Lithuania -- video of partly destroyed Pakruojis wooden synagogue

I want to attention readers to the comments below from Lithuania in response to this post -- the picture I had posted earlier was just a random shot, not the synagogue burning. Also, locals say this was the third attempt to torch the synagogue in recent months. Latest reports say about 1/3 not 1/2 of the building was destroyed.

My friend Ilya Lempertas in Vilnius, a Jewish historian and guide, has sent me a link to video on a Lithuanian news site that shows the fire damage Sunday to the historic wooden synagogue in the village of Pakruojis. The link to the video is THIS. But I've tried to embed it below (not totally successfully for some reasons). You may have to watch a brief commercial first, and at least on my computer the video is jerky, but it shows close-ups of the damage. Ilya says that according to reports from the scene, some 88 square meters of the roof as well as parts of the ceiling and walls were destroyed. A real tragedy.

This is the second historic synagogue in Lithuania to suffer destruction or serious damage in the past one and a half years. The so-called "Red Synagogue" in Joniskis collapsed in late December 2007. It had been undergoing fitful restoration (along with its "sister synagogue", the so-called "White Synagogue" standing next door to it), but one wall collapsed without warning.

Lithuania -- Pakruojis wooden synagogue burned down?

Pakruojis synagogue, 2006. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

More depressing news. Lithuanian news sources say a possible arson fire has partially destroyed the historic wooden synagogue in the village of Pakruojis!

I have asked for details and will post what I find out.

Meanwhile, Sam Gruber has been in touch with colleagues in Lithuanian who report that:

Anti-Semitism in the country is reaching a "fever pitch" with many repeated articles claiming that Jews (especially George Soros) are wrecking the Lithuanian economy. There is also the "widespread belief that Jews and America prevent the prosecuting of 'Jewish Partisan war criminals.'"

I posted in October about the deteriorating condition of the synagogue, which was built in 1801 and is the oldest surviving wooden synagogue in Lithuania. Click HERE. Whatever the reasons, the destruction of this building would represent a tragic loss of a rare and remarkable Jewish heritage site.

Lithuania -- conference and news highlights

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

I've been at an intense, interesting and, I hope, productive seminar in Vilnius about Jewish heritage preservation and promotion. The meeting was supposed to focus on the plan that was floated some time ago to rebuild the destroyed Great Synagogue in Vilnius, but it soon expanded to take in all sorts of issues, from the status of former synagogues, including wooden synagogues, in the provinces, to amplifying signage and awareness in the old Jewish quarter of Vilnius.

The situation presents a number of depressing factors, including vandalism, apathy, lack of coordination and cooperation between stakeholders, and the usual "one Jew building three synagogues on a desert island" syndrome.

But the fact that the seminar took place was positive and I did learn some positive developments.

These included the news that:

-- a grant from Norway through the EU has been obtained to start rebuilding the "red synagogue" in Joniskis whose eastern wall collapsed in a hurricane two years ago.

-- both the Culture Ministry and the municipality of Pakruojis are committed to restoring the wooden synagogue there, which was seriously damaged by arson earlier this year.

Lithuania -- update on fire damaged Pakruojis wooded synagogue

Fire-damaged north-facing side of the Pakruojis synagogue, Summer 2009.

A correspondent has written in with an update (and photos) on the historic wooden synagogue in Pakruojis, Lithuania, that was damaged by fire a few months ago. Many thanks for sending the pictures and for this vivid and thoughtful description:

We were shown the synagogue by a guide from the local tourist office, who was very helpful and spent much of the afternoon showing us the sights of Pakruojis. He said that there was a local feeling that the fire was started by teens - the building on the plot adjacent to the synagogue, which looked like a private dwelling, had also been set on fire at some point. It was evident from our tour that several buildings of local historical importance are sitting empty and unsecured, for example the old printing press, and the outbuildings of the large manor house have suffered several fires in the past. Pakruojis has the feel of a place which has experienced a long period of decline and does not have the public funds available to restore or even protect their historical buildings. The regeneration which we did see, which is taken place on the manor house, was the result of private investment. My feeling is that there will not be any local attempt to save the synagogue, as there are other more pressing financial needs in this challenged area, but that this was not because it is a building with a Jewish history - other buildings of local importance are equally threatened by fire and dereliction. Having said that, there is a local strategy in place to try and attract more tourists to the area - so who knows?

The site on which the synagogue stands looks over the river and was the first street in Pakruojis. This street, which is better described as a lane, runs along the side of the river, and so is hidden from the view of the current main street of Pakruojis and has little through traffic. It's a lovely spot, but is also very secluded - a great place for kids to hang out and get up to mischief... There is a bench next to the synagogue, where a street drinker was sitting as we were looking around the synagogue in the middle of the day. It is now also possible to walk into the synagogue through the hole in the east side, which is how we took the pictures of the interior.

As you will see from the photos, it seems that there is damage from at least two separate fires, one on the east side, and a larger one on the north side. The photo of the damage to the north side shows about two thirds of the length of the building - you can see the undamaged portion of the north side from another picture which shows the northeast corner - it was difficult to get a shot of the full length of the north side as the river (and at various points, the street drinker!) stood behind us.

Pakruojis wooden synagogue, east-facing exterior. Summer 2009.

Pakruojis wooden synagogue, interior. Summer 2009