Eighty years since the liquidation of the Vilna ghetto Beit Shalom Aleichem 2024 — Association of Jews of Vilna and vicinity in Israel

In February 2024, we gathered at Beit Shalom Aleichem to mark the 80th anniversary of the liquidation of the Vilna Ghetto. The evening was held under the auspices of Beit Shalom Aleichem, the National Authority for Yiddish Culture and the Association of Jews from Vilna and vicinity in Israel.

During the hours in Ponar, death was raging and the graves were growing, not far from there - in the Vilna ghetto - the Litvaks continued to cling to the patterns of community life and its values, from which they were nourished all their lives. The culture that flourished in the Vilna ghetto was a source of hope and encouragement for the Jews in the unbearable routine of death.

The members of the Nechama Lifshitz Yiddish Art Song workshop conducted by Regina Dricker performed one by one the ghetto songs as arranged by Regina Dricker. Prof. Noverstern told the story of the ghetto between songs. The singers were accompanied by: Regina Dricker - piano, Jana Mering - violin, Maxim Solinker - clarinet, Michael Berger - double bass.