[LATEST UPDATE]
OPINION | YIDDISH INSTRUMENTALIZED FOR EAST EUROPEAN STATE PR | 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” | USCPAHA (UNITED STATES COMMISSION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF AMERICA’S HERITAGE ABROAD) | THE CPJCE (COMMITTEE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF JEWISH CEMETERIES IN EUROPE) | THE AJC (AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE) | THE CER (CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN RABBIS) | THE GWF (GOOD WILL FOUNDATION) | CEMETERIES & MASS GRAVES | HUMAN RIGHTS
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A Tale of Two Visions for a European Capital’s Old Jewish Cemetery
Which of these two visions for Piramónt (Shnípishok, today’s Snipiskes on modern, beautiful Vilnius) reflects true love of modern Lithuania? The historic cemetery restored or a convention center that would haunt the capital for centuries to come? DH images by Vulovakas of Kaunas (not to scale).
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May 12th Seimas statement and responses by DH (May 13) and state restitution sponsored official LJC (May 22nd):
- Seimas issues 12 May resolution setting in motion process leading to conference
- Rapid response on 13 May by Defending History
- Statement published on official state-sponsored Lithuanian Jewish Community site signed by chairperson.
- But for many years, chairwoman/LJC underpinned the very convention center project now objected to.
- The current LJC position favors the “compromise” of a “museum in the cemetery” which would inter alia have room for thousands at events as per the “Working Group” conclusions, since abandoned. The members of the “Working Group” and Prof. Sid. Leiman’s dissent (umentioned in gov. press materials).
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May 15th 2026 press conference with Rabbi Sholom Ber Krinsky and DH editor Dovid Katz:
- Coverage in Defending History and:
- 15min.lt, alfa.lt, Bernardinai.lt, delfi.lt., kauno.diena.lt,
- LRT.lt, Lrytas.lt, madinvilnius.lt, nordisch.info, vz.lt.
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May 18th 2026 concert in favor of the convention center, held at National Academy of Sciences:
- London rabbis’ “permission” invoked by former mayor (background).
- Opera singer Leitaitė dismays her admirers by singing in Yiddish in support of cemetery desecration.
June 3rd rally by ultranationalists at Old Jewish Cemetery calling for convention center
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Defending History follows the saga from 2015 onward. . .