VILKAVISKIS
          A small town in Southern Lithuania
Where the Jewish Community is no more
 
Lithuanian Holocaust Day 2013 at the Azuolas Progymnasium

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.
With the kind assistance of Mr. Antanas Zilinskas and Mr. Algis Algis Vaskevicius, we were invited to attend the Holocaust Memorial ceremony at the Azuolas Progymnasium. This was the school that Eli attended.
Picture of the school
Telling the story of Dvora Antanas
Telling the story of Dvora Antanas
The Director speaks Ralph telling about Eli's father
The Director speaks Ralph telling about Eli's father
The ceremony
On the way to the Memorial Service Infront of the Monument Algis, The Mayor, Eli, Lorraine and Antanas
On the way to the Memorial Service Infront of the Monument Algis, The Mayor, Eli, Lorraine and Antanas
The Service Children reading Rembering
The Service Children reading Rembering
My deepest apprciation to the staff and pupils of the Azuolas Progymnasium for this very moving expereience
Background to the ceremony
The Ceremony at  the Holocaust Site
The Children listening The children