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Kaunas Jewish Community Honors Righteous Gentiles

Kaunas Jewish Community Honors Righteous Gentiles

Although sadly their numbers continue to diminish naturally, Righteous Gentiles were again honored by the Kaunas Jewish Community at their annual event.

Kaunas Jewish Community chairman Gercas Žakas said: “It is also great to receive these old family friends of ours we know so well, and it is equally great to meet these new descendants of rescuers and to make new friends with them.”

Architect Tauras Budzys attended the event for the first time this year. He’s been marking the graves of Righteous Gentiles with a symbol of his own design, at his own initiative and expense. Conservative MP Paulė Kuzmickienė also attended. She initiated legislation for Lithuania’s Day of Righteous Gentiles, March 15, in parliament back in 2022. The duet Perfect Nemesis provided musical accompaniment for the evening.

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Condolences

Genia Žuromskienė has passed away. She was born in 1944. The Lithuanian Jewish Community and chairwoman Faina Kukliansky extend our deepest condolenes to the sister, relatives and friends she leaves behind.

Condolences

Julija Ruminienė has passed away. She was born in 1938. She was a member of the Šiauliai Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Our deepest condolences to the children and friends she leaves behind.

Jewish Scouts Hike

Jewish Scouts Hike

Jewish scouts hiked the Neris Regional Park last week on the way to a campsite. Fording a river in the scouting manner, hikers took in beautiful forest and natural vistas, played a game they called “nature bingo” to learn more about nature and botany, sang songs and did other activities in the program.

More experienced scouts taught newer ones how to use a compass and maps, and how to determine cardinal directions in the natural environment. The scouts also cooked their own meal. The younger ones learned about semaphore flag signals and different groups tried to communicate over long distances using that system. More experienced scouts tried their hand at building shelters, tying knots and using them in the structures and setting up tents.

The program for the hike was made up largely by the older scouts at weekly meetings. Several months ago hiking skills were brought up and resulted in a teaching program for scouts where they performed various tasks and learned about prepared for hikes in the wilderness, how to wear backpacks more effectively, planning routes, navigating by compass, appropriate food needs and similar things, and then organized this recent hike.

Thank you to everyone who participated and to those who didn’t, more such events are being planned.

Special Mother’s Day Program at Ilan and Dubi Clubs Saturday

Special Mother’s Day Program at Ilan and Dubi Clubs Saturday

Instructors at the Ilan and Dubi Clubs have come up with a special program of activities for the upcoming Mother’s Day weekend. In Lithuania Mother’s day is marked on the first Sunday in May. Saturday’s club meetings will challenge children and young people to come up with their own programs for celebrating Mother’s Day in the afternoon starting at 1:00 P.M., followed by the arrival of their mothers afterwards at 3:00 P.M.

Registration is required for this meeting of the clubs and the event afterwards. Send an email to levickajasimona@gmail.com.

Times: 1:00 P.M. for club meetings, 3:00 P.M. for mothers’ arrival, Saturday, May 3
Place: Lithuanian Jewish Community, Vilnius.

Condolences

Sofija Estrina has died. She was born in 1936. She was a member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Our deepest condolences to her surviving son, family members and friends.

Condolences

Ada Gelpernaitė has passed away. She was born in 1960. She was a member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Our deepest condolences to the brother she leaves behind and her many family and friends.

Condolences

Jonas Karbutas has died. He was born in 1940. He was a member of the Kaunas Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Seniors Club Passover

Seniors Club Passover

Taking care of our elderly is a Jewish tradition. Our Seniors Club which operates throughout the year with concerts, lectures and lots of fun, attended a special Passover celebration and seder at the Lithuanian Jewish Community in Vilnius last week.

LJC programs coordinator Žana Skudovičienė came up with a special program for our seniors this year with music and prayer by cantor Shmuel Yaatom and a speaking event by Natalja Cheifec on Jewish history.

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky was on hand to deliver holiday greetings from the entire Community.

Reportedly every member of the Seniors Club attended.

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Happy Passover

Happy Passover

Dear Community members, friends, supporters and dear reader,

Greetings to all Jews on the great holiday Passover. This holiday crows the liberation of the Jews from the oppression of the Egyptian pharaoh and our becoming one people and a free people.

Passover isn’t a time of noisy gatherings. It is a traditional family holiday when the home is cleansed of leavening agents, children seek out the hidden pieces of matzo, when the whole family sits down at the seder table and reads the Haggadah.

We are so very happy that this year the majority of Litvak families are celebrating Passover in line with all traditions and rules, celebrating at home with their families. Our staff and homecare workers are also visiting our members who live alone that they might also feel cared for and share in the holiday spirit of warmth and joy.

I wish everyone a happy family Passover. Let’s always remain free and let’s always be happy.

Happy Passover! Hag Pesach sameach!

Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman
Lithuanian Jewish Community

Condolences

Borisas Liberčukas has died. He was born in 1936. He was a member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Our deepest condolences to his widow, children and friends left behind.

Condolences

Polina Sokolskaya has passed away. She was born in 1923. A Lithuanian Jewish Community of long standing, she was also a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Our deepest condolences to her granddaughter Renata and all her friends and loved ones.

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.

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.

Condolences

Adolfas Rudzianskis passed away February 16. He was born in 1937. He was a member of the Lithuanian Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. Our deepest condolences to his friends and family.

Condolences

Bunia Kaselman passed away February 10. She was born in 1925. She was a member of the Klaipėda Jewish Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. We extend our deepest condolences to her daughter, other family members and friends.

Israeli Speaker to Address LJC Sunday

Israeli Speaker to Address LJC Sunday

Litvak Raffael Hletzer will speak at the Lithuanian Jewish Community Sunday. He was born in Lithuania but left for Israel with his family at a young age. He is currently the executive director of the renowned Kehilor Netaim Jewish educational program. His presentation will be about his roots in Lithuania, the upcoming holiday Tu b’Shvat and connections with the past and present. The event is free but registration is required by sending an email to zanas@sc.lzb.lt.

Time: 1:00 P.M., Sunday, February 9
Place: Room 306, Lithuanian Jewish Community, Vilnius

Ilan Club to Meet

Ilan Club to Meet

The Ilan Club will meet this Saturday for the first time since winter vacation. The club is intended for children and adolescents and the guides have prepared an impressive program of activities. The club will continue to meet every Saturday at the same place and time.

Time: 1:00 P.M., Saturday
Place: Second floor, Lithuanian Jewish Community, Vilnius

Win Two Tickets to “Here’s Lazareva!”

Win Two Tickets to “Here’s Lazareva!”

The Lithuanian Jewish Community will host an evening with Russian television personality, actor and comedienne Tatyana Lazareva. She will share her subtly self-ironic and philosophical thoughts during a dialogue called “Here’s Lazareva” including on her life and career.

Tickets are available here.

Enter our contest to win two free tickets here. Winners will be announced on February 14, Valentine’s Day.

Time: 7:00 P.M., Friday, February 28
Place: Third floor, Lithuanian Jewish Community, Vilnius (elevator available)

Condolences

Michailas Kravecas passed away Sunday. He was born in 1952 and was a member of the Community and a client of the Saul Kagan Welfare Center. We extend our deepest condolences to his daughter, his sister and his many friends in the Community.