EVENTS 2021

In 2021, due to the Covid pandemic and lockdowns Zoom became the Foundation’s means of communication.  We pursued our projects albeit under the different circumstances which forced us to reconsider our methods of operation and priorities.

DECEMBER.

Liepāja Jewish Community, ‘’ Liepājas ebreju mantojums ’Foundation, in cooperation with Žanis Lipke Memorial and museum ‘’Jews in Latvia’’ organized commemorative activities on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the mass extermination of Jews of Liepāja in Šķēde from 15-17 December 1941.

15 December, 2021

11.30 –  Commemoration ceremony in Šķēde at the Memorial to Liepaja Jews – Victims of the Holocaust. 1941-1945.

17.00 – 19.00 – Residents of Liepāja and guests lit candles at the Memorial Wall in the Jewish cemetery to commemorate victims of the Holocaust.

17 December, 2021

17.00 – To commemorate the tragic events of 1941 during the Holocaust in Liepaja, an online meeting was organized with Holocaust research experts. This is available on the Žanis Lipke Memorial Facebook page and on the website www. lipke.lv. ( in Latvian)

5 December, 2021

Hanukkah

For the first time, members of Jewish community of Liepaja lit a big chanukiah, specially made by Liepaja craftsmen. Adults and children gathered in the Community yard to light the last 8th Hanukkah candle. Our special guest, the Mayor of Liepaja Gunārs Ansiņš participated in the ceremony and lit one of Hanukkah candles. The Liepaja Jewish Community Board and the Liepaja Jewish Heritage Foundation hosted the event and prepared a traditional Hanukkah meal and hot tea.

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December 2020-August 2021 Zoom Conferences –

We embarked upon Zoom conferences with clearly defined goals such as educational and instructive lectures, discussions and meetings on topics of special interest.

• Our primary aim was for our Zoom conferences not only to teach and impart knowledge about Jewish traditions but also to portray on-line the religious rituals performed during Jewish High Holy days.

• Our second goal was to present little known facts about WW II as they related to events which took place in Liepaja and to the participants in such events and their fates.

• A further objective was to learn more about the rescue of Jews from Liepaja and its surrounding area.  Maija Meiere-Oše, researcher and historian of the Žanis Lipke Museum in Rīga gave a Zoom presentation of her research on the tragic failed rescue of Aizpute Jews when both the Jews and their rescuers were killed.

• My Family Roots Project

The aim of this active and ongoing project My Family Roots  is to learn more about members of the Liepaja Jewish Community who originate from many different countries particuarly the former USSR. Participants at this conference recount their family stories and Jewish traditions and their families’ experiences during WWII and the Holocaust.

• Photographic Tours of  pre-war Liepāja

We organized several photographic tours of pre-war Liepāja with the speakers describing Jewish business, culture, education and sports as well as the contribution of the Jewish Community to the independence movement and foundation of the State of Latvia and its economic development and prosperity.

• Zoom meetings including with the Liepaja Jewish diaspora

Most Thursdays at 18.00 local time on our Zoom platform we met with members of the Liepaja Jewish community and descendants of Liepaja residents living in Israel, USA, Germany, Great Britain and Russia. We are often joined by Liepaja residents living in Riga and by Liepaja University lecturers interested in the city’s pre-war history and its Jewish diaspora. In February, Ilya Lensky , Director of the Museum “Jews in Latvia” was a popular guest speaker at one virtual meeting. His last lecture was dedicated to the origins of Latvia’s Jewish history.  His lectures are usually followed by lively discussion.

• In March 2021, to mark his 80^th birthday year Eduard Kaplan,an active member of the Liepaja Jewish Community, organised an unusual art exhibition. It was presented from his apartment where he spoke about his different painting techniques, both traditional and new.  He also presented his earlier works of art appreciated not only by members of the Community but also the general public.  

• On April 25th Eli Valk, President of the Association of Israeli Jews from Latvia and Estonia was the guest speaker at our Zoom meeting when he imparted significant information regarding the current situation in Israel.

• On June 3rd Zoom conference participants were given the “virtual” opportunity to stroll down the picturesque Kūrmājas Prospect and Graudu St, past Ulih St to visit the house where the famous pianist Max Rabinovich lived before leaving Liepāja for the U.S.A.. Max was the favourite accompanist of the renowned Russian bass vocalist Fyodor Chaliapin.  We listened with great interest to the memories of Max Rabinovich’s niece living in the USA as well as those of his son. Ivar Brod, a great friend of the Liepāja Jewish Heritage Foundation also shared his research findings regarding Max Rabinovich.

• On August 26th, rounding off this season’s on-line Zoom lectures Ilana Ivanova presented the results of her research on the establishment of [Baltic Sea] leisure resorts including Liepāja, and how springwater and mud were used to treat people from antiquity to the early 20th century. Her presentation was illustrated by 30 pictures and photographs.

• On December 16th we started our online meetings with members of the Jewish Community and friends interested in Liepaja’s pre-war Jewish history. Since then we have organized 26 lectures and meetingswith Liepāja descendants, researchers and historians.

• Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all participants of our ZOOM conferences, including Eli Valk, Rozalija Suharj and Eduard Kaplan, Ilya Lensky Director of the Museum Jews in Latvia from Riga, Zalman Deift ( Germany), Maija Meiere- Oše from Ž. Lipke Museum, Liepāja Survivor Dr. George Schwab and Dr. Ivar Brod, from Jewish Survivors of Latvia, Inc. and Secretary and Editor of Courier from the U.S.A. for their interesting lectures and presentations and not least Mihail Melamud for his technical support for our online meetings.