Vilnius and Jews: 700 years of history
On January 22nd the Embassy invited to the event-discussion "Vilnius and Jews: 700 years of history". Prof. of the Faculty of History of Vilnius University Jurgita Verbickienė presented the report Vilnius Jews to the gathered members Lithuanian and Jewish communities.
This year, Vilnius is celebrating its 700th anniversary. Vilnius has long been famous for its name - as a city that is tolerant, multicultural and ready to hear different opinions. Our capital has many faces, and the people of different ethnic minorities and religious denominations who live in it in different epochs created the emotional relief of the city, history, and the legend of the capital by working together.
Ambassador Marijus Gudynas started the event by congratulating the gathered Lithuanians and representatives of the Jewish community on the 700th anniversary of Vilnius.
Prof. Jurgita Verbickienė’s areas of interest are the sociocultural history of Jews and the comparative study of non-Christians in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The professor told about the history of Vilnius and Lithuanian Jews, the significance of Vilnius Gaon, the valuable contribution of Jews to the creation of the cultural, economic and political life of Lithuania. In the presentation, we heard many facts and myths of the history of Vilnius Jews, Litvaks phenomena.
