The Sabbath begins at 8:15 P.M. on Friday, April 21, and concludes at 9:36 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
A Moving Journey
Several days ago the global Jewish community marked Yom haShoah, the day of remembrance of Holocaust victims and heroes. A large contingent of Litvaks from the Association of Lithuanian Jews in Israel travelled to Lithuania to mark this commemorative date. They commemorated Holocaust victims in Alytus and Zarasai, where most of them had family roots.
On Monday the group went to Alytus, commemorating victims at the memorial to mass murder victims in Vizgiris Forest just outside town, where Jews from Alytus and the surrounding areas were killed. Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky, Israel’s ambassador to Lithuania Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein, German ambassador Matthias Sonn, Alytus mayor Nerijus Cesiulis and Association of Lithuanian Jews in Israel director Arie Ben-An Grozdensky whose father’s family came from the nearby shtetl Miroslav honored the victims of the Holocaust there.
Passover at the Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community
The Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community began celebrating Passover April 5, beginning with the seder in the evening, the first one on the evening of April 5 led by Rabbi Sholom Ber Krinsky’s sons. On April 6 members of the Šiauliai Regional Jewish Community gathered at the Žemaitis restaurant for the second evening’s seder. Community chairman Naum Gleizer greeted the celebrants who were served the traditional Passover dishes. Community member Vadimas Kamrazeris provided for the Jewish music at the restaurant, which led to sing-alongs and dancing.
Passover in Kaunas
The Kaunas Jewish Community sent in some snapshots from Passover celebrations in Lithuania’s second city. The holiday celebration there included the traditional dishes, a concert, dance music and even a quiz for people to test their knowledge of Passover.
Passover at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius
Passover is usually a family holiday where everyone sits down at the seder table, reads the Hagadah, samples the traditional dishes and has fun. What about those who don’t have families?
LJC programs director Žana Skudovičienė said: “Many of our Community’s elderly are alone. Their families have left and their friends are busy. We are their family, so we celebrate together.”
Professionals prepared the meals for the seniors at the seder and LJC chairwoman Faina Kukliansky greeted everyone with Passover.
Our younger members certainly don’t lack for attention from their families, but even so, Žana Skudovičienė organized a special seder for young people.
Results from Passover Drawing Contest
We are pleased to announce we received a number of drawings, water colors and works in other media in our Passover children’s drawing contest. A surprising number of young people in the Community responded, some sending in multiple entries. We were also pleasantly surprised by the talent demonstrated, and insights into the inner life of our children. Some of the entries reminded us of the work of Marc Chagall and Samuel Bak. It was simply too difficult to decide on any one winner, but all contestants will receive a package of chocolate-coated matzo. A big thank-you to all the parents who helped as well.
Passover in Panevėžys
The Panevėžys Jewish Community celebrated Passover in common with Jewish communities around the world starting on April 7. Besides the men, women, children and elderly of the community, the Panevėžys Jewish Community also received guests from Vilnius and Chicago at the seder table.
Kobi Katz, wife Rita and daughter Shelly from Israel visited Panevėžys for Passover as well, and spoke with Panevėžys Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman about family roots in the Lithuanian city. They also praised attorney and chairwoman of the Lithuanian Jewish Community Faina Kukliansky for her help in locating documents concerning Kobi’s grandparents, and information about the burial of Katz relatives in Vilnius. Kobi Katz was born in Vilnius in 1967. At the age of ten he left for Israel where he resides till now. His grandfather Israel Moshe Kleiman was born in Panevėžys in 1898. The Katz family finally had the chance to visit Jewish locations in Panevėžys and said they would return next year to do the same.
Why Are Thousands Flocking to a Small Town in Central Lithuania?
A special place in the center of Lithuania: why does “Jewish” mean “backwards,” and why are packed buses arriving in this small town?
The small town of Krakės in the Kėdainiai region of central Lithuania is a special place. When you get there, you feel as if you’ve stepped into a different world. The community’s café Svetainė [Parlor] looks like an ordinary café, but thousands of people from all over Lithuania come by every year. It’s the Jewish cuisine which draws these people to Krakės.
A small group of enthusiasts from the Lithuanian town came up with a Jewish culinary and cultural education program called “One hundred and fifty years in the Jewish neighborhood: why Jewish means backwards.”
Krakės community center director Daiva Dubinkienė said initially the idea was to establish a cozy café in town, but the idea immediately grew to include an educational program.
The Life section of 15min.lt interviewed community center director Daiva Dubinkienė and the cook Lina Gaučiene, who makes Jewish dishes.
Q. We are meeting at the Svetainė café. When you cross the threshold, it really seems as if you’ve entered a different reality. It’s a cozy spot.
Lesson on Passover
Natalja Cheifec will do a post-Passover wrap-up on zoom at 5:30 P.M. on April 17, touching on everything you need to know but might have been afraid to ask, including:
• How the Hebrews became slaves in Egypt
• How the Egyptians oppressed the Hebrews
• Moses, leader of the Hebrew people
• Reasons for the exodus
• How God punished the Egyptians, the 10 plagues
• Preparations for the holiday of Passover: why yeast and fermented goods must be dispensed with
• Components of Passover holiday celebration including matzo, the four cups of wine and other required components.
To register and receive zoom credentials, go to https://bit.ly/3K73kEE
Illustration: Seder Table by Lynne Feldman
First Sabbath after Passover
A ceremony to mark the first Sabbath following Passover took place at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius last Friday evening. It was attended by several Jewish journalists from South Africa as well as Community members.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 8:02 P.M. on Friday, April 14, and concludes at 9:20 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Mimouna Shabbat
You’re invited to the first Sabbath celebration following Passover at 6:30 P.M. on Friday, April 14, with the ceremony upstairs at the Lithuanian Jewish Community and kiddush at the Bagel Shop Café at Pylimo street no. 4 in Vilnius. The cost is 12 euros per adult and free to those aged 16 and under. Register with Viljamas by sending a message to viljamas@lzb.lt.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 7:48 P.M. on Friday, April 7, and concludes at 9:05 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
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Lithuanian PM Sends Passover Greetings
Lithuanian prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė has issued greetings on the Jewish holiday of Passover:
“The Passover holiday has been associated with essential values for millennia and testifies to the spiritual rebirth and aspiration to freedom of the Jewish people. This is an important reminder especially today to all of us that only free people are capable of overcoming the most horrific losses, only they can be happy and only they are able to create a life for themselves and the state courageously. The special spirit of this holiday teaches us that, led by faith, we can cross the driest dessert, cross the most powerful seas, and reach the Promised Land. I sincerely greet the Jews of Lithuania and the world on the occasion of Passover and wish the joy of sharing accompanies your seder, and that faith, love and hope never abandon your heart nor your home. Hag Pesakh sameakh!”
Passover Greetings from Lithuanian Jewish Community Chairwoman Faina Kukliansky
Dear readers,
I greet you all with our very important holiday Passover. This holy day celebrates the liberation of the Hebrews from the yoke of the Egyptian pharaoh. Let’s always remain free and happy.
I wish you a wonderful holiday. Hag Sameakh!
Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman
Lithuanian Jewish Community
History in Photographs: Passover
Above: Two girls eating matzo at Rothschild Center in Vienna, post-WWII. Yad Vashem archives.
Passover in Utena, Lithuania, before WWII. Yad Vashem.
UN Ambassadors Attend Israeli UN Seder
Photo: US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Israel’s ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan at a mock Passover Seder hosted by Erdan at UN headquarters on March 28, 2023.
The UN’s mock Seder tradition was started in 2016 by Gilad Erdan’s predecessor Danny Danon.
NEW YORK–Diplomats from all over the world joined Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan for a mock Passover Seder at the organization’s headquarters in Manhattan on Tuesday, just one week before the Jewish holiday.
Some 70 ambassadors took part in the festivities, including US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Ukrainian ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya.
The mock Seder included traditional holiday foods and a reading from the Hagaddah, a text narrating the Seder.
Attendees talked about Passover traditions and customs in a discussion led by the Aish Global Jewish outreach organization.
Full article here.
Passover Drawings Sought
Every Jewish family celebrates the ancient holiday of Passover, commemorating the exodus from slavery in Egypt, and every family has their own holiday traditions. With that in mind, the Lithuanian Jewish Community is inviting the youngest members of the community to draw pictures about Passover and send them in by e-mail to katrina@lzb.lt before April 13. Every young artist can expect to receive a package of chocolate-coated matzo.