Religion

Natalja Cheifec Lecture Series: Pearls of Wisdom from the Vilna Gaon

Natalja Cheifec Lecture Series: Pearls of Wisdom from the Vilna Gaon

Natalja Cheifec will present a new lecture Thursday featuring Sefer Even Shlema, a collection of commentaries by the Vilna Gaon.

Lecture to include:

-negative features (midot) and how to correct them;
-the ability to be satisfied with little;
-trust in the Almighty and how to serve Him;
-the war against innate sin;
-fear and love of the Most High and following His law;
-raising and teaching children;
-vain speech;
-prayer;
-reward and punishment;
-hell, paradise and final judgment.

To receive zoom credentials to participate via internet, click here.

Time: 5:30 P.M., Thursday, April 3
Place: internet

Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium Holds 7th Bar/Bat Mitzvah at LJC

Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium Holds 7th Bar/Bat Mitzvah at LJC

For the seventh year now the Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium in Vilnius has held a bar and bat mitzvah ceremony for young Jews coming of age.

Sholem has held the ceremony at both the Choral Synagogue and the Lithuanian Jewish Community in past years, and the LJC was proud to host it yet again last Thursday.

We are grateful to Viljamas Žitkauskas and the Bnei Maskilim association he directs for their sincere and moving concern and care, and for the help they provided the young people, and to Rabbi Nathan Alfred who came from Israel for the fourth year now to guide our young people in their extremely important journey moving into adulthood.

A big thank-you as well goes to our special guests including LJC friend, cantor of the Pestalozzistraße Synagogue and director of the Geiger Cantor Collegium in Berlin, Isidor Abramowicz, and to collegium student and rebbetzin Alla Mitelman.

May all our new adults experience the fullness of life. Mazl tov!

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Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 6:48 P.M. on Friday, March 28, and concludes at 7:44 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit and prayers begun at 6:30 P.M., and completed before sunset at 6:48 P.M.

The Rabbi on Shortwave

The Rabbi on Shortwave

by Borukh Gorin, lechaim.ru

It was the early 1980s. On the coffee table stood a VEF-202–heavy, solid, with the smell of plastic and Soviet electronics. Its long antenna, like a taut nerve, caught the voices of a distant world. On the dial–London, Paris, Monte Carlo, and between them the frequencies that carried what was absent from Soviet news: the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Liberty.

There was a whole world on shortwave. On Kol Israel, I listened to Jewish music–old songs that seemed somehow familiar and distant at the same time. On the BBC, Seva Novgorodtsev talked about Western music, which we only knew about from rare records copied onto reels. And Svoboda talked about things that our newspapers were silent about. About Jews in the USSR, who “don’t exist.” About refuseniks, who are not allowed to leave. About synagogues that are still standing, but people are afraid to come to them.

And there was also a religious program.

I listened to Rabbi Haskelevich. I always listened alone.

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Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 6:34 P.M. on Friday, March 21, and concludes at 7:30 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 6:16 P.M. and completed before sunset at 6:34 P.M. Nowruz, Persian New Year, falls on the vernal equinox in 2025, Thursday, March 20, and is celebrated on multiple dates in multiple countries for several days following.

Purim in Panevėžys

Purim in Panevėžys

Panevėžys Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman was master of ceremonies at the Panevėžys Jewish Community’s Purim celebration last week.

“The Purim holiday is filled with fun, a sense of community and faith that the Jewish people are strong and able to withstand all misfortunes,” he said.

He also delivered greetings to celebrants from Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky.

Kofman also retold the Purim story to participants at the fully-laden holiday table.

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Natalja Cheifec Lecture on Vilna Gaon

Natalja Cheifec Lecture on Vilna Gaon

Natalja Cheifec’s continuing internet lecture and discussion club will address Thursday at 5:30 P.M. the topic of the Vilna Gaon. Who was he, where did he live, what were his teachings and why does he remain a central figure today?

To receive zoom credentials, click here.

Righteous Gentiles Day at the Choral Synagogue

Righteous Gentiles Day at the Choral Synagogue

Last week Lithuania marked the third annual commemoration of Righteous Gentiles Day and the Lithuanian Jewish Community remembered their courage, risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust, at the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius.

Sulamita Fromanaitė-Lev, rescued by nuns, shared her family story. Descendants of Righteous Gentiles Kazys and Sofija Binkis, Iga Mautėnienė and Romualdas Juknelevičius, talked about their family. Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky spoke about the rescue of her family and Evangelical Lutheran reverend Mindaugas Sabutis and father Aligrdas Toliatas also addressed the commemoration.

Violinist Simas Tankevičius and bayan accordion player Yevgeni Musiyets provided music at the event. Students from Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium read excerpts from Yitzhak Mer’s Holocaust memoirs. Thank you to Sholem students Dina Perelman iand Markas Šulmanas, and to Sholem graduate Jokūbas Davidavičius who was master of ceremonies.

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Happy Purim

Happy Purim

Dear reader,

A happy Purim holiday to everyone. Let the jokes and songs ring out, let the fun begin and the happy holiday mood reach all.

Hag Purim saameach,

Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman
Lithuanian Jewish Community

Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 6:21 P.M. on Friday, March 14, and concludes at 7:06 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 6:03 P.M. and completed before sunset at 6:21 P.M. Purim starts at sunset on Thursday, March 13. Friday is also the International Day of Mathematics and Monday is St. Patrick’s Day.

Ilan Club Meets Saturday

Ilan Club Meets Saturday

The Ilan Club for children aged 7 to 12 is meeting this Saturday at 1:00 P.M. at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. This session includes a shadow theater, Purim gifts and lots of fun.

Purim Celebration

Purim Celebration

The Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium invite you to a celebration of the happiest holiday of the year, Purim, on Thursday, March 13, at the Loftas performance space in Vilnius.

The program includes the customary costume ball, purimshpil skits and performances by Sholem students, the traditional games and many prizes, as well as a DJ and other entertainment. Michael Frishman will be master of ceremonies.

Tickets available here: https://topticket.lt/event/PURIM-2025

Time: 6:30 P.M., Thursday, March 13
Place: Loftas, Švitrigailos street no. 29, Vilnius

March 11 Greetings

March 11 Greetings

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky extends here greetings on the occasion of March 11:

Dear reader,

Thirty-five. That’s how old our restored independent country is today where we enjoy the freedom to live, speak and discuss. That many years we have been able to take pride in our ethnicity and identity openly, to share our culture, knowledge and individuality. This is the greatest gift which we hold so dear and appreciate so much.

Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman
Lithuanian Jewish Community

Natalja Cheifec’s Special Purim Edition

Natalja Cheifec’s Special Purim Edition

Natalja Cheifec’s lecture series features a special Purim edition Wednesday. She will talk about the meaning of and traditions associated with the holiday, why it is considered a holiday of Jewish liberation and unity and about the Book of Esther and why it does not mention the name of God.

To register and receive zoom credentials, click here.

Time: 5:30 P.M., Wednesday, March 12
Place: internet

Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 6:07 P.M. on Friday, March 7, and concludes at 7:02 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 5:49 P.M. and completed before sunset at 6:07 P.M. Additionally, Saturday, March 8, is International Women’s Day, and Tuesday, March 11, is Lithuanian Independence Day, marking the date in 1990 when the Lithuanian Supreme Soviet voted to leave the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Purim starts on the evening of Thursday, March 13, at sundown.

Knafaim Club Meets Fridays

Knafaim Club Meets Fridays

The Knafaim Club for adolescents aged 13 to 17 meets this Friday and every Friday with games and other activities to strengthen Jewish roots and deepen knowledge of tradition, followed by a ceremony to usher in the Sabbath. The club meets at 6:00 P.M. at the Lithuanian Jewish Community. For more information, contact Žana Skudovičienė at zanas@sc.lzb.lt.

Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 5:53 P.M. on Friday, February 28, and concludes at 6:49 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 5:35 P.M. and completed before sunset at 5:53 P.M. Friday is also Losar, Tibetan New Year 2152, and Saturday is the related Mongolian New Year, Tsagaan Sar.

Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 5:39 P.M. on Friday, February 21, and concludes at 6:35 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 5:21 P.M. and completed before sunset at 5:39 P.M. Sunday is also the Emperor’s Birthday in Japan, observed on Monday, and National Day in the Sultante of Brunei. Monday is Independence Day in Estonia.