VILKAVISKIS
a small town in Southern Lithuania
Where the Jewish Community is no more
Jewish Cemetery Project
Visiting Vilkaviskis

Cemetery Project
 
 
 
 
The art work on the gravestones in the Vilkaviskis Jewish cemetery are perhaps the only concrete items that we have left from the Jewish Comunity that was destroyed in 1941.

Many of the stones carry very moving inscriptions and some have beautifully engravings - I have tried to collect here pictures of these symbols with a short explanation of their meanings - I hope that these will be of interest to you.
The hands held in benediction are the symbol of the Cohens, members of the priestly family of the tribe of Levi. The rabbi devinely blesses the congregation with this posture of the hands. The status of priest is hereditary and carries numerous rights and responsibilities.
Animals are often a reference to the name of the deceased. The lion corresponds with the name Ari, Leib, Löw (Loew), etc. The lion is also the symbol of the tribe of Judah.
The broken branch represents a break in life, that is mortality. There is a suggestion that life was cut short
In Hebrew, the hexagram symbol is known as the Magen David [Hebrew for the Shild of David] and it is the most
common symbol on Jewish graves.
 
This site was created by Ralph Salinger
of Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin. Israel
Vilkaviskis Jewish Grave motives