Lithuanian Jewish culture was presented in Stockholm
On May 12, 2014 Lithuanian Jewish culture was presented in the premises of the Stockholm Jewish Association. In the concert “Letter from the Past” Lithuanian artists tenor Rafailas Karpis and pianist Darius Mažintas presented the program of the Yiddish songs which revealed Lithuanian Yiddish music heritage. This concert was dedicated to come closer to our roots, Yiddish language and to honor people who lived in Lithuania before the Second World War. Concert was organised by the Lithuanian embassy in Sweden with cooperation with the Stockholm Jewish Association. Project was financed by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. In his opening speech Lithuanian ambasador Eitvydas Bajarūnas spoke that Jewish history with its distinctive cultural, religious and national identity was an inherent part of European history. The same is true in Lithuania, where the Jewish heritage has been an integral part of the national culture and history for many centuries. Before the Second World War, the Jewish society in Lithuania included more than 200,000 people many of whom spoke Yiddish. Ambasador noted that their Lithuania-born ancestors have been called litvaks while Vilnius has been dubbed the Lithuanian Jerusalem. Litvaks took part in the restoration of the Lithuanian statehood and fought for the country’s independence as volunteers. An important part of cultural life before the Second World War is related to a large number of outstanding Jewish artists, scientists and ordinary people who lived throughout Lithuania.
The event was also welcomed by the Secretary General of the Stockholm Jewish community, Ingrid Lomfors, who gave her gratitude to the Lithuanian Embassy and musicians for a unique presentation of the Lithuanian Jewish culture in Stockholm.
The audience had a unique chance to listen to rarely performed Jewish songs arranged for voice and piano. Most of the songs authors were closely related to Vilnius and Lithuanian history, they were active in Lithuanian cultural life. M. Ravelis „Kaddish“ and A. Shenderov song cycle “Pages from forgotten book” were also presented at the concert.
It is not the first event in Stockholm, which was organised by the Lithuanian embassy in Sweden. Just a while ago photo exhibition from Centropa archyves were presented in Stockholm, the exhibition reflected the life of jewish families in the pre-war times. Furthermore, several times Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara, who helped Lithuanian jewish people during the second world war, was presented in Stockholm.
