Nr. 1/2017 • 2/5777 DISCOVER – GET TO KNOW – ACCEPT Interview: Alina Azukaitis 6 In Living Memory: Estera Grobman and Ruvin Zeligman 8 Dr. Algimantas Kasparavičius: The “Policy” of the Lithuanian Provisional Government 10 Reconstruction of Palace of Sports: 12 No Threat to Šnipiškės Jewish Cemetery Passover Seder 14 ISSN 2424-4759 Editor’s Corner Dear reader, The start of the year was full as always with state holidays and commemorative days. Not least among them--the first birthday of the Bagel Shop Café! The weather is getting warmer and promising the beginning of blooming everywhere. The slopes of the hills of Vilnius, before the trees get leaves, will be covered in a succession of blooming wildflower species. Let's remember to stop and take in their beauty. If you feel gloomy sometimes, lift your eyes to the spring sky and spend a half-day with a good book and good friends. Whatever you do, read this issue of the Bagel Shop newsletter! We're waiting for your thoughts and suggestions for the next issues, please write: [email protected] Radvilė NEWS AT A GLANCE November 10, 2016 The Lithuanian Jewish Community hosts an exhibit of paintings called Ani Maamin (He- brew "I believe") by young artists Isaiah Jurken and Simona Sirusaitė dedicated to the Day of Remembrance of Lithua- nian Jewish Victims of Genocide. November 23 Longtime friend of the Kaunas Jewish Community Raimun- das Kaminskas and the Kaunas Coun- cil of the Lithuanian independence movement Sąjūdis hold a ceremony to commemorate Lithuanian Jewish soldiers at the Jewish cemetery in the Žaliakalnis neighborhood of Kaunas. November 24 Conference "Lithuania and Israel: Past, Present, Future" held March of Memory in Molėtai by Lithuanian ambassador to Israel first Lithuanian table tennis cham- of London held the sixth Litvak Days and Lithuanian Foreign Ministry at pionship organized by the Makabi there. This year the Litvak Days events the Peres Peace Center in Tel Aviv. Athletics Club was held on March 12- were dedicated to Jewish languag- November 25 Annual Limmud educa- 13, 1927" erected on west side of the es and presenting linguistic heritage. tional conference held in Trakai, Lith- A. Martinaitis Art School, Šv. Gertrū- Reports were delivered by academ- uania, attended by LJC members from dos street no. 33, Kaunas. ics from Lithuania, Poland, Israel, the all local communities. USA and the United Kingdom. November 30-December 1 The Lith- November 29 Plaque reading "In this uanian embassy in London in coop- December 6 Israeli ambassador to building built in the 18th century the eration with the University College Lithuania Amir Maimon visited Uk- 2 mergė, Lithuania. Two memorial Paul II Pre-Gymnasium in Vilnius as February 13-19 Fifth annual Jascha plaques unveiled during visit to com- a part of international project "Face of Heifetz violin contest held in Vilnius. memorate notable locals: biologist Dialogue". Japan's Yurina Arai won first prize, Solomon Levit (1894-1938) and phi- Ukrainian Dmytro Udovychenko lologist, lexicographer and Lithuanian January 25 Ponar Oratorio composed second, Japan's Rennosuke Fukuda language standardizer Chackelis Lem- by Max Fedorov performed at the third. Japan's Mayu Ozeki and Russia's chenas (1904-2001). Lithuanian National Philharmonic in Stepan Starikov won honorable men- Vilnius. tion. This year winners were presented December 14 Memorial plaque un- a small awards statue portraying Heif- veiled on the Šiauliai Bank building in January 26 "Sounds of Silence" exhib- it of photographs by Raimondas Pa- etz on violin by sculptor Romualdas Šiauliai commemorating Litvak me- Kvintas. Awards established by LJC. dallion and coin designer Victor David knys opened at the Holocaust Center Brenner (1871-1924). in Durban, South Africa. Lithuanian February 16 Lithuanian President Da- ambassador Sigutė Jakštonytė said the lia Grybauskaitė presents the Order of December 27 Lithuanian National Lithuanian Foreign Ministry event was the Knight's Cross "For Merit to Lithu- Radio named writer, dramatist and di- held in solidarity with the World Jew- ania" to Vilnius ghetto prisoner and ac- rector Marius Ivaškevičius their Man ish Congress's international #WeRe- tive Holocaust educator Fania Brancov- of the Year for 2016. He was recog- member campaign. skaja on Lithuanian Independence Day. nized for his civic initiative in organ- izing a March of Memory in Molėtai, January 29 Waldkirch, Germany, March 16 Former Israeli ambassador Lithuania, to commemorate the 75th marked International Holocaust Day to the USA and current deputy Is- anniversary of the destruction of the with a monument to Lithuanian Jews raeli foreign minister for diplomatic town's Jewish community. Observers murdered by local Karl Jäger and a matters Michael Oren visited the LJC. called the march a breakthrough in film called "Karl Jäger and Us: The Oren met with chairwoman Faina Lithuanians' understanding of the his- Long Shadow of the Holocaust in Lith- Kukliansky, and asked about current tory of Lithuanian Jews. uania." events within the Community. Oren February 9 Hommage à Heifetz pro- spoke the next day about Israeli for- January 9, 2017 Stamp celebrating 25 eign policy at the International Rela- years of diplomatic relations between ject held fourth discussion "Vilnius, Litvak Culture in the 19th-20th Cen- tions and Political Science Institute of Israel and Lithuania presented at the Vilnius University. Central Post Office in Vilnius. turies and Jascha Heifetz" at the Jascha Heifetz Hall at the Lithuanian Jewish January 18 The David Baazov Geor- Community. gian Jewish Museum in Tbilisi, Geor- gia opened an exhibition called "Lith- February 9 LJC, Jurbarkas regional uanian Jews behind the Iron Curtain" administration and New Artists Col- covering the Jewish community in lege CAN from Israel sign agreement Lithuania during the first Soviet occu- to commemorate Synagogue Square pation of Lithuania. on Kauno street in Jurbarkas, Lithua- nia, where once one of the most beau- January 19 The Lithuanian National tiful wooden synagogues in Europe Radio and Television gallery hosts an stood. Memorial to be created by Is- exhibition of photographs commemo- raeli sculptor from Lithuania Davidas rating Righteous Gentiles who rescued Zundelovičius. Jews from the Holocaust in Lithuania. February 11 Vanda Juknaitė named January 24 Holocaust survivor Sulam- Person of Tolerance for 2016 for her it Lev meets and speaks with 7th- and efforts in Holocaust education and F. Brancovskaja with 8th-grade students at the Pope John reconciliation. Lithuanian President D. Grybauskaitė 3 Word from the LJC Chair ics in Judaism. We are thankful to them for their efforts to join our good group. I am very glad that members of parlia- ment and I were able to improve the law for providing Lithuanian citizenship to Litvaks, that we got rid of irrational re- quirements, and this did not harm Lith- uania but did help Litvaks who want to restore their relationship of citizenship with their land of birth and that of their ancestors. Working with the Security and Crisis Center of the European Jewish Congress and other international Jewish organi- The coming of summer encourages thinking about what zations, the LJC has strengthened secu- rity at the Community and synagogue we've accomplished, to continue what we have begun and and our video surveillance system was greatly improved. We also have a new pi- to undertake new work. The current period in the history ano and audio-visual equipment in the of Lithuanian Jews is also like spring. airy and grand Jascha Heifetz Hall at the Community, so conditions for holding The Community, although very few Jews eration of Jews has grown up who under- cultural events at the Community have are left, is much more visible, more rec- stand the essence of human rights. improved greatly. ognized and more innovative than it has It must be admitted that we haven't man- At the end of March LJC partner the ever been before. The Community's con- aged to implement everything over the American Jewish Committee opened cept of external activity has become more last year; we need to keep working to get their Eastern Europe office in Warsaw. liberal, while internal activity, financial rid of commemorations of alleged Hol- This is the fifth AJC office in Europe and accountability, work ethic and discipline ocaust perpetrators and to make sure covers seven European states: the Czech is now controlled by stricter rules than Vilnius is graced with a monument to Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Es- before. This was not acceptable to all em- Righteous Gentiles. We will be discussing tonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The AJC also ployees, unfortunately. with the Lithuanian Government how to has offices in Berlin, Brussels, Paris and Decisions important to the Community compensate private property seized ille- Rome. We believe this is a significant are adopted collegially and are carried gally which hasn't been returned due to event for us, for the Jews of Lithuania. out by the administrative team. Mon- legal defects. After the ceremony to open the new of- ey intended for activities is protected fice in Warsaw, AJC leaders travelled to The Lithuanian State Auditor has no from poor bookkeeping and theft. Spe- Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Slo- complaints and found no irregularities cialists from a number of fields work vakia and the Czech Republic to meet in an audit of the Goodwill Foundation in the Community administration and government officials and Jewish com- for 2016. Funds disbursed by the Good- volunteers help in everyday activities. munity leaders. will Foundation will not last forever. Our Both employees and volunteers are ap- intention is to invest in the future, to Another important event this year: YIVO preciated highly for their dedication to kindle and celebrate Jewish identity and is preparing to celebrate the 120th birth- their work, and work at the Community values from kindergarten to the Sholem day of the Bund and Zionism.