Tag Archives: Old Vilnius Jewish cemetery (Snipiskes)

Text of Rabbi Elchonon Baron’s Letter to the Chancellor of the Office of Lithuania’s President

Posted on 3 June 2026 by Defending History

DOCUMENTS | OPINION | OLD VILNA JEWISH CEMETERY AT PIRAMÓNT: THE SAGA OF 2015-2025 | EARLIER OPPOSITION | 2023-2024 “WORKING GROUP” ON VILNA CEMETERY | LIST OF MEMBERS | MOUNTING OPPOSITION TO NEW “MUSEUM PROJECT” | THE USCPAHA | THE CPJCE | THE AJC | THE CER | THE GWF | CEMETERIES & MASS GRAVES | CHRISTIAN-JEWISH RELATIONS | HUMAN RIGHTS

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VILNIUS—The office of Rabbi Elchonon Baron, president of Jewish Heritage in Lita (JHL), today released this letter to Petras Zapolskas, Chancellor of the Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania. English text of the letter follows. For the Lithuanian text, please use the page-turning handle at upper left.

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Posted in Defense of Old Jewish Cemeteries and Mass Grave Sites, Documents, Lithuania, Litvak Affairs, News & Views, Old Vilna Jewish Cemetery at Piramónt (in Šnipiškės / Shnípishok), Opinion, Politics of Memory, Rabbi Elchonon Baron | Tagged , | Comments Off on Text of Rabbi Elchonon Baron’s Letter to the Chancellor of the Office of Lithuania’s President

Vilius Kavaliauskas Protests Plan for Museum in the Middle of Old Vilna Jewish Cemetery, Insisting on Congress Center

Posted on 15 April 2026 by Defending History

VILNIUS—Yesterday’s news of a new “agreement” to turn the Old Vilna Jewish Cemetery over from the central government to the municipality of Vilnius (see our report) today elicited a forceful response from Vilius Kavaliauskas, leader of the movement to construct a congress center on the site, and convenor of the 18 January 2026 rally at the National Academy of Sciences. Mr. Kavaliauskas is a highly respected and accomplished historian and journalist, and a former advisor to an earlier Lithuanian prime minister.

The rally 18 January rally immediately made it into Jewish history thanks to Rabbi Elchnon Baron’s defining one-minute address (he was greeted with boos and amicably led off the stage by — Mr. Kavaliauskas). Rabbi Baron responded rapidly to yesterday’s developments in Vilnius. See also the Independence Day declaration on the cemetery issued by the city’s resident Chabad rabbi for 32 years, Rabbi Sholom Ber Krinsky.

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Posted in Christian-Jewish Issues, Defense of Old Jewish Cemeteries and Mass Grave Sites, Lithuania, Litvak Affairs, Media Watch, News & Views, Old Vilna Jewish Cemetery at Piramónt (in Šnipiškės / Shnípishok), Politics of Memory | Tagged , | Comments Off on Vilius Kavaliauskas Protests Plan for Museum in the Middle of Old Vilna Jewish Cemetery, Insisting on Congress Center