Whistle Stop Tour Of Kaunas

We’re on our whistle-stop tour of Kaunas, having left Vilnius en route for Riga which we know is at least five hours away (actually, it turned out to be “a bit” longer)

Kaunas Choral Synagogue

But we cannot resist stopping off at the Kaunas Choral Synagogue.   I absolutely love to tour architecturally interesting synagogues all over the world and this was a surprising gem. 

I am so glad we stopped to see it.  Its ark is built in a lavish Moorish style while the synagogue itself is reminiscent of the byzantine style and very beautiful.  Its acoustics are clearly very good also.

Sadly, it’s too early for Mincha and we cannot hang around for the half hour until the magic moment so we sing our (traditional in these situations) Tzadik Katomor led by one of the resident chazonim in the party.  

We also view two large boards which document the communities lost in the 1941 – 1944 nazi occupation.  Outside, there is an unusual memorial to the children lost.

In comparison to the Vilnius Choral Synagogue, this one is in much better condition and appears to have greater use.  We learn that they do indeed have a minyan each Shabbos but it is between 10 and 20 men, and this is dwindling.  Would that we had this shul for use of Yeshurun!

Japanese Saviour

Buoyed by our visit to the Kaunas Choral Synagogue, we continue on to the Sugihara House – this is the residence of a Japanese Diplomat, Chiune Sugihara, who personally intervened to save the lives of over 2100 Jews by issuing transit visas to Jews so they could move to Japan.   The house after his name is now a museum and we spend half an hour touring the place.

Then we visit the Jewish Cemetery at Kaunas.  Reaching this place is no mean feat, and fortunately our guide knows where it is.  Although the cemetery is still in use, there is no obvious entrance and this has to be reached past a building site where men are removing the roof of a building.  We then have to cross a live railway line.....

Our guide explains all this actually helps keep the cemetery from vandals and indeed it is, as cemeteries go, a very peaceful one.  At one end is a tombstone commemorating a mass grave of Holocaust victims.

We daven Mincha close by, next to the mausoleum of Rav Yitzchok Elchonon Spector, the Kovno Rov, then hurry back to drop off a couple of our party who are departing at this point to the airport.

We hope they get their flight in time….