Lithuanian Jewish Community

Victims of First Mass Murder Remembered in Palanga

Palanga Jewish Community chairman Vilius Gutmanas, Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky, members of the Palanga Jewish Community, Lithuanian MPs Mindaugas Lingė, Dalia Asanavičiūtė-Gružauskienė and Paule Kuzmickienė, Palanga mayor Šarūnas Vaitkus, deputy mayor Akvilė Kiljonienė, Palanga municpal Vulture Department director Robertas Trautmanas, staff from the Jonas Šliūpas Museum and high school students gathered to remember the first mass murder of Jews in Lithuania on June 27.

On June 22, 1941, a Young Pioneers summer camp of mainly Jewish children saw the brunt of the Nazi invasion with a building burnt down from aerial bombardment and children fleeing in panic. On June 26 all Jews in Palanga were arrested and crowded into two synagogues, one designated for females and young children and the other for males. The males were taken out and shot in the city’s main park on June 27. Around 111 people were murdered there that day, including 106 Jews and 5 Lithuanians. Remaining Jews were subjected to mass murder again on October 12, 1941. It is believed more than 400 Jews from Palanga were killed during both mass murders.

2025-07-01

Hundredth Anniversary of Birth of Leiba Lipshitz in Šiauliai

The Šiauliai District Jewish Community invites you to come celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Leiba Lipshitz. The Community and the Aušra Museum in Šiauliai will mark the date with an event commemorating this chronicler of the Šiauliai Jewish community in the 20th century and well-known personality with a presentation by historian Jonas Kiriliauskas.

Time: 4:00 P.M., Wednesday, July 16
Place: The Chaim Frenkl Villa and Museum, Vilnius street no. 74, Šiauliai

2025-07-01

The War with Iran: Aftermath

by Geoff Vasil

The aftermath of what the US administration is calling the 12-Day War (referring to the Six-Day War in 1967 when Moshe Dayan took the whole of the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt) is somewhat contentious.

Jonhny-come-lately the United States joined the fray but then attempted to take over the strategic ciurse of the conflict. As in World War I and World War II, when first the European powers then the Soviet Union had expended countless troops to win the war, the United States joined late, then allowed themselves to declare peace.

In the case of the latest 12-Day War, US president Trump declared mission accomplished, and demanded the state of Israel cease hostilities.

2025-06-302025-07-01

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 9:59 P.M. on Friday, June 26, and concludes at 11:31 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:41 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:59 P.M.

2025-06-262025-07-01

Hundredth Anniversary of the YIVO in Vilnius

An international seminar for Lithuanian teachers dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the YIVO Institute (Jewish Research Institute) in Vilnius was held at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library, and a virtual museum was presented with a prepared methodological manual entitled “Beba’s Story,” based on the story of Beba Epstein, a girl who lived in Vilnius.

The opening of the seminar was attended by library director Aušrinė Žilinskienė, Israeli ambassador Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein, Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky, MP Emanuelis Zingeris, diplomats from the USA and Germany and deputy Vilnius mayor Vytautas Mitalas.

The seminar was attended by 40 teachers from different locations in Lithuania who are interested in the history of Lithuanian Jews and the possibilities of using various historical sources in their curricula.

Speakers included Egidijus Aleksandravičius of Vytautas Magnus University, YIVO sirector Jonathan Brent, director of the National Library’s Judaica Center Lara Lempertienė and historian Saulius Sužedelis.

The seminar was organized by the YIVO Institute (USA) in cooperation with the International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania, the Martynas Mažvydas National Library, the city of Vilnius, the Goodwill Foundation and the Lithuanian Jewish Community.

2025-06-262025-06-26

Brothers and Sisters in Arms in the Service of Remembrance

by Sergėjus Kanovičius, www.lrt.lt

When a half year ago German ambassador to Lithuania Cornelius Zimmermann asked me whether I’d object to an initiative by which soldiers from a Germany armored brigade would help document Jewish cemeteries in Lithuania, I was at a loss for words. The first thought which occurred to me was, why now Lithuanian soldiers?

But as I sat in the waiting room of the German embassy… Over 14 years in the life of Maceva (Matseva, Hebrew for monument), there’s been a bit of everything–Austrian and German volunteers, Christian, Lithuanian high school students, US embassy staff, visitors from Israel. But Bundeswehr soldiers maintaing Jewish cemeteries and documenting grave monuments? Why?

2025-06-23

Where in the World is Diego Garcia?

by Geoff Vasil

I always used to ask myself that every time i heard Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego on television.

Back in the 1980s Brøderbund Software released a game by the same name which became extremely popular with school children. It went on to become a children’s game show on the Public Broadcasting System network in the United States. Later the newcomer network Fox picked it up as well.

The games and series are essentially a mystery where clues are given to the current location of the arch-villain Carmen Sandiego, head of the international association of bad guys called V.I.L.E., shades of SPECTRE, HYDRA and KAOS.

2025-06-222025-06-23

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 9:59 P.M. on Friday, June 20, and concludes at 11:32 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:41 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:59 P.M. In various countries the summer solstice is celebrated on various days from June 20 to 23, the longest day of the year and the official beginning of summer. In Lithuania June 24 is St. John”s Day and is a non-work day.

2025-06-19

Intensive Yiddish Courses Coming This Summer

The Sholem Aleichem ORT Gymnasium in Vilnius will host two weeks of Yiddish course at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels under the tutelage of Dov-Ber Kerler and Anna Vershik–both teachers at the former Vilnius Yiddish Institute’s summer courses–and Yuri Vedenyapin from Poland August 3-15. The cost is €350 per student and registration is open now by clicking the following link:
https://forms.gle/DR4nzbXrDS84TVQ37

Beginners need no knowledge of the language at all but the instructors say knowledge of the Hebrew alphabet would be a big help. For more information, write to: yiddishcourse@ort.lt

2025-06-182025-08-25

Makabi to Hold Paddle Tennis Competition

Lithuanian Makabi Athletics Club will hold for the first time a paddle tennis competition. Registrations is open till June 24. The cost is 30 euros per person or 60 euros for a team. To register click here. For more information, write info@maccabi.lt

Time: 11:00 A,M. to 2:00 P.M., Sunday, June 29
Place: Fanai paddle ball courts, Metalo street no. 2, Vilnius

2025-06-18

Scouting Camp by Boat

ewish scouting leader Michail Adomui Kofman is planning a scouting camp at the Vaitlunkis camp and recreation area in the Panevėžys district to be reached and exited by boat from July 2 to July 8.

The program includes abundant activities, four meals per day, amenities and camp badges and emblems.

The cost is 90 years for the full program, 15 euros per day for part-time participants and a donation of 30 euros from adult volunteers and older scouts. Part-time volunteers are asked to pay 5 euros per day. Parents and guests attending visitor’s day are asked to pay 10 euroes per day. Scout leaders supervising groups of young people are not asked to pay anything. There are discounts for two children from the same family at 75 euros per person, and 3 members of the same family pay just 6- euros each. Discouns don’t apply to adult family members.

2025-06-182025-06-18

Journey to Agartha Scouting Jamboree in Panevėžys

A jamboree of scouts from across the Panevėžys district including a contingent of Jewish scouts met in the Žalioji Forest and camped there from May 31 to June 1.

Almost 150 scouts already on scene greeted a minbus full of Jewish scouts just before the opening ceremony for the campsite.

The scouts were divided into age groups and activities for the youngest included handicrafts and botanical identification. Scouts aged 10-14 played games to increase vigilance, leadership and strategic thinking. Scouts 14-18 honed their skills in constructing shelters (knots, wooden construction, tool safety), built a dug-out bunker and cooked for themselves.

This was the first time Jewish scouts appeared with their new official troop title, the Yitzhak Meir Jewish Scouting Club.

The jamboree was called A Journey to Agartha, the mythical subterranean kingdom popularized in Europe by Ferdynand Ossendowski and René Guénon.

2025-06-18

Hey Hey Film-Making Camp for Children

Milana Rozovskaja will lead a filmmaking workshop/camp for young people aged 7 to 14 from July 27 to August 1. Instruction will include fundamentals of cinematic literary from writing scenes, character development, animation to special effects. The young people will perform in their own films and will do video and audio editing. The intensive workshop will conclude with screenings of the films produced.

To register, click here. For more information, call Milana at+370 686 59719.

2025-06-18

Natalja Cheifec’s Lecture on Jewish Courts

Natalka Cheifec will deliver her weekly lecture on Jewish life followed by discussion on Jewish judicial commissions, i.e., Jewish courts. The internet lecture and dsicussion starts at 6:30 P.M. this Tursday, June 19, via the zoom platform.

Among the topics she plans to address:

• Criteria for selecting judges;
• Definition of theft and its eight species;
• Punishment for murder;
• Definition of unintentional homicide;
• The death penalty;
• Greater guilt of inciter over perpetrator;
• Definition of bribery;
• Sanctuary;
• Rules of war.

To receive zoom credentials, click here.

2025-06-18

Bundeswehr, Maceva Clean Up Old Jewish Cemetery in Merkinė

Soldiers from the German Bubdeswehr’s 45th armored brrigade and members of the Maceva Jewish cemetery preservation group spent four days last week cleaning up the old Jewish cemetery and Holocaust monument in Merkinė in southeast Lithuania.

Merkinė is the site of early if not the earliest Jewish settlement in Lithuania.

Brigade commander Christoph Huber, German ambassador to Lithuania Cornelius Zimmermann and Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky visited the cemetery to see the soldiers’ work at a special ceremony for concluding the upkeep mission.

About 130 soldienrs working with people from Lithuania’s Maceva Jewish cemeteries initiative removed moss, polished headstones and cleared brush from the site. Members of Maceva photographed the markers and cemetery as well.

One German soldier stationed in Lithuania since April said: “It’s not an obvious thing to me that I as a German soldier can contribute to the meaningful work by Maceva at Jewish cemeteries. This was an especially moving experience for me, to look at our complicated page of history in Lithuania.”

2025-06-172025-06-17

The War with Iran: No Contest

by Geoff Vasil

Critics contend the claim Iran is weeks away from a nuclear bomb has been a talking point for at least a decade if not 30 years now.

Israel and the International Atomic Energy Commission say Iran has violated restrictions on uranium enrichment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in the last several months.

Iran says this is their first violation and that they don’t want and never have wanted a nuclear bomb.

If Iran has been accused of the same thing for over a decade, and Israel maintains that the danger is here at the door, which side is right?
\
Actually, it turns out all sides are right. The reason is simple. the funny little secret about nuclear bombs is that they aren’t very high technology at all. In fact, the basic atomic bomb is as simple as smashing two rocks together.

2025-06-162025-06-17

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 9:56 P.M. on Friday, June 13, and concludes at 11:29 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region. Sabbath candles should be lit at 9:38 P.M. and completed before sunset at 9:56 P.M. Saturday is Flag Day un the United States.

2025-06-112025-06-11

From Lithuania to Israel via Siberia

The Vilnius Jewish Public Library is pleased to announce a presentation of a translation of Shmaryahu Pustopetsky’s book From Lithuania to Israel via Siberia on Monday, June 16.

Translators Regina Kopilevich, an accomplished genealogist and tourist guide for Jewish Vilna, and historian and author Dalia Epšteinaitė will discuss the book with sociologist and historian Violeta Davoliūtė who specializes in family studies as moderator.

Pustopetsjy was a military officer in pre-World War II independent Lithuania, and was deported to Siberia, He was an active member of the Beitar movement before the Holocaust. In the book, he discusses both world wars, Litvak culture in the 1930s, the story of the so-called prisoners of Zion and the brutal prison camps under Stalin.

Time: 6:00 P.M., Monday, June 16
Place: Vilnius Jewish Public Library, Gedimino prospect no. 24, Vilnius

2025-06-112025-06-12

Israeli President Isaac Herzog Visits Lithuania

On the War in Israel and the Situation in Lithuania