VILKAVISKIS
a small town in Southern Lithuania
Where the Jewish Community is no more
 
2008 and the return to Vilkaviskis
Lithuanian Holocaust Day
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE ACTIVITIES, BY COUNTRY
Summary of Holocaust Remembrance Activities in Lithuania
In Lithuania, Holocaust Memorial Day is observed on 23 September to commemorate the victims of the destruction of Vilnius ghetto, murdered in Paneriai in 1943. In 1994, the 23rd of September was declared the National Memorial Day for the Genocide of Lithuanian Jews, and it has been commemorated every year since. The Commission for the Preparation of National Holidays under the Ministry of Culture is responsible for programmes of official events. Every year, regional communities and schoolchildren are becoming more actively involved in Holocaust commemoration activities through projects implemented by other governmental and nongovernmental organizations.

http://taskforce.ushmm.org/activities/countries/lithuania.php
The Stage at the SUDAVA Sudava Regional Secondary school, with memorial stones painted blue and white, memorial candles and flowers.
We drove to Sudava  Regional School - after a short meeting with the Headmistress Mrs Laima Pakinkiene and meeting again Ms. Regina Naujokaitiene. the teacher incharge of Holocaust studies .

Together with the children we drove to the site where the Jewish Community of this area had been murdered.

 I was very moved to how the school marks Lithuanian Holocaust Day. The teacher, Mrs. Regina Naujokaitiene  explained what took place here, then the children laid wreaths and the stones they had prepared and then stood in a minutes silence.

It was a very moving experience
The children prepare for the ceremony.
 Ms. Regina Naujokaitiene. the teacher incharge of Holocaust studies, gives a short talk to her students.
At the end of the ceremony.
 
This site was created by Ralph Salinger
of Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin. Israel