Participants at the Fifth World Litvak Congress commemorated Holocaust victims at the Ponar Memorial Complex outside Vilnius today. The commemoration included paying respects and reciting kaddish for the dead.
Lithuanian Jews Still Avoiding Country’s Holocaust Distortion
by Efraim Zuroff, Times of Israel
photo: Grant Gochin and Silvia Foti, June, 2020.
What a shame that those who work to bring Lithuania’s large-scale participation in Holocaust crimes to light cannot be honored by the Jewish community there
This week the Lithuanian Jewish community is hosting the “Fifth World Litvak Congress” in Vilnius (Vilna) from Sunday, May 22 until Thursday, May 26. In theory, the event is open to any Jew of Lithuanian origin and anyone who has a meaningful connection to the history, politics or culture of Lithuanian Jewry.
The program features an opening event in the Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament), cultural events, as well as visits to Kaunas (Kovno), Panevezys (Ponevitch), Seduva (my grandmother’s birthplace), and other sites of Jewish interest. The congress will also be addressed by Lithuanian politicians, such as Seimas Speaker Viktorija Čmilyté-Nielsen, the patron of the congress, foreign experts on combatting anti-Semitism, such as European Commissioner Katharina Von Schnurbein and former Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, as well as scholars who are experts on aspects of Lithuanian Jewish history, such as American Professor David Fishman and Israeli Dr. Ben-Tsiyon Klibansky.
Fifth World Litvak Congress Begins at Lithuanian Parliament
15min.lt, BNS
The Fifth World Litvak Congress kicked off at the Lithuanian parliament Monday.
Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky said this congress sends the message that Jewishness isn’t just a thing of the past in Lithuania.
“Today we invite you to an open discussion on the future of Litvak culture and the importance of passing this culture on to our children and grandchildren,” she said. “I am certain the Lithuanian state has an interest in making all Litvaks from around the world feel at home in their native land.”
Parliamentary speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen used the opportunity to talk about the Ukraine.
Besides the academic conference Monday, an exhibit called “Almanach of Litvak Culture in the 21st Century” was also opened. Topics at the conference included fighting anti-Semitism, Litvak history and education, among others.
Wanderings of Moses: An Exhibit of Works by Daumantas Lovas Todesas
An exhibit of works by Daumantas Lovas Todesas called “The Wanderings of Moses” opened at the Žiežmariai synagogue located at Vilniaus street no. 6 in Žiežmariai on May 23. The exhibit will run till June 9. Visitors can visit from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on weekdays, or arrange a different time for touring the exhibit and synagogue by calling +370 682 19944. This exhibit was jointly organized by the Vilnius Jerusalem of Lithuanian Jewish Community and the Žiežmariai Cultural Center.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 9:09 P.M. on Friday, May 20, and concludes at 10:46 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Happy Birthday to Fania Brantsovskaya
We wish a very happy milestone birthday next week to Vilnius ghetto survivor and Jewish partisan Fania Brantsovskaya.
You were about to begin university when the Germans invaded on June 22, 1941. When they ordered your family into the Vilnius ghetto, you crossed the street, Pylimo, to the Jewish Hospital section of the ghetto between Pylimo and Ligoninės streets. You joined the FPO, carried out sabotage missions against the Lithuanian Nazis, fought in the forests and marched into Vilnius with the Red Army when the Soviets liberated the Lithuanian capital. Although the fascists murdered your entire family, you stayed in the country and continued fight for a better future. After your husband passed away, you devoted yourself to telling the truth to the younger generations about the Holocaust and how Jews didn’t go like lambs to the slaughter, but fought tooth and nail, and prevailed against their oppressors.
We salute your bravery, your decision to fight and the life you devoted to telling the truth and serving humanity in your native land.
Mazl tov. Bis 120!
May 19 Is Lag ba’Omer
Lag ba’Omer is a minor Jewish holiday celebrated with bonfires and an occasion for weddings and cutting children’s hair. It happens approximately one month after Passover, and the name means the 33rd day of the of the Omer count, on the 18th day of the Jewish month of Iyar, which is about the midpoint in time between Passover and Shavuot.
Lag ba’Omer, according to tradition, was the day on which the plague that killed 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s disciples stopped (Yebamoth, 62:72). For this reason it is customary to cease mourning customs of the Omer period, which include prohibition of marriages, cutting hair, and public expressions of joy such as singing and dancing. Some traditions hold that the period of mourning ends at Lag ba’Omer and others end it three days before the holiday of Shavuot.
The Lithuanian Jewish Community Invites You to the 5th World Litvak Congress
The Fifth World Litvak Congress will be held on May 23-26, organized by the Lithuanian Jewish Community. We invite you to join the events and enjoy Litvak culture, heritage, history and music. Share the news with your relatives, friends and colleagues.
Pre-registration is required by filling out the following form:
https://forms.gle/VJa9nMHaHjH4t5Lf6
The program may be found here:
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 8:56 P.M. on Friday, May 13, and concludes at 10:30 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Events Program for the Fifth World Litvak Congress in Vilnius
The following is the program of events for the Fifth World Litvak Congress to be held in Vilnius from May 23 to May 26, 2022.
A PDF file of the program can be downloaded here.
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Events Program for the Fifth World Litvak Congress in Vilnius
May 23
Opening ceremony for the Fifth World Litvak Congress
The Lithuanian Jewish Community invites Litvaks living around the world to return to Vilnius May 23 to May 26, to visit the land of our ancestors and to attend the Fifth World Litvak Congress.
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 8:44 P.M. on Friday, May 6, and concludes at 10:12 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Fifth World Litvak Congress
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 8:31 P.M. on Friday, April 29, and concludes at 9:55 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.
Kaunas Jewish Community Comes Together to Celebrate Passover Again
After a two-year break the Kaunas Jewish Community has come together again to celebrate Passover. Members attended both Rabbi Krinsky’s seders and a Passover celebration held by the Community with a quiz, music by multiple performers and a lot of fun.
Happy Birthday to Jakovas Mendelevskis
We wish a very happy birthday to Jakov who turned 90 April 26. He is an active member of the minyan at the Choral Synagogue. It’s said a man’s life isn’t measured in years, but in deeds. In that case, given his experience and wisdom, wishing him “bis 120” might not be nearly enough. Mazl tov!
Sabbath Times
The Sabbath begins at 8:17 P.M. on Friday, April 22, and concludes at 9:39 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Friday is the 7th day of Passover and Saturday, April 22, is the 8th and final day.
Saturday Prayer Service
Saturday=morning prayer service or shakharit will be held at 11:00 A.M. on April 23 at the Choral Synagogue in Vilnius with the Torah portion read by Rabbi Nathan Alfred.
Making Kugel with the Community’s Children on Passover
A #KinderTiš culinary workshop was held at the Lithuanian Jewish Community on Passover eve. The topic was Passover foods, of course, incorporating matzo bread. Many parents and children had the opportunity for the first time to try matzo kugel with raisins, curds and forest berry-jam, with butter on top, made by Riva Portnaja.
To make Passover breakfasts more interesting, Riva also showed participants how to make Mexican matzo brei with avocado, red beans, corn and fresh-squeezed lime juice.