Vilna, often called the “Jerusalem of Lithuania,” was once a vibrant center of Jewish heritage, learning, and culture before being devastated by the Nazis during World War II. In 1941, when Germany invaded, Vilnius was home to 100,000 Jews, nearly half the city’s population. Over the course of the war, 95% of Lithuania’s 141,000 Jews were murdered by German soldiers and local collaborators, nearly erasing the Jewish community from the region.
The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research will host the ‘Nusakh Vilne Memorial’ on Sunday, Sept. 29, to commemorate the Jewish community of Vilna, the birthplace of YIVO. The virtual event, accessible via Zoom, will begin at noon CST and is free for all attendees.
Exploring the Jewish heritage of Vilna
This year’s program features a special discussion by music expert Bret Werb, focusing on Vilna-born poet and Holocaust survivor Shmerke Kaczerginski, a key figure in the Paper Brigade. Kaczerginski’s post-war mission to preserve Holocaust songs and cultural artifacts hidden from the Nazis will be central to Werb’s presentation.
“Kaczerginski’s dedication to preserving Jewish history was an act of heroism,” said Werb, who serves as a music specialist and curator at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. He will explain how Kaczerginski continued his mission after the war by recovering cultural materials hidden in the Vilna Ghetto and sending them to YIVO’s headquarters in New York.
Preserving Jewish culture through music
After Werb’s talk, there will be a mini-concert showcasing Kaczerginski’s poetry, set to music by renowned Yiddish musicians Temma and Binyumen Schaechter. Temma, a singer and actress, will perform with her father Binyumen, an acclaimed composer and conductor.
Honoring Vilna’s Jewish legacy
“This memorial serves as a poignant reminder of Vilna’s rich Jewish cultural history,” said Alex Weiser, YIVO’s director of public programs. YIVO’s annual “Nusakh Vilne Memorial” continues to celebrate the artistic and historical contributions of Vilna’s Jewish community.
For more information or to reserve a spot, visit yivo.org/NusakhVilne2024.
