As announced earlier, the Stahlhammer Klezmer Classic Trio performed live last week for an audience at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. The trio smoothly combined classical, klezmer and tango music in their program. Thank you to the Swedish ambassador to Lithuania Lars Wahlund and everyone who attended for making this concert a success.
Lithuania’s International Commission for Assessing the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupational Regimes in Lithuania and the Centropa organization based in Austria held three days of workshops for teachers to teach the Holocaust in Kaunas from February 19 to 21. Israeli ambassador to Lithuania Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein and Kaunas Jewish Community chairman Gercas Žakas contributed to the teachers’ workshop.
Wittenberg Silverstein spoke about her grandparents and their experience of the Holocaust. She showed the teachers copies of her grandparents’ testimony for Yad Vashem detailing the murder of family members.
Gercas Žakas spoke to them about his father’s Holocaust story in the Šiauliai ghetto and at the Stutthof concentration camp. He recalled his father completely avoided talking about it later, but in old age and infirmity he revealed his memories of the murder of almost the entire family.
The Paideia Institute for Jewish studies in Stockholm is accepting applications now for international students interested in their Jewish studies program focusing on Scripture for 2024-2025, starting next September and continuing on until May of 2025. Minimum requirements include a bachelor’s degree and proficiency in English.
Application can be made here: https://shorturl.at/qCE02
For more information, send an e-mail to recruitment@paideia-eu.org.
Applications must be received by April 14, 2024.
The ambassadors of Germany, the United States and Israel have sent a letter to the Lithuanian prime minister pointing out the alarming growth of anti-Semitic attacks in Lithuania over recent weeks and calling for an increased police presence at Jewish community buildings, schools and synagogues.
American ambassador Kara McDonald, Israeli ambassador Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein and German ambassador Cornelius Zimmerman addressed their plea to Lithuanian prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė, invoking shared values of tolerance and inclusion and the rejection of anti-Semitism and citing recent stone-throwing incidents at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius and the Šiauliai Jewish Community in Šiauliai, Nazi symbols graffitied on a former synagogue in Daugai, Lithuania, and on a bridge in Vilnius and the overturning of a monument to the victims of the Druskininkai ghetto in Druskininkai, Lithuania, as examples of the rising number of incidents.
The Sabbath begins at 5:23 P.M. on Friday, February 23, and concludes at 6:37 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
The Visegrad24 news website has been reporting on the conflict with Gaza live from Israel. In a recent interview they spoke with Efraim Zuroff, the director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem, about the Holocaust, justice for the victims, justice for the victims of the Hamas massacre on October 7, Israeli security failures and the problem of Islamists migrating to Western Europe and North America and open borders in general.
“It always starts with the Jews, but never ends with the Jews. Hitler wanted to launch a war to destroy the Jews and 50 million people were murdered, and not all of them Jews, far from it. This is what people have to understand: the Jews are like the canaries in the coal mine. They’re the first victims. And if they go after us, be sure that they’ll go after the Christians in Europe and everywhere else because their dream is to take over the world. That’s the problem,” Zuroff said during the interview.
The British House of Commons erupted Wednesday in a walk-out by ruling Conservative Party and Scottish National Party MPs after speaker of parliament Lindsay Hoyle allegedly broke parliamentary procedure by allowing the UK Labour Party to tack on their own amendment to a SNP resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza without letting the SNP motion go to a vote.
Hoyle apologized twice and on Thursday claimed he wanted to expand the debate to include Labour’s positions because he was afraid more British MPs would be murdered. At the time of the canceled debate Wednesday a large crowd of pro-Hamas protestors had surrounded parliament, chanting slogans and waving Palestinian flags. As of Thursday BBC and Sky News reported 61 MPs from the Conservatives and SNP had signed onto a motion calling for a no-confidence vote on Hoyle as speaker. Holyle’s “Peace in Our Time” overture seems to have exacerbated rather than eased tensions within British society.
Full story here.
The Lithuanian Jewish Community and Bnei Maskilim invite you to a Sabbath celebration this Friday including not only a family atmosphere, good feelings and great company, but also live guitar.
Time: 6:30 P.M., Friday, February 23
Place: Lithuanian Jewish Community, Vilnius
Cost is 5 euros and registration is required by sending an email to viljamas@lzb.lt or by calling (+370) 672 50699.
Israeli ambassador to Lithuania Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein sent a letter congratulating Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky on receipt of the Order of Merit medal presented to her by the Lithuanian president on February 16 in Vilnius.
A copy of the letter can be found below.
The Lithuanian Jewish Community wishes Ukmergė Jewish Community chairman Artūras Taicas a very happy birthday. We are grateful to you for your tireless energy safeguarding and protecting the memory of those who cannot protect themselves from vandals. We all wish you success, happiness, real people and sincere smiles. Mazl tov. Bis 120!
The Lithuanian Jewish Community congratulates Daumantas Levas Todesas, chairman of the Council of Ethnic Communities, for recognition of his efforts in preserving the Litvak heritage in Lithuania, in representing the interests of the ethnic minority communities in Lithuania and in his public activities promoting the integration of minorities into Lithuanian society, as demonstrated by Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda’s presentation to him of the Lithuanian medal the Order of Merit, the Knight’s Cross, on February 16 at the presidential palace in Vilnius.
Hungary again has bucked the diktat emanating from Brussels, this time vetoing an EU demand Israel implement a ceasefire in Gaza.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Hungary blocked the passage of two such demands from the EU.
Hungary Blocks Two EU Statements against Israel’s War in Gaza
The Post learned that foreign minister Israel Katz, who was at the Munich Security Conference, had personally called his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó and asked that he help Israel.
Hungary has twice blocked a European Union consensus statement against the IDF’s pending military operation against Hamas in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, a consensus that called for an “immediate humanitarian pause” to the war, leading to a permanent ceasefire, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
“Hungary stood alone in the EU,” senior diplomatic sources said.
Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda presented tenor Rafailas Karpis the Lithuanian medal the Order of Merit for his furtherance of musical culture and Jewish music in Lithuania on February 16. Mazl tov!
The Lithuanian Jewish Community is offering Yiddish lessons again. The first class will be Sunday, February 25, at 1:00 P.M. at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. For more information, write zanas@sc.lzb.lt. See you there.
Rebuffing Biden, cabinet rejects unilateral Palestinian state as “reward for terrorism”
Approved even by centrist ministers, the statement rejects “international diktats” pushing two states; minister Sa’ar compares reported US-Arab proposal to appeasement of Nazis in 1938
Israel’s cabinet Sunday unanimously approved a declaration rejecting “international diktats” seeking to push Palestinian statehood in the wake of reports the US and several Arab partners were preparing a detailed plan for a comprehensive peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians which was to include a “firm timeline” for a Palestinian state.
“Israel utterly rejects international diktats regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians,” the cabinet decision read. “A settlement, if it is to be reached, will come about solely through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions.
“Israel will continue to oppose unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state,” the motion added. “Such recognition in the wake of the October 7th massacre would be a massive and unprecedented reward to terrorism and would foil any future peace settlement.”
Full story here.
The Lithuania Jewish Community’s Dubi Children’s Club opened a new season of activities on Sunday, February 18. If your child or children aged 4 to 6 want to meet friends, play, have fun and engage in new activities, mark your calendar for Sunday at 12 noon. Dubi Club takes place at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. For more information, contact Žana Skudovičienė by telephone at +370 678 81514 or by email at zanas@sc.lzb.lt.
Circumcision specialist Dr. Martin Harris of Great Britain will visit Vilnius March 3 and 4. He is ready to offer his services to Lithuanian Jewish Community and Jewish religious community members free of charge. Those interested are invited to register by sending an email to sinagoga1903@gmail.com. More information about Dr. Harris is available here.
Abstract expressionist painter Simonas Gelminauskis opened an exhibition of his work at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius last Thursday called “From Paris with Love.”
The 18 works on display are the fruit of a decade of creativity following his 22-year break from painting.
“The fall I spent in my studio in the Marais Jewish neighborhood in Paris in the global center of residences of art helped me recover after my father’s death and helped me think about impermanence. So this exhibition is dedicated to love. To the love of life,” the artist said at the opening ceremony for the exhibit. He didn’t chose the venue lightly, either: his current studio is located at the site of the former Great Synagogue on Jewish Street in Vilnius, from which he says he draws artistic inspiration, as he did in the Marais in Paris.
The exhibit will remain on display a the LJC for several months.
Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda decorated Goodwill Foundation co-chairpeople Faina Kukliansky and Rabbi Andrew Baker with the Lithuanian Order of Merit, Officer’s Cross, at an awards ceremony held on Restoration of Lithuanian Statehood Day, February 16.
This was in high recognition of their great efforts in promoting Jewish culture and seeking respect and fairness for the Lithuanian Jewish community, seeking appropriate commemoration for victims of the Holocaust and seeking symbolic restitution for their property stolen.
“This award is not just personal recognition, but is a testimony to the entire Lithuanian Jewish Community who haven’t rested in seeking justice, concord, community and joint effort. To be recognized on this important day to us and to Lithuania is a great honor,” attorney, Goodwill Foundation chairman and Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky said at the ceremony held at the Office of President. She also congratulate Rabbi Andrew Baker, co-chairman of the Goodwill Foundation, on his receipt of the same prize.
Legislators in Washington state have been discussing making Holocaust classes mandatory for high school students there for over five years now. The neighboring Canadian province of British Columbia and the province of Ontario announced plans to do so last year. After settling on the formula “Holocaust and genocide education,” some legislators are proposing an amendment to teach history from the perspective of Hamas as well. Seattle-based conservative radio talk-show host Jason Rantz predicts below the dispute will result in the failure to pass any relevant law at all. Foreign observers have wondered if Washington state’s far-left legislators won’t introduce another amendment to teach the Holocaust from the perspective of Nazi Germany as well.
Democrats Add “Hamas Amendment” to Holocaust Education Bill
by Jason Rantz, February 12, 2024
Washington Democrats added a so-called “Hamas amendment” to the Holocaust Education bill which will ensure anti-Semitic lessons are taught to kids.
The move was meant to appease a progressive voter base demanding Israel be labeled genocidal for its attack against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.