Lithuanian Jewish Community

Makabi Tennis Tourney

The Lithuanian Makabi Athletics Club invites you to our annual tennis tournament, to be held from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on Sunday, November 24, at the SEB Arena located at Ąžuolyno street no. 3 in Vilnius.

The format depends on the number and skill of those registered.

The tournament will be followed by prizes and a buffet where participants can share their impressions among friends.

Registration is required by November 10 by sending an email to manovilnius99@gmail.com or calling+370 612 81088.

See you there!

2024-08-16

Anti-Semitism in France: Can Lithuanian Jews Expect the Same?

by Arkadijus Vinokuras, LRT.lt

The goal of the Islamists and their supporters in Europe is to turn Jewish life in Europe into hell. Does this goal have something to do with Israel? It would be as if Lithuanians living abroad were persecuted for decisions made by Lithuanian politicians.

Meanwhile, an anti-Semitic party has been resurrected in Lithuania led by the anti-Semite Remigijus Žemaitaitis. We must note all of that party’s members who have donned the brown shirt have automatically become anti-Semites because they now the stances of their leader.

Reactions? Yes, we’ve seen them. Whether he was invited or not, he participated at the inauguration of re-elected president Gitanas Nausėda. It seems the president’s advisor, the former right-hand-man of the anti-Semitic and homophobic owner of the Respublika newspaper, performed his dirty work, but more about that later. So while there are no questions about the aims of the Islamists, there are many questions about the goals of the democratic West.

Full text in Lithuanian here.

2024-08-132024-08-13

News from Šiauliai

Members of the Šiauliai Jewish Community and friends from Germany Saturday toured Lithuania’s Kurtuvėnai Regional Park. They took in the visitors’ center, some of the beautiful landscapes, learned about the history of the town of Kurtuvėnai and visited a barn museum at the manor estate there.

2024-08-12

Visitors to Panevėžys

A delegation of directors and students from the Leikund Yeshiva in New York City visited the Panevėžys Jewish Community recently. Most of them were members of the Frank family as well. They were interested in Litvak history and visited some of the mass murder sites. Panevėžys Jewish Community chairman Gennady Kofman told them about the history of the Jews of Panevėžys and about the Panevėžys Jewish Community’s activities. After visiting the Panevėžys Jewish Community the group went on to tour Jewish sites in Panevėžys including the Jewish cemetery, different locations in the city and Holocaust mass murder sites in the area.

2024-08-12

Scouting Camp

A camp for scouts called Draugystės Mazga [Knot of Friendship] is scheduled to take place from August 17 to 19 to include scouts from throughout Lithuania.

Place: Bražuolė campground, https://maps.app.goo.gl/EknH7EqAB1tE74r87
Registration: https://forms.gle/sryYSvAKHbwETKnG8
Cost: 15 euros per participant, 5 euros for scout leader and accompanying adults

If you want to participate but don’t have a scouting guide, contact karolisalekna125@gmail.com.

2024-08-12

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 8:45 P.M. on Friday, August 9, and concludes at 10:06 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.

2024-08-08

Condolences

In deep sadness we report the death of Borisas Tsveigas. He was born in 1960 and was a beloved member in long standing. The Lithuanian Jewish Community extends our sincere condolences to his wife Vita, his sons and to his many friends and family members.

2024-08-08

Commemoration of Sania Kerbelis

Members and friends of the Šiauliai Jewish Community gathered at the Community building Monday to commemorate the late Sania Kerbelis who served as chairman for many years.

Special guest Rabbi Kalev Krelin provided a simple and enlightened exegesis of Torah as the basis for his eulogy of Sania and reminded those assembled that the best commemoration and compensation of loss is prayer and good works.

Community member Ričardas Pikelis recited his poem in memory of Kerbelis.

2024-08-06

Travel Advisory: Avoid Lebanon

The United States, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany and France issued travel advisories last week and over the weekend advising their citizens and subjects to flee Lebanon. The US went further, saying its citizens should get out immediately by any available means to any available destination. The notifications come during anticipation the Islamic Republic of Iran intends to strike Israel either directly or using its proxy armies in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and Yemen, or from all directions at once. Iranian leaders Friday said at a press conference they would punish Israel and hinted at targeting prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself, in retaliation for the assassination of a Hamas leader in Teheran attributed by Iran to Israel.

2024-08-062024-08-06

News from Šiauliai

Architect Tauras Budzys visited the Šiauliai Jewish Community recently. He’s the person behind the project begun back in 2018 to mark the graves of Righteous Gentiles in Lithuania with a special symbol. He and Šiauliai Jewish Community leaders agreed to hold an exhibit of Lithuanian Righteous Gentiles in Šiauliai in early September. The exhibit was created by Budzys and Barbora Karnienė and features the names, biographical facts and numbers of Jews rescued by 45 Righteous Gentiles in Lithuania.

2024-08-05

Samudaripen Commemorated in Lithuania

Samudaripen or Roma Genocide Day was marked August 2 at the Ponar Memorial Complex in Lithuania.

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky was one of the speakers at the event and said:

“Eighty years have passed since the war and we are gathered officially here for only the sixth time. With our whole heart we sympathize with our fellow Roma and feel your tragedy.”

She said the tragedy of the Roma was just as painful as that of the Jews, the difference being pre-Holocaust Jews lived in shtetls and their names, families and significant biographical facts were largely known, whereas we don’t even know the exact number of Roma victims of the Holocaust in Lithuania.

2024-08-05

Call for World Maccabiah Athletes

A year from now the World Maccabiah Games will be held again in Israel. Organizers have asked for lists of contestants, so the Lithuanian Makabi Athletics Club is asking potential athletes to make themselves known. If you think you might want to be a part of the Lithuanian delegation to the games, register here: https://maccabi.lt/naujienos/pirmieji-pasiruosimo-darbai-2025-makabiadai-izraelyje/

To contact Lithuanian Makabi, click here: www.maccabi.lt.

More information about the World Games is available here: www.maccabi.org.

2024-08-052024-08-05

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 8:59 P.M. on Friday, August 2, and concludes at 10:24 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.

2024-08-01

A Tribute to Žilvinas Beliauskas

by Rabbi Moshe Martin Levin

Žilvinas Beliauskas WAS ALWAYS:

Tall and handsome;
Brilliant and articulate;
Talking in long sentences without taking a breath;
He always listened with both ears.

Always was an encyclopedia of so many subjects.

A true patriot who knew the shortcomings as well as the achievements of his homeland.

A husband in love with his wife Ieva.

2024-08-012024-08-01

Israeli Prime Minister Addresses Both Houses of Congress

The following is the full text of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before the United States Congress assembled on July 25, 2024, as issued by his office.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson,
Senator Ben Cardin,
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries,
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer,
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell,
Senators,
Members of Congress,
Distinguished guests,

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for giving me the profound honor of addressing this great citadel of democracy for the fourth time.

We meet today at a crossroads of history. Our world is in upheaval. In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror confronts America, Israel and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization. It’s a clash between those who glorify death and those who sanctify life.

For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together. Because when we stand together, something very simple happens. We win. They lose.

And my friends, I came to assure you today of one thing: we will win.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Like December 7th, 1941, and September 11th, 2001, October 7th is a day that will forever live in infamy.

It was the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. It began as a perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky. Thousands of young Israelis were celebrating at an outdoor music festival. And suddenly, at 6:29 a.m., as children were still sleeping soundly in their beds in the towns and kibbutzim next to Gaza, suddenly heaven turned into hell. Three thousand Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel. They butchered 1,200 people from 41 countries, including 39 Americans. Proportionately, compared to our population size, that’s like 20 9/11s in one day. And these monsters, they raped women, they beheaded men, they burnt babies alive, they killed parents in front of their children and children in front of their parents. They dragged 255 people, both living in dead, into the dark dungeons of Gaza.

2024-07-292024-07-29

Israeli President Planning to Visit Lithuania in Fall

According to diplomatic sources the Israeli leader’s visit to the three Baltic states had been planned for June.

“The dates of the visit have been adjusted due to the busy agenda of the Baltic leaders and the Israeli president,” press secretary for the president of Lithuania Ridas Jasulionis told BNS.

Lithuanian Jewish Community chairwoman Faina Kukliansky told BNS that she had canceled a trip several weeks ago after learning of the visit planned by the president of Israel. She added Herzog had planned to visit the Lost Shtetl Museum under construction in Šeduva, Lithuania. Herzog is the descendant of Litvaks with roots in Šeduva.

2024-07-292024-07-29

Natalja Cheifec Lecture “Justice and the Courts according to the Torah”

Natalja Cheifec continues her series of lectures on Jewish culture and religion this Tuesday, July 30 with a lecture/discussion called “Justice and the Courts according to the Torah” meeting that day at 5:30 P.M. on the zoom internet platform.

Her lecture will include:

• Criteria for selection of judges
• How theft is defined in Judaism and the 8 types of theft
• Punishment for murder
• What accidental homicide means
• Application of the death penalty in Judaic law
• Who is more at fault, the criminal or the instigator
• What a bribe is
• Compensation for physical and moral damages
• Sanctuary
• Laws of war

The lecture will likely be in Lithuanian, depending on the audience. To receive zoom credentials and attend the virtual lecture, click here: https://shorturl.at/gMbBJ

2024-07-292024-07-29

Condolences

Žilvinas Beliauskas suddenly died Friday. A teacher at the Mykolas Romeris University, he was a qualified psychologist and for a time, according to his friends, worked at the United Nations in New York. In the early 2000s a private donor attempted to donate a large collection of “Jewish books” in the broadest sense of the term to the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum, which eventually resulted in the Vilnius Jewish Public Library with sponsorship and funding from the Government chancellor. Žilvinas took the concept of the library and ran with it, acquiring many more important books on Jewish culture and religion and fictional works by Jewish authors. He created more than an open and friendly public library by hosting numerous speakers, panels, discussions and book launches in the humble space. Ever cheerful, friendly with all, always willing to lend a hand, Žilvinas will be sorely missed by all who knew him. We extend our deepest condolences to his many friends and family members.

2024-07-29

Sabbath Times

The Sabbath begins at 9:12 P.M. on Friday, July 26, and concludes at 10:41 P.M. on Saturday in the Vilnius region.

2024-07-25

Sports Encyclopaedia Presented in Šiauliai

The summer Olympic Games opened in Paris Friday, and the Šiauliai Photography Museum hosted a presentation of an illustrated sports encyclopaedia called “Sportas Šiauliuose ir Lietuvoje (iki XX a. vidurio)” [Sport in Šiauliai and Lithuania (until the mid-20th century)] last Wednesday.

Author Jonas Nekrašius told the large audience the story of the birth of the genesis of the publication and thanked the collectors, museum specialists and other people who helped make the launch a success, giving copies of his book to them.

There was keen interest in the section of the book the on the history of the Šiauliai section of the Makabi Lithuanian Jewish sports and gymnastics society which operated between 1921 and 1940. The late chairman of the Šiauliai District Jewish Community Sania Kerbelis contributed heavily to that chapter of the book.

2024-07-252024-07-26