BNS: The European Days of Jewish Culture To Be Held In Early September In Vilnius
During the first weekend of September the annual events of the European Days of Jewish Culture will take place in Lithuania.
The Department of Cultural Heritage noted that this year the events of European Days of Jewish Culture will introduce the Jewish culture in everyday life: lifestyle features, everyday traditions, crafts, characters, and humor.
On September 1, a sightseeing tour will be held in Kaunas, where the Jewish professions and crafts will be presented, and the relevant sites will be visited. A guide will tell where the Jewish community began to settle in Kaunas, where the Old Synagogue and the Jewish Hospital was. In Town Hall Square the Jewish musicians will be remembered.
On September 2, two cognitive walks in Vilnius will be organized during which people will be introduced to the daily life of the historical Jewish Quarter, its most important places and its identity, as well as the famous personalities and the culture of the intellectual citified lifestyle of the Jews in the beginning of the twentieth century.
Excursion "Unexpected walks of Vilnius Jews" will start in Lukiškės Square, where the forgotten value of this place for the famous Vilnius Jewish theater tradition will be presented. The participants of the excursion will learn which places the composer Benjamin Gorbulskis loved to visit and which coffee shop Joseph Brodsky created poetry about. The tour will end in City Hall Square.
Another walk within the former Jewish quarter of Vilnius will draw attention to the everyday life of the historic Jewish quarter, its building identities and the most important sights.
The acquaintance with the Jewish culture of everyday life in Vilnius will be finished by a lecture presenting the Jewish spirit of humor. According to the Department of Cultural Heritage, humor is reflected in the most unexpected circumstances, such as sacred texts and studies, decoration of synagogues and ritual instruments, family life and children education, experiences of poverty, disasters and losses.
On September 2, the show called "European Day of Jewish Culture. With humor to the traditions of the past" will take place in the Synagogue of Joniškis. The event will invite citizens and guests to listen to a story about Jewish traditions by animator, illustrator, scriptwriter and caricaturist Ilja Bereznickas. There will also be the exhibition of his caricatures where the human defects can be seen from the other side – through humor.
There will also be the opportunity to taste traditional Jewish dishes and treats introduced by local Jewish people. The main focus of the event – poetic jazz program "I do not know – to cry or laugh", composed in particular for this event by the percussionist Arkadi Gotesman and a poet, essayist and playwright Rolandas Rastauskas.
On the same day the event for this occasion will be held in Ch.Frenkel Villa Park of Šiauliai “Aušra” Museum. Rafailas Karpis, Darius Mažintas, Arkadi Gotesman, Petras Vyšniauskas will perform. The audience will have the opportunity to listen to Jewish folk songs with some jazz elements in Yiddish and Hebrew.
Since 2004, the Department of Cultural Heritage participates in the international program “The European Routes of Jewish Heritage” sponsored by the Council of Europe.
The European Day of Jewish Culture is an integral part of this program.
The events across Europe on the specific topic of cultural heritage are organized in order to become more familiar with the diverse heritage of this nation.
Source: BNS
