Judaism in Contemporary Lithuanian Poetry – Sivan Baskin 2026 — Association of Jews of Vilna and vicinity in Israel

The gathering held at Beit Vilna in February featured Sivan Baskin, the talented and delightful Hebrew–Lithuanian–Hebrew poet, author, and translator. It was an intimate cultural encounter, in a circle of Litvaks, survivors of the Vilna Ghetto, members of the second generation, and with piano interludes by Ziko Abramov. An exquisite evening for lovers of culture, truly elevating.

We heard excerpts of contemporary Lithuanian poetry and prose, along with the stories behind the stories, set against the backdrop of pain and loss following the destruction of the magnificent and long-standing Jewish culture after the Holocaust:
“Refuge” by Indrė Valantinaitė;
“Rosh Hashanah” by Mindaugas Kvietkauskas (former Minister of Culture, translator from Yiddish into Lithuanian…);
the poem “Ghetto” by Tomas Venclova;
“Conversation with the Gaon of Vilna” by G. Kazlauskaitė;
“Cry” by K. Navakas;
“Library” by S. Parulskis;
“Menorah” by L. Buividavičiūtė;
“Lullaby for Racheli. A Note from Father, 1943” by A. Butkutė;
an untitled poem about the cemetery in Jonava by G. Norvilas;
“The Synagogues Echo” by A. Marčėnas;
as well as discussion of Rūta Vanagaitė’s book “Our People: Journey with an Enemy” and other moving poems and books.

Thank you for a rich and moving evening of literature, poetry, and music.