EVERY WEEK ON SUNDAYS

26 May marked the end of the twelfth season of operation of the Lecture Room ("Lektoriumas") of the Jewish Community of Lithuania. Its activity has long exceeded the limits of strict academic lecturing. It holds not only lectures but also commemorations, meetings with interesting people, and even concerts. Each time the Lecture Room gathers 90-100 people.
The idea of setting up a Lecture Room was born in 1990 with the start of operation of the Jewish school, which had only one first form. Director of the school and excellent pedagogue Simonas Levinas jointly with Izraelis Lempertas, Aronas Garonas, and Elijus Zeifas decided to involve not only children but also adults in the teaching process. Yivrit courses in the Lecture Room became its integral part. Organising of lectures on Jewish culture was entrusted to Frida Zimanienë and Izraelis Lempertas.
The first lecture on "What is Yiddishkait?" was held in a small classroom of the Jewish school in Kauno Street. Aronas Garonas and Leizeris Aronas gave a lecture on the life in pre-war Vilnius. Elijas Zeifas prepared a lecture on life and works of Mendelë Moicher-Sforimas, classical author of Jewish literature. People developed interest in these lectures, the audience grew, and lecturing took place every week on Sundays. In 1995, the Sholom Aleichem School moved to more spacious premises in Taikos Street. The Jewish Community of Lithuania moved from a two-room office in Jasinskio Street to the building of the former Yivrit Gymnasium in Pylimo Street 4.
A hall had been well equipped on the ground floor of the Community building and housed the Lecture Room already before the First World Litvak Congress.
The Lecture Room offers lectures on the history and philosophy of the Jewish people, Jewish relations with other nations, and opens a forum for sharing recollections with famous people and on historical events, hosts meetings with famous people of culture and arts as well as concerts. It is also a place to celebrate traditional Jewish festivals, commemorative dates, etc.
Many people attend the Lecture Room regularly. They do not only listen to lectures, but also meet each other, exchange news and discuss the latest developments in the world, in Lithuania, and Israel. Thanks to Frida Zimanienë a pleasant almost family like atmosphere full of confidence prevails here.
Simonas Alperavièius regularly informs the audience about the most important events in the Community life. Meetings with the staff of the Israeli Embassy in the Baltic States are lively. The audience was highly impressed by the lectures given by late journalist Saliamonas Vaintraubas on anti-Semitism, as they were based on undeniable facts, rich, and fascinating.
There were memorable meeting with journalist Pranas Morkus, writer Rimantas Vanagas, Linas Vildþiûnas, Chairman of the organisation "Atminties namai", and other representatives of Lithuanian intellectuals. Large audience gathered for the meetings with Prof. Saulius Sondeckis, Head Conductor of the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Timofejus Dokðiceris, world celebrated trumpeter, academician Juras Poþëla, Prof. Chaimas Potaðinskis, and composer Anatolijus Ðenderovas. Concerts were held by vocalists and instrumentalists Borisas Traubas, Leonidas Melnikas, Judita Leitaitë, Aliza Blecharoviè, Liora Grodnikaitë, Marija Krupoves, Rafailas Karpis, Leonidas Lifðinas, Veronika Vitaitë, and many other performers.
The audience retained warm recollections from the meeting with the late actor of the Russian Drama Theatre Artiom Inozemcev and artist Michail Percov, memorable, expressive and interesting performances were made by Michail Jevdokimov, Renata Vagnerytë, Alisa Iljina.
The Jewish life in pre-war Jurbarkas was highlighted by Zalmenas Kaplanas, while Gir?as Pekelis talked about pre-war Vilkmergë (Ukmergë).
Dima Gelpern's lectures on the resistance movement at the Kaunas Ghetto and Faina Brancovskaja's story on the Vilnius Ghetto were also very impressive.
Judaic lectures by Prof. Mejeris ?ubas enjoy much interest too.
Dozens of people come to the Lecture Room every Sunday and they have done so for 12 years. It has become an inseparable part of Community life and our lives. Thus, our sincere gratitude goes to Frida Zimanienë and Izraelis Lempertas who have organised the work of the Lecture Room for all these years.
Mejeris NOMBERGAS

"GESHER"

One knows that the word "gesher" means "bridge". We would like to bridge two banks, i.e. the young and the old, to get them together and unite all active people of 30 to 50. People of this age are said to be busy with work and routine concerns and having no time for anything else.
The Centre "Gesher" of the Jewish Community of Lithuania launched its activity a couple of months ago. It turned out that middle-aged people also missed this very important thing - participation in the activities of the Jewish community, and they long for contacts with their fellow nationals.
"Gesher" members organised a picnic, celebrated the day of Independence of the State of Israel together, and held a party of Jewish cuisine where gefilte fisch (stuffed fish - editor's note) was cooked and tasted. Several joint meeting were organised, which enabled people to get acquainted with each other, talk about the goals of "Gesher" and opening opportunities. The English language courses are held, and young representatives of the JOINT teach the basics of Judaism. We celebrate Jewish holidays together.
Our activity grows. We plan to organise different courses within the premises of the community and carry out sport and tourist activities. There are a lot of active and energetic people among the members of "Gesher". They willingly contribute to organising different events which are attended by an increasingly growing number of people.
The main activity of "Gesher" is focused on the Jews and their family members, however, we do not dissociate ourselves from the people of other nationalities; we believe that it is important to involve all our friends and those who are interested in Jewish life in "Gesher" activities.
Further information about all the activities of the Centre is available at tel. +370 861005905, and e-mail: junonab@litjews.org
Junona BERZNITSKI, Co-ordinator of the Centre "Gesher"

HOLOCAUST VICTIMS HONOURED IN KAUNAS FORT IX

On 13 April, a ceremony was held in Kaunas Fort IX to commemorate 878 French Jews who were executed by the Nazis in 1944. A commemorative plaque was unveiled and a photo exhibition was organised. On 15 May 1944 - only a few months before the capitulation of Hitler Germany - the so-called Convoy No.73 with 878 Jews deported from France arrived at Fort IX of Kaunas. The Nazis and their local collaborators in Fort IX executed the majority of these Jews. The rest of them were exterminated in Pravieniðkës near Kaunas and Estonia.
The French Association which unites the relatives of the victims has been visiting Fort IX since 1990 and is concerned with perpetuating their memory. This time the members of the Association replaced the temporary commemorative plaque, funded from their own contributions and unveiled some years ago, with a permanent one.
"We do not know where you perished, thus, all the places are memorial to us," said Luiz Koen, President of the Association, at the mourning ceremony.
Approximately 10 thousand of more than 50 thousand Jews executed by the Nazis and their local collaborators in Kaunas Fort IX between 1941 and 1944 were "convoyed" from France, Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland.
Photographer Virginijus Ka?inskas took pictures of all the inscriptions which the prisoners, waiting for their death in agony, left on the walls of the casemates of Fort IX during the years of the occupation. The photo exhibition opened on 30 April under the title "Return to Remember - Convoy No.73". The commemorative ceremony was attended by members of Kaunas Jewish Community, Lithuanian representatives of the Municipal Council, and by scholars.
"JoL" info.

WE SHARE SOLIDARITY WITH THE FIGHTING ISRAEL

Reacting to arson inflicted on synagogues and a wave of anti-Semitism in some countries, the Jewish Community of Lithuania organised a meeting where Lithuanian Jews expressed their solidarity with the fighting Israel.
"The world is silent when bloody attacks are launched in public places almost daily and claim lives of innocent victims, but it does shout loud when the State of Israel takes measures to prevent them from happening," addressed the participants Rabbi Sholom Ber Krinski who came to visit Vilnius from New York some years ago.
"The Jewish people have been persecuted by powerful enemies for the four millenniums of their history, however, their loyalty to their religion and national self-consciousness have given them strength to resist mortal danger. They have resisted with the help of God, have restored their temples, and defended their dignity", said the Rabbi.
Some of the speakers noticed that there were governments in the world, which tried to divide terrorists into "good" and "bad", into "their own" and "alien", though everybody understood that the suicide terrorists who targeted passenger planes at the World Trading Centre in New York on 11 September 2001 did not differ from suicide bombers in busy parts of Israel. Until the world realises that both the former and the latter are sent on missions and trained by the same powers, all pledges to fight against terrorism are merely empty talk.
"All the Israeli, that is women and men, young and old, children and elderly, who perished or were injured as a result of recent terrorist attacks are our brothers and sisters," said members of the Community at the meeting.
In their addresses, the participants of the meeting noted that anti-Semitic powers became more active in Lithuania as a consequence of the situation in Israel. Unfortunately, except a small part of Lithuania's population, Lithuanian society at large insufficiently opposes or hardly reacts to ever increasing manifestations by anti-Semitic radicals.
"JoL" info.

502 CHORAL SYNAGOGUE IS UNDER RENOVATION

The only open Choral Synagogue in Pylimo Street in Vilnius has finally undergone renovation. A careful examination of the premises revealed the existence of the Small Hall of Prayer. Although this hall was in the architectural plan, it never served its initial purpose after the War. It has lately been renovated and Aron Kadesh where the Torah is kept has been put in order. Now the believers come here on weekdays to pray. This is especially important in winter when savings on heating are particularly urgent. On Saturdays, the Grand Hall is used for the main service, as before.
Almost all the windows were renewed and repaired. Five new frames were fixed in the Small Hall. Taking into account that now there are no possibilities for proceeding with the renovation in the other premises, almost all the old frames were repaired and glassed in. The windows were bared and protective aluminium blinds were installed. New sanitation facilities were installed, too.
The premises at the entrance were repaired and painted, suspended ceiling was fixed and the floor was decorated with ceramic tiles like in the Grand Hall. The entrance to the women's part was repaired and put in order.
"JoL" info.