Seventy-Two years since the liquidation Beit Vilna 2015 — Association of Jews of Vilna and vicinity in Israel

Seventy-two years since the liquidation of the Vilna Ghetto / Shoshana Reshef

So much white... White is a beautiful, festive color - clean and pure.

Soldiers, non-commissioned and naval officers, the unit adopted by the Association, wearing uniforms with their ranks shining on their shoulders, came to Beit Vilna to commemorate that horrific event, to remember and pay homage together with the survivors - the liquidation of the Vilna Ghetto, seventy-two years ago.

It is a pity that only a few of the generation of survivors are still with us and some were present at the event, but some consolation could be found in the fact that representatives of the second and even third generation were there as well.

The Vilna Choir, which this year celebrates fifty years since its establishment, conducted by Tamara Eitzes, opened with the song "Vilna Vilna" which tells about our special city, expresses our intense longing for it, (translated from Yiddish into Hebrew by Shoshana Reshef).

When Michael Schemyavitz, "our chairman and spiritual leader," as Mickey Kantor calls him, came up to speak, the audience fell silent.

He began his speech by emphasizing the task and duty of future generations to remember the victims.  "We will remember with pain the thousands of intellectuals and men of Torah, and the elders and children who shared the same fate. From Vilna and its vicinity, that glorious city that has often been nicknamed, the" North Star", "The Faithful City" and "Jerusalem DeLita," over one hundred thousand perished." He added, "We will remember and continue to cultivate its cultural treasures and proudly support its survivors."

Michael Schemyavitz continued by saying that even in the ghetto, the Jews of Vilna did not give up on cultural life. Songs were composed by young people and partisans. Among them he mentioned the Israel Prize winner Avraham Sutskover, Schmerke Kaczerginski, Hirsch Glick, and Alik Wolkowyski (today known as Alexander Tamir who at the age of twelve composed the music to the song "Silence Silence" which later became a hymn).

At the end of his speech, Mr. Schemyavitz spoke about the decades he devoted to the Association and how he contributed to the restoration of "Beit Vilna" (Vilna House). Now, he said, the time has come to pass on the authority to the next generation, and to Mickey Kantor who will now serve as Chairperson of the Association. He did not forget to congratulate her and wish her "a wholehearted success, in the knowledge that Beit Vilna would continue to be managed in good hands."

In response, and with considerable emotion, Mickey thanked him for his faith and for having been her spiritual father.

Brigadier General Shmulik Shachak spoke on behalf of the soldiers: "We see ourselves as the next generation, and our connection with you is important to remember and remind: "Remember what Amalek did to you." He added a verse from the Morning Prayer.