.3 million Jews.
Condolences
We are sad to report long-time member of the Panevėžys Jewish Community Dina Marijampolskienė passed away December 23 at the age of 92 following a long battle with illness. Our deepest condolences to her son Boris and daughter Ana and her other family members and friends.
Those wishing to bid their final farewells may do so from 4:00 P.M. on December 27 to 11:30 A.M. on December 28 at the Grauduva Funderal Home located at Basanavičiaus street no. 75 next to the Ramygala cemetery in Panevėžys, after which the coffin will be taken for burial.
Lithuanian Ambassadors Club Sends Holiday Greetings
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:38 P.M. on Friday, December 24, and concludes at 5:03 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Holiday Greetings from LJC Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky
I wish you a beautiful and warm holiday season! May it be filled with goodness, peace, warmth and love.
Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman
Lithuanian Jewish Community
Christmas Greetings from Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Wife Diana
May Hope, Faith and Love always find the way into your home.
A merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
Gitanas Nausėda and wife Diana
Lara Lempertienė Awarded Prize by Lithuanian Foreign Ministry
Jewish scholar and head of the Lithuanian National Library’s Judaica Center Lara Lempertienė, PhD, was awarded the Star of Lithuanian Diplomacy prize Friday, according to a press release from the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry. Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis personally presented her the prize at the ministry in recognition of her work fostering research into Litvak history and cultural heritage, and for her significant contribution to commemorations of the 300th birthday of the Vilna Gaon and 700 years of Litvak history.
“You have made a remarkable contribution in strengthening foreign policy and carrying out our shared mission to spread knowledge of Lithuanian Jewish history and culture,” minister Landsbergis said. The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has been awarding the Star of Lithuanian Diplomacy since 2010 in recognition of contributions to spreading knowledge of Lithuania internationally and to improving and celebrating international relations.
A Look at the Recent Lithuanian Press on the Holocaust
Geoff Vasil
In December the Lithuanian news outlet 15min.lt treated its readers to the strange spectacle of a Lithuanian defense against American and Allied accusations of the collective guilt of average Germans in the crime of genocide against the Jewish people.
“‘Nonetheless, too many people tried not to see what was happening.’ German president Richard von Weizsäcker said these words on May 8, 1985, at a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II.
“…The Belarussian opposition website zerkalo.io tells how Germans suffered de-Nazification and tried to come to terms with the past. ‘This town is guilty!’ Many have heard of the process known as de-Nazification. The Allies who won World War II (USA, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union) began the process of de-Nazification.”
Greetings from the Swedish Embassy
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 3:34 P.M. on Friday, December 17, and concludes at 4:58 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Kaunas Jewish Community to Hold Concert to Commemorate Rescuers
The Kaunas Jewish Community is planning an evening of classical music dedicated to those who rescued Jews during the Holocaust at 6:00 P.M. on December 27 at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas. Actor and director Aleksandras Rubinovas will speak about the Righteous Gentiles who saved Jews 80 years ago. The event is free to the public but prior registration is required at https://forms.gle/1vzWccjif3yduBFv6
For more information call+370 652 19204 or write ieva0102@yahoo.com
Final Road of Memory Event Held in Telšiai
Lithuania’s International Commission to Assess the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupational Regimes in Lithuania held their final Road of Memory event in the Lithuanian town of Telšiai on December 9. The Commission held these processions in concert with other organizations at different locations in Lithuania from June till now to mark the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Holocaust. This final procession included local politicians, foreign ambassadors, students from local schools and others. Miša Jakobas performed kaddish, a number of speakers spoke indoors and out, and the musical group Klezmer Klangen Vilne performed.
Gesher Club to Hold Special Sabbath
The Lithuanian Jewish Community’s Gesher Club invites its members and their families to a special Sabbath celebration according to the traditions of modern Judaism at 6:30 P.M. on Friday, December 17 at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. “Baal tefila” Viljamas Žitkauskas will lead the ceremony to greet the Sabbath with the traditional prayers. A Sabbath dinner will follow. Registration is required by sending an email to zanas@sc.lzb.lt or by calling 8 678 1514.
Vilnius Jerusalem of Lithuania Jewish Community Holds Concert with Famous Litvak Violinist Aleksandras Štarkas
Aleksandras Štarkas performed works by Mozart, Beethoven, Paganini, Tartini, Massenet, Saraste and Bloch at the Lithuanian Jewish Community recently. He was accompanied on piano by Aušra Marija Banaitytė.
Štarkas was born in Vilnius. From 1961 to 1972 he attended the M. K. Čiurlionis Art School. In 1977 he was graduated from the Lithuanian State Music Conservatory. For ten years he played in the Lithuanian chamber orchestra conducted by Saulius Sondeckas and played in Lithuanian National Philharmonic orchestras for another three years. In 1987 he moved to Israel and began playing in the Israeli Philharmonic orchestra the same year, where he remained in 2021. Štarkas performs in concerts with different chamber orchestras around the world and has won international renown.