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Lithuania's Oldest Bookstore an American Yeshiva's SUPPLEMENT TO DRAUGAS NEWS MAR / APR 2019 VOL 7 (S2) In this issue: Lithuania’s Oldest Bookstore An American Yeshiva’s Lithuanian Roots A Tobacco Farmer’s Life in Canada Growing Up Lithuanian on a Tobacco Farm VilNews – Voice of International Lithuania The Stork and the Mork(a) Lithuanian Portraits A class in session in the Rayshe Yeshiva ca. 1920s. ( currently Rzeszów, Poland; photographed by Alter Kacyzne, reproduced from the Archives of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, New York ) Volume 7, Number S2 Mar / Apr 2019 FEATURES Lithuania’s Oldest Bookstore 6 ė by Karolina Masiulyt Paliulienė On Christmas Eve of 1991, our father Jonas informed us that he had received notice from the Lithuanian authorities that they would be will - ing to restore ownership of the bookstore to our family. 10 An American Yeshiva’s Lithuanian Roots by Gil S. Perl The transformation of these small rather ragged medieval yeshivas into the academic and cultural juggernaut of today, began in the environs of page 10 Vilnius in the late 18th century. 14 A Tobacco Farmer’s Life in Canada by Ramūnė Sakalas –Jonaitis A vital chapter in the story of Canada’s Lithuanians is told in the life of to - bacco farmers in Southern Ontario. 17 Growing Up Lithuanian on a Tobacco Farm an interview with Sigita Bersėnas Balzekas Some of the work was very hard, such as hoeing, carrying and assembling steel irrigation pipes, or standing and working at the tobacco tying machine all day. 21 VilNews: Voice of International Lithuania by Aušra Tallat-Kelpša Di Raimondo In 1990, young Norwegian architect Aage Myhre embarked on an on - going love affair with Lithuania that resulted in the e-publication of a 17 widely read international Lithuanian magazine. page 24 The Stork and the Mork(a) by Ona Daugirdienė The Day of the Stork or Gandrin ės is an ancient folk feast day full of traditions. We celebrate springtime and return of the storks with deli - cious carrot dishes. Cover Credits: FRONT COVER: Masiulis Bookstore (L. Slonimskis) BACK COVER: Foggy morning in Šiauliai (R. Šarkuvienė, shutterstock) INSIDE FRONT COVER: Rayshe yeshiva (Alter Kacyzne, YIVO archive NY) INSIDE BACK COVER: Down on the farm (S. Balzekas) page 24 THIS PAGE: top: Vilnius Yeshiva (YIVO archive NY); MIDDLE: Bersėnai on tobacco farm (family archive); BOTTOM: Carrot Soup (O. Daugirdas) March / April 2019 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE 1 L A B A S Respublikos Street Connection first met Karolina in Altenberg, Germany, in July of 1979. We were PUBLISHER participating in the “Study Days” segment of the Fourth Lithuanian Lithuanian Catholic Press Society World Youth Congress, and Karolina, along with Jean Christophe Chicago, IL č IMon ys, son of the famous sculptor Antanas, and others were delegates from France. I had learned some French while a doctor-in-training in EDITOR Montréal, so I was doing translation for members of the group from Jonas Daugirdas Paris whose knowledge of Lithuanian was limited. Afterwards, I lost contact with Karolina until many years later, when, walking down a ASSOCIATE EDITOR street in Vilnius Old Town, I came across a bookstore specializing in Ona Daugirdienė French literature of which she turned out to be owner. As described in the lead article of this issue, Karolina is a member of a family distin - guished by operating a bookstore in Panev ėž ys for many years and also Wondering about your Estate Plan? by the actions of her grandfather, Juozas Masiulis, one of the famed Remember the Draugas Foundation and “book smugglers” who helped to maintain access to the Lithuanian writ - assure the future of our Lithuanian-Amer- ten word in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Panev ėž ys book - ican Press. Since 1992, the Foundation has store was given back to the Masiulis family after 1991, and continues to served to sustain the Lithuanian language be located on a main street in that city, at 21 Respublikos Street. Draugas and now comes to the aid of If one goes to Panev ėž ys on Google Maps and searches for “54” Draugas News and Lithuanian Heritage as well. Over the years, it has supported capi - Respublikos Street, that second building is 400 meters away from the tal improvements and invested in printing Masiulis bookstore, reported to be only an 5-minute walk. This second hardware and computers. When times address is of particular significance to my mother’s family. Her father, were especially rough, it helped to pay op - Dr. Stanislovas Ma čiulis, was one of 3 surgeons who, along with a nurse, erating expenses. The Draugas Foundation were pulled from their hospital operating room and brutally murdered is our lifeline and guarantor of the future of Draugas’s unique set of publications. by Soviet sympathizers; that event occurred on June 25th, 1941, at a time when the occupying Soviet army was in the process of being driven For the Draugas Foundation to fulfill its out of Lithuania by the Germans. Dr. Ma čiulis had built, but not yet mission, it needs your support and in - furnished, the large building at 54 Respublikos St. which he intended to volvement. A few legacy gifts of moderate use both as a residence and for office space. I don’t know if my mother’s size will ensure the health of Draugas č News, Draugas, and Lithuanian Heritage family knew the Masiulis family, or if the Ma iulis sisters bought their for years to come. schoolbooks there or browsed the latest novels from Europe, or if Dr. Ma čiulis treated the Masiulis children for any medical condition, but I All donations are tax deductible. The Draugas Foundation would not be surprised if this were so. (http://www.draugo- fondas.org) is a charitable, 501(c)(3) A unique article in this issue is an analysis of the important role that organization. You can write the foundation Lithuanian yeshivas played in Jewish religious history. We also describe into your will by specifying: “Draugas Lithuanian Canadians who prospered in Ontario by raising tobacco, and Foundation,” EIN number: 36-3916303. a Norwegian architect who launched a widely read e-publication in For questions, please call: Marija Remiene, Vilnius after the restoration of independence. As springtime approaches, President, Draugas Foundation, the storks return to Lithuania from winter migration. Learn about the tel. 773-585-9500. old traditions of Gandrinės or Day of the Stork, and celebrate with some delicious carrot recipes. Jonas Daugirdas, Editor Lithuanian Heritage is published by the Lithuanian Catholic Press Society (DRAUGAS), 4545 W. 63rd Street, Chicago, IL 60629-5532. Lithuanian Heritage is available as a bimonthly (six times per year) supplement to Draugas News (http://www.draugas.org/news). Please consult our website or the back page of this magazine for subscription information. Copyright 2019 by the Lithuanian Catholic Press Society. 2 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE March/ April 2019 ture caption showing Jerry Seinfeld should read, from the left, Linas’ sister Heritage Aldona, his mother Irena, Jerry Sein - Mailbo x feld, and Linas. It would be appreciated if these inaccuracies can be corrected. Thank you, About brother Vincas Žvingilas, Andrius Kubilius MIC and a new book by his nephew on behalf of Irena Johansonas Editor replies: Dear Mrs. Johansonas, I felt compelled to write and tell our sincere apologies for the errors in you how much I have been enjoying the article. We do hope that its publi - and Lithuanian Heritage Draugas cation will show to the world what an News. My uncle, br. Vincas Žvingilas, important and patriotic person Linas MIC, a member of the Marian Order, was and how great a loss was his un - served as a pressman at Draugas from Marian Brother Vincas Žvingilas (1908 – 1997) was the heart of Draugas . He worked timely death. We don’t have a special 1933 to 1995, so I have a long con - there for forty-five years and operated the place to issue corrections, except for nection to ’ history. I have a Draugas Linotype as well as other press equipment. this letters to the editor page, and we bit of printer’s ink in my veins as well, (Lituanus , 2009; 55:4) hope that you will accept this method perhaps dating from when uncle gave Your book looks fascinating. Here of acknowledging our mistakes and me a retired proof press, type, Draugas is a photo of the cover: hereby correcting them. ink and engraving blocks. More re - cently, I have been writing and pub - Lottery prize: lishing a series of illustrated historical We are happy to submit this gift and SAT (Student Aptitude Test) vo - subscription to Draugas News and cabulary-building novels which draw Lithuanian Heritage on behalf of Di - upon my Lithuanian heritage, the most ane Derr. Ms. Derr was the winner of recent being “The Great Emerson Art this prize at the Philadelphia Mug ė last Heist,” set in 1942 Gary, Indiana, and November. What better way for Am - Chicago. The book is dedicated to “the ber Roots Lithuanian Heritage Club The Great Emerson Art Heist (book cover). Lithuanian people and the millions of to spread knowledge of Lithuanian innocent victims of communist Also, Kendall, your article about heritage than with your publications? tyranny.” For information, please visit: last year’s song festivals is wonderful, Ačiū for your wonderful Draugas www.dunelandpress.com . and has some great pictures. I would News . Diane is looking forward to her Also, Musiktidning is the national urge our readers to read it on the Web first issues. A little side node: we look newsletter of the American Union of at the weblink given in your note. forward to our Draugas News and it is Swedish Singers, of which my wife, Corrections re article on Linas a fight to see who gets to read it first.
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