On 15 November, the Baisogala Cultural Centre in Radviliškis district hosted an event for Lithuanian school communities.
The event brought together representatives of schools participating in the project “Litvaks’ Literature on the Theatre Stage.” The project, which was implemented in 2024, was dedicated to discovering the works of Lithuanian Jewish Litvak writers and the thoughts of Jews who were imprisoned in ghettos and kept secret diaries. For half a year, teachers and students involved in the project read and analyzed the texts, and then created mini-performances and artistic productions. 10 Lithuanian schools took part in the project, 5 of which were invited to the final event in Baisogala to present the results of their research into the writings of Lithuanian Jews on stage.
The performances at the closing event were given by students and teachers from Akmenė, Vladas Mironas (Daugai in Alytus dstr.), Ąžuolynas (Klaipėda), Simonas Daukantas (Vilnius) and Lizdeika (Radviliškis) gymnasiums. The event featured performances based on the works of writers Yitzchok Mer, Grigoriy Kanovich, Abraham Sutzkever, and the diaries of Yitzchok Rudashevsky and Matilda Olkinaite.
The event in Baisogala was opened with Jewish songs performed by the boys’ ensemble “Bros” from the Merkelis Račkauskas gymnasium in Mažeikiai. It was like an introduction to Jewish culture, traditions, and mentality. Kazimieras Račkauskis, Mayor of Radviliskis Municipality, who attended the event, was pleased that the event of the national project was held in Radviliskis district and in a beautiful hall that could accommodate more than 200 guests. Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein, Ambassador of the State of Israel, who came to the premiere of the students’ performances, welcomed the large number of students who took part in the project and had the opportunity to get to know Litvak art in a deeper way. According to the Ambassador of the State of Israel, “In a world where anti-Semitism is rampant today, it is important to get to know the other, the different, and at the same time to develop tolerance and understanding.”
In between the school performances, participants and guests were introduced to an exhibition prepared by the Jewish Community of Lithuania, “Lithuania. Lita. Lite. A century in seven”. During the presentation of the exhibition, Ingrida Vilkienė, Coordinator of Education Programmes of the International Commission, mentioned that the exhibition is full of excellent photographs illustrating the prosperity of the Jewish community in inter-war Lithuania, its contribution to the development of an independent Lithuania, and the devastating period of the Holocaust in Lithuania, when the majority of the Jewish community in Lithuania was literally wiped out – annihilated. The representative of the International Commission invited teachers to take the exhibition back to their schools to continue their knowledge about the Lithuanian Jewish community.
The project “Litvaks – Literature on the Theatre Stage” was a competition, and at the end of the event in Baisogala, a jury of theatre professionals evaluated the students’ performances and selected the best 1st-3rd place winners. The first prize went to the community of Klaipėda “Ąžuolyno” Gymnasium for the performance ” A Man Is Alive As Long As He Remembers…” (based on the novel “Shtetl Love Song” by Grigory Kanovich), the second prize went to the Vilnius Simonas Daukantas Gymnasium for the artistic staging “Words through thoughts and Remembrance” (based on the texts by Abraham Sutzkever, Yitzchok Rudashevsky, and Yitzchok Mer), and the third prize went to the Akmenė Gymnasium community for the performance “A Stalemate Lasts But a Moment” (based on the novel of the same title by Yitzchok Mer).
The event was attended by a large number of guests from Lithuanian schools and Tolerance Education Centres: Ariogala, Balbieriškis, Biržai, Kaunas, Kėdainiai, Marijampolė, Panevėžys, Šiauliai, Šiauliai, Vilnius, representatives of the Jewish community of Šiauliai county and Rimantas Stankevičius, a publicist.
The project “Litvaks – Literature on the Stage” was initiated and organised by the Secretariat of the International Commission in cooperation with the Tolerance Education Centre of the Baisogala Cultural Centre and the Jakovas Bunka Support and Sponsorship Fund. The project was co-financed by the Goodwill Foundation (GVF).
Photos by Sigitas Mikutis