The project “Synagogues of Lithuania. A Catalogue” was launched in 2006 together with Vilnius Academy of Arts (Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University joined in 2007) as a research of stone synagogues and later was broadened by including wooden synagogues as well. The aim of the project is to trace all existing synagogues in Lithuania, measure them, draw schemes, localize them in the space of a town or a city, gather archival, iconographic and other data related to those synagogues. Such research is necessary and urgent in order to draw attention of society and governmental institutions to this rapidly vanishing heritage (wooden synagogue of Seda collapsed in 2005; synagogue in Plungė was demolished in 2010). This project is a miniscule possibility to preserve the heritage at least in this way.

 

The first volume of the catalogue „Synagogues in Lithuania. A Catalogue A-M“ was published in 2010 (Eds. A. Cohen- Mushlin, S. Kravtsov, V. Levin, G. Mickūnaitė, J. Šiaučiūnaitė – Verbickienė, Vilnius, 2010). The second volume „Synagogues in Lithuania. A Catalogue M-Ž“ is prepared for publication, which is scheduled to appear in the begining of 2012.

 

 

 “Jews in Lithuania. History, Culture and Heritage”

 

 

“Jews in Lithuania. History, Culture and Heritage” (Eds. J. Šiaučiūnaitė–Verbickienė and L. Lempertienė, Vilnius, 2009) is a popular science publication. It consists of articles written by famous Lithuanian and foreign scholars with various academic research backgrounds. Cooperation with foreign scholars was especially useful in the research of before unexplored Lithuanian Jewish studies problems. Besides publication’s obvious benefit to the general public, it is planned to approve the book as a teaching material for university students. 

 

 

 

 

Since 2004 Centre was running educational, students-orientated research programme “Jewish Heritage in Towns and Cities” which aimed at recording present state of Jewish heritage in Lithuania's towns, that once had significant Jewish communities. As part of the project Centre organized three research expeditions for students from Lithuanian universities. 60 students in total participated in these expeditions. The aim of the project was to acquaint students with Jewish traditions, history of the Jewish community in Lithuania, to point out the peculiarities of living in a shtetl, to introduce field research methods and to teach to use them in autonomous researches. The project also aimed at raising interest and motivation in studying Judaic themes.

 

  

„Pinkas“

With an aim to present the most recent Judaic researches of the region, the Centre initiated publication of an academic annual. “Pinkas” is published in English, edited by an international board of editors, its articles are reviewed by two scholars.

The third volume of “Pinkas” was published in 2010 (Pinkas. Annual of the Culture and History of East European Jewry, Vol III, ed. L. Lempertienė, Vilnius, 2010). Publication is available at academic and online bookstores.
 

  

 

 

  

A new international (Lithuania, Israel, Poland) research project „Jewish Censuses in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania: data and analysis” is being conducted. At the moment, supplementary studies are being carried out, analysis of historiography, preparation of raw data and digitalization of it is partially completed. The project is funded by The Rothschilds Foundation (Europe).

 

 

 

  

The first international conference organized by the Centre took place on the 19th-21st of April, 2005. Its topic was “Central and East European Jews at the Crossroads of Tradition and Modernity“. Conference was organized together with The Lithuanian Institute of History. After the selection, 30 speakers participated from Lithuania, Israel, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Sweden. Proceedings of the conference were published in Vilnius, 2006 (editors: J. Šiaučiūnaitė –Verbickienė, L. Lempertienė).

 

 

On the 11th-12th of May, 2006, the second conference “Jewish Space in Central and Eastern Europe: Day-to-Day History” was held together with The Lithuanian Institute of History. Theses of the papers and applications to participate as speakers at the conference were sent by 180 researchers. 30 speakers were selected. Proceedings of the conference were published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing (Newcastle, U.K.). To download a sample of the book or to purchase it, please visit CSP.

 

 

In April, 2007, third annual international scientific conference "Jewish Politics in Central and Eastern Europe: from schtadlanut to Mass Parties" organized by the Centre and The Lithuanian Institute of History was held in Vilnius. It was a very successful event that gathered scholars from a variety of countries and even continents. After success of the previous conferences, Centre had more than a hundred applicants to present their papers. Proceedings of the conference were published as a separate issue of the prestigious academic journal East European Jewish Affairs (Eds. Guesnet, Francois, Darius Staliunas, and Jurgita Verbickiene. "Jewish Politics in Eastern Europe: Mobilisation and Agenda-setting in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries." East European Jewish Affairs 39, no. 2 (2009): 149-51.)

 

 

The fourth international conference “The Fourth Estate? Legal Status of the Jews in Early Modern Europe“ was held on 4-5 th of March, 2008. The objective of the conference was to discuss the factors which influenced the political, legal and social status of the Jews in the East Central and Eastern Europe in the Early Modern period and the changes that took place in this status and in the political framework. The proceedings the conference are being prepared for the publication. The publication will be in English. Talks are held with one of the most prestigious academic publishing houses “Brill“.

 

 

 

 

Until 10th of March, 2010, exhibition “Synagogues of Lithuania” (coordinators Dr. J. Verbickienė and Dr. G. Mickūnaitė) was on display at the National Museum of Lithuania.

 

 

German version of the exhibition has been set up (inventory, booklets, poster). In cooperation with the Lithuanian embassy in Austria, the exhibition in German was opened on the 19th of April, 2010, at the psychosocial Centre ESRA in Vienna. As part of the series of events “Old Love Do Not Rust” dedicated to the 25th anniversary of cooperation between Republic of Lithuania and the Federal state of Salzburg, Austria, the exhibition was opened and the publication presented on the 22nd of September (attended by Dr. Giedrė Mickūnaitė and Dr. Jurgita Verbickienė).

 

 

 

„Art and Judaism“, an event dedicated to the European Jewish Culture Days took place at the “Aušra” (“Dawn”) museum (Ch. Frenkel mansion) on the 5th of September, 2010. The research “Synagogues in Lithuania” and its result (the first volume of the catalogue „Synagogues of Lithuania. A Catalogue“) was presented by Dr. G. Mickūnaitė and Dr. J. Verbickienė. The Centre took part in organizeing the event.

 

 

 

A series of events under the title “No Simple Stories. Jewish-Lithuanian relationships: facing difficult questions”, took place in London on the 6th-22nd of February, 2011 (events were organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the U.K.; Centre had a partner status). During the event, the first volume of the two-volume publication “Synagogues of Lithuania. A Catalogue” was presented, documentaries created by authors of Lithuanian and Jewish descent were screened. The exhibition “Synagogues of Lithuania” (coordinated by Dr. J. Verbickienė and Dr. G. Mickūnaitė) was also opened.

 

 

 

The Centre cooperated with the University of Leipzig, Faculty of History at Vilnius Uuniversity, The Lithuanian Institute of History and others, in organizing international youth forum “Interwar Vilnius. Jewish Culture, Lithuanian society, State of Poland and the Byelorussian minority” (14-19th of September, 2010. Funded by Stiftung Erinnerung Verantvortung Zukunt). Besides organizing the event, J. Verbickienė and D. Troskovaitė delivered lectures – interactive excursion “Vilnius/Vilne – former Jerusalem of Lithuania” (on 15th of Sept.).

 

 

 Courses and lectures

 

 

 

 

In the fall terms of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 the Centre together with the Study Centre of Stateless Cultures initiated and funded the course “Identity, Tolerance and Modern Moral Imagination” taught by prof. Leonidas Donskis. The course was attended by approx. 300 students. Very popular course was attended by the students, officially not registered for it.

 

 

In the spring term of 2006/2007 Centre funded the course “Studies of Jewish Nationalism”, taught by Dr. Eglė Bendikaitė. Course took place at the International Relations and Political Science Institute.

 

Since the spring term of 2006/2007 the course “Traditional Jewish Living: daily life and its modern virtualization” is taught by Dr. Larisa Lempertienė and Dr. J. Verbickienė at the Faculty of History.

 

 Seminars for museums‘ staff

 

 

In 2004 together with the “Petersburg Judaica” (Russia), the Centre organized a seminar “Exhibiting Judaic Objects at the Museums”. The seminar had 25 participants. The aim of the seminar was to introduce possibilities and forms of exhibiting objects of Jewish culture, religion and household. The experience of foreign museums was shared. Lecturers also introduced ways of identifying Judaic objects.

 

  

 

 

Seminars were organized together with the Lithuanian branch of The Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research (partner and co-funder). In a form of lectures, the aim of the seminar was to introduce the results of the latest academic researches of history and culture of East European Jews. These seminars successfully countered well-established tendency to discuss the Holocaust without presenting any other aspect of the Jewish culture and history. Five three-day seminars were held in total with titles, e.g., “Coexistence of Jews and Christians in Lithuania”, “Culture and History of the Lithuanian Jewry”, “Echoes of Coexistence: mutual cultural influences”, etc.).

 

  

 

  

On 14-17th of March, 2010, a seminar “History of Eastern European Jewry“ dedicated to the university students from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia discussed Jewish history and culture. Lecturers from Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine participated. During the seminar an art workshop was also held.

 

 

 The second seminar “Narratives of Jewish History“ was attended by 23 participants from Lithuania and Latvia (on 23-25th of July, 2010).

 

  

The third seminar, titled “Turning-points of Jewish History”, took place in March, 2011, in Vilnius. It is planned to organize such seminars in Latvia and Estonia as well, thus strengthening collaboration.

 

 

   

 

 

The studies of the Jewish culture and history in the Baltic region are not developed enough. There is a shortage of researches and specialists of various fields of Jewish studies. Interest of academic community and society in the Jewish history and culture is constantly growing, as well as the need for lecturers and scholars who would be able to conduct independent research in Jewish studies. Since 2004, 34 students received scholarships from the Centre (full list of scholarship receivers).

 

  

 

In order to present the latest scholarly research of the region, scholarly publications and Jewish history and culture subjects for the lay audience, the Centre supported publications on Jewish history and culture in Eastern Europe. The Centre encouraged preparation of monographies and carrying out scholarly studies on the basis of successfully defended doctoral dissertations (PhD thesis). Publication programme supported publication of 11 books (list).

 

 

 International Research Support Programme

 

 

Seeking greater involvement of the academic society in study, popularization and presentation of Jewish historical and cultural heritage to wide public, the Centre continues an international research programme to support the research. It is expected that this programme will encourage the appearance of new and valuable academic results. 11 scholars received funding (list).

 

 

 

 By the decree of the Government of the Lithuanian Republic (Nr. 1745, 8th of December, 2010), the Centre is included in the organizing of events, dedicated to the Holocaust victims remembrance year 2011. Together with partners, Centre will cooperate in organizing educational projects and in preparing constant displays on Jewish history and culture for the local museums.

 

  

Dr. Jurgita Verbickienė, as a representative of the Centre, participated in the task force of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, which purpose was to prepare the concept of the heritage of Litvaks, to analyze the need of representation of Jewish heritage and to foresee the guidelines of presenting the heritage.