Yiddish Culture Seminar in Vilna — Association of Jews of Vilna and vicinity in Israel

A special seminar for the Israeli residents – descendants from Vilnius and their children, was held by the World Jewish Congress in the Lithuanian capital on September 20-23, 2016.

25 members of the association "Jews from Vilna in Israel" came to the seminar. The project, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of liquidation of the Vilnius ghetto, is a result of our cooperation with the community of Lithuanian Jews in Tel-Aviv, "Beit Vilna".

The event took place due in Yasha Heifetz hall in the premises of the Lithuanian Jewish community. The president of the community, Mrs. Faina Kukliansky, opened the seminar with a greeting speech.

The academical director of the International Yiddish Center at the World Jewish Congress, Dr. Mordechay Yushkovsky, and the head of the Jewish literature section in Lithuanian National library, Dr. Lara Lempert, delivered the following lectures: "Yiddish as a core of the millennial Jewish civilization", "Jewish Vilnius through laughter and tears", "Three classics of Yiddish literature:Mendele Moycher-Sforim, Y. L. Peretz, and Sholom-Aleichem", "Secrets of Jewish Humour".

The event was crowned by the lecture-concert featuring Yiddish songs and literature created during the Holocaust.