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http://www.jdc.org/p_e_lith_ps_build_panev.html
Rebirth of the Panevezys Jewish Community in Lithuania

For centuries the town of Panevezys (in Yiddish "Ponievez"), Lithuania
was a center of Jewish learning. In Israel, the United States and
South Africa there are branches of the Ponievez Yeshiva that has
trained scholars and rabbis for decades.

JDC believed for almost ten years that Jewish life in Panevezys was
virtually extinguished, except for ten elderly Jews who receive food
packages. However JDC, in partnership with the Lithuanian Jewish
Community, sent a representative to Panevezys and found a small group
of Jews who wanted to restart a community, starting with just one
individual and his family.

Suddenly, many Jews came out of the shadows and from fourteen people,
the community rose to ninety members, and counting. It is a touching
example of how people can recreate Jewish life out of the ashes.

Hannukah was the perfect occasion to celebrate the rebirth of the
Panevezys Jewish community. A large hall was rented and local
authorities (the mayor, ministers, and archbishop) came to celebrate
the event.

In an example of local networking, the community in Vilnius provided a
music and dance show and sent representatives to train the people in
Panevezys on holiday traditions and celebrations. Surprisingly, the
hall was almost too small to accommodate the scores of curious
Lithuanians who came to witness the renewal of Judaism, as part as
their own heritage.

The Mayor of Panevezys is including Jewish Renewal as one of the main
themes of this year's celebration of the 500th anniversary of the city
of Panevezys. More concretely, he committed to building a small Jewish
community center.

JDC will continue to provide assistance to this renewed community
through youth leadership training, welfare services and holiday
celebrations. The children of Panevezys will also be invited to
participate in Summer and Winter camps In a spirit of partnership, the
Jewish community in Vilnius will be providing leadership advice and
training to the Panevezys community. for more information and pictures
go to;
http://www.jdc.org/p_e_lith_ps_build_panev.html