Religion

Litvaks in the Cape Town Archives

Litvaks in the Cape Town Archives

Lithuanian diplomat Dainius Junevičius will present his research on Litvaks in the Cape Town, South Africa, archives he and others conducted in 2024 at the Vilnius Jewish Public Library at 5:30 P.M. Tuesday, October 30.

The research project by the Lithuanian Literature and Art Institute sent the team to the Kaplan Jewish Research Centre at University of Cape Town and the Western Cape Archive where they discovered thousands of documents regarding Litvak immigration to South Africa and Litvak life and achievements in South Africa.

Junevičius was Lithuanian ambassador to the Republic of South Africa from 2021 to 2023. The presentation will be in Lithuanian.

Time: 5:30 P.M. Tuesday, October 30
Place: Vilnius Jewish Public Library, courtyard, Gedimino prospect no. 24, Vilnius

Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 6:15 P.M. on Friday, October 17, and concludes at 7:07 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 5:57 P.M. and completed before sunset at 6:15 P.M. Saturday is World Menopause Day, created in 2009 by the International Menopause Society to encourage menopausal women to seek support and medical treatment available but perhaps unknown to them to ease this difficult period in the human life cycle.

Sukkot in Panevėžys

Sukkot in Panevėžys

In spite of poor weather, members of the Panevėžys Jewish Community celebrated Sukkot in the traditional way with a booth set up in the Community’s courtyard.

The holiday brought together members new and old who discussed current events and shared family stories.

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Holocaust Victims Remembered in Švenčionys

Holocaust Victims Remembered in Švenčionys

The first Sunday in October is the traditional date for remembering Holocaust victims from the Švenčionys region at the Menorah monument in the city park in Švenčionys.

The Menorah monument marks the border of the ghetto where local Jews were held before being murdered at Platumai village.

Švenčionys Jewish Community chairman Moshe Shapiro, Choral Synagogue cantor Shmuel Yaatom, members of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and local officials took part in the ceremony.

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Sukkot in Šiauliai

Sukkot in Šiauliai

Last Thursday members of the Šiauliai District Jewish Community celebrated Sykkot with a sukka in the courtyard where members dwelt, handled the four species, prayed, shared blessings and ate. The sukka is open for the entirety of Sukkot which ends on Tuesday (or Wednesday, depending on your tradition and inclination). Members and friends are invited to come and dwell.

Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 6:32 P.M. on Friday, October 10, and concludes at 7:23 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 6:14 P.M. and completed before sunset at 6:32 P.M. October 12 is Columbus Day.

Family Sukka and Kiddush at the LJC

Family Sukka and Kiddush at the LJC

Dear members,

We invite members of the Dubi and Ilan Clubs and their parents to come celebrate Sukkot together in the courtyard of the Lithuanian Jewish Community with kiddush blessings inside the booth, aka sukka, erected there. Cantor Daniel Zakhry from Sao Paulo will ;ead the ceremony.

Time: 1:00 P.M., Saturday, October 11
Place: LJC, Vilnius

Natalja Cheifec on Sukkot

Natalja Cheifec on Sukkot

Natalja Cheifec continues her internet lecture and discussion club with a lesson on Sukkot this Thursday.

Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles is one of the happier holidays on the Jewish calendar amd a great opportunity to spend time with family, visit others, share food and enjoy life. Natalja will talk about the origin and traditions of Sukkot. She’ll discuss the meaning of “dwelling” in the sukka or makeshift booth during the week of Sukkot and the four species.

To receive zoom credentials and participate, click here.

Time: 6:00 P.M., Thursday, October 9
Place: internet

Sukkot

Sukkot

Sujjot (Ashkenazic Sukkos) begins at 5:13 P.M. at sunset today, Monday, October 6, and ends at sunset 7, 8 or 9 days later, depending on your location and disposition.

The festival of Sukkot–literally meaning booths, tents, tabernacles–is celebrated for seven days in Israel and eight days in the Diaspora, starting on the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. It is one of the three festivals during which Jewish men were required to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem in Temple times.

LJC Statement on Machester Synagogue Attack

LJC Statement on Machester Synagogue Attack

The Lithuanian Jewish Community is shocked by the events in Manchester and expresses our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the entire British Jewish community.

“This brital attack again reminds us of the danger which is posed by the ever-deepening hate and anti-Semitism which is taking root in society/ Eighty years ago European Jews experienced how that ends” more than 96% of Lithuanian Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. Evil often begins from lesser things which might seem insignificant at the time–apatjy, averted glamces–so we must be especially vigilant right now to insure history doesn’t repeat itself,” Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky said.

We pray for the victims and wish strength and resolution to everyone battling hate.

Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 6:59 P.M. on Friday, September 26, and concludes at 7:58 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 6:41 P.M. and completed before sunset at 6:59 P.M. Yom Kippur begins at 6:36 P.M. on Wednesday, October 1, and ends at 7:45 P.M. Thursday, October 2. Sukkot begins at 6:24 P.M. on Monday, October 6.

Condolences

We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the two people killed and to the four wounded and still in hospital, killed and wounded at the hand of an Islamic terrorist on Yom Kippur. in Manchester, England. Our deepest condolences to the entire congregation and the Manchester Jewish community. May their memory be a blessing.

Gmar Chatima Tova

Gmar Chatima Tova

Dear friends,

The Lithuanian Jewish Community wishes you peace, strength and an inscription in the Book of Life this Yom Kippur. Gmar chatima tova.

Join the Lithuanian Jewish Community and Bnei Maskilim for Yom Kippur

Join the Lithuanian Jewish Community and Bnei Maskilim for Yom Kippur

The Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Bnei Maskilim progressive Judaism association invite you to come mark Yom Kippur together at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius. Cantor Daniel Zekhry from the rabbinical studies program of the Abraham Geiger College will lead the services. Everyone is welcome but registration is required by sending an email to viljamas@lzb.lt.

Schedule:

October 1
6:30 P.M. Kol Nidre

October 2
10:00 A.M. Torah reading
5:00 P.M. Yizkor
5:15 P.M. Neila
6:30 P.M. Shofar

Yom Kippur at the Choral Synagogue

Yom Kippur at the Choral Synagogue

This Wednesday the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius begins observing Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Prayer services:

October 1

6:30 P.M. Kol Nidre
7:00 P.M. Maariv

October 2

10:00 A.M. Shacharit
12:00 noon Yizkor
12:30 P.M. Musaf
5:45 P.M. Mincha
6:30 P.M. Neila
7:45 P.M. Maariv

Fresh Challa Every Friday

Fresh Challa Every Friday

While the café is undergoing reconstruction and will change its name to its address, Pylimo 4, when it reopens, the kitchen is still operating and many have enjoyed its special Sabbath menu. Now the café is offering challa to order for pickup on Fridays. The regular price is 7 euros per loaf, and if you want to donate to the operation, then 10 euros. Your donation will insure an earlier opening of the venue. Orders should be placed by 8:00 P.M. on Thursday each week. Payment and pickups can be done at the café from 4:00 P.M. till 7:00 P.M. on Fridays. To place your order, send an email to gut.shabbos.vilnius@gmail.com. A gut shabes!

Ravel and Čiurlionis

Ravel and Čiurlionis

As part of the on-going Joseph Achron music festival, the piano duet of Justas Sherveniko ir Johan Randvere will perform a musical homage to the composers Mikalojus Čiurlionis and Maurice Ravel on the 150th anniversary of their births at the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius starting at 4:00 P.M. on Sundaym October 5. The program includes works by Čiurlionis, Ravel, Schubert and Mendelssohn.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Litvak Victims of Genocide Remembrance Day at Ponar

Litvak Victims of Genocide Remembrance Day at Ponar

Members and staff of the Lithuanian Jewish Community, representatives from the Lithuanian parliament and government and foreign diplomats observed the Day of Remembrance of Lithuanian Jewish of Victims of Genocide at Ponar on Thursday, September 25. German Bundeswehr rabbi Elisch Mendel Portnoy joined Choral Synagogue cantor Shmuel Yaatom in saying prayers for the dead.

LJC chairwoman Faina Kukliansky read the contents of an open letter she co-autyhored with Jewish Lithuanian MP Emanuelis Zingeris addressed to president Gitanas Nausėda cautioning against the latter’s decision to allow a member of an anti-Semitic party to occupy the post of Lithuanian minister of culture.

KJC chairwoman Kukliansky quoted a facebook post she received that day calling for the murder of Jews.

“If we don’t stop it, this will happen. So I ask all of you gathered here not just to honor those who were murdered and lie buried here–we are standing on blood-soaked soil–but also to think about the future of our country, and what we must do to insure this never happens again,” Kukliansky said.

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Sabbath Times

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 7:07 P.M. on Friday, September 26, and concludes at 7:58 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 6:49 P.M. and completed before sunset at 7:07 P.M. Thursday, September 25, is Tzom Gedaliah, the day of fasting. Yom Kippur begins at 6:36 P.M. on Wednesday, October 1, and ends at 7:45 P.M. Thursday, October 2.