A six-day professional journey in the heart of Lithuania was organized, led, and conducted with immense dedication and professionalism by Laura Grybkauskaitė, Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of Lithuania in Israel, alongside the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture and the Embassy. This journey – launched in collaboration with the Municipality of Kiryat Motzkin (headed by Tziki Avisar) and Mashmaut Center – served as a return to our roots, to the rich cultural past of the Jewish community and its tragic end, alongside a showcase of rebirth, flourishing, and the ignition of a new flame of hope and educational action. Photographer Yair Ganor joined the journey, documenting every single moment with great sensitivity.

Day 1: Vilna – Diplomatic Meetings, Academia, and Memory

The journey opened at the warm residence of the Ambassador of Israel to Lithuania, Shelly Livne, with a cordial meeting discussing ways for future collaboration, accompanied by Cultural Attaché Laura. Afterward, the participants visited Vilna University’s Faculty of History, meeting with Prof. Jurgita and her team – experts on the Holocaust of Lithuanian Jews. Guided expertly by Regina, a local Hebrew-speaking guide, the participants toured the historic Jewish quarter of Vila ("Jerusalem of Lithuania"), walking in the footsteps of important figures and visiting the key historical sites of the community. The day concluded with an emotional evening concert of Hebrew music and singing by an ensemble from Poland (organized by the Polish Institute in Vilna), which opened the "Shalom Festival" at the Samuel Bak Museum.

Day 2: Vilna and Ponary – Museums and Killing Sites

The second day began with a visit to the Samuel Bak Museum (operating under the Vilna Gaon Museum of History), featuring an inspiring meeting with the management and staff. From there, the tour continued to the Museum of History, Culture and Identity of Lithuanian Jews – an innovative and impressive museum showcasing the community's rich history and glorious identity. In the afternoon, the participants arrived at the Ponary Memorial Site, where members of the Vilna and surrounding communities were brutally murdered and thrown into forest shooting pits. Facing the killing sites and the haunting silence of the forest, guided by Renata, the profound realization of the Mashmaut Center's mission became sharper than ever: to continue commemorating the memory of the Holocaust and passing the torch to future generations.

Day 3: Kaunas – The Ninth Fort, the Sugihara Museum, and the Jewish Community

The third day began with a drive to the Ninth Fort in Kaunas a site of immense historical importance that served as a central extermination site for the Jews of Kaunas and the Kaunas Ghetto, as well as Jews brought from Europe and Soviet prisoners of war. A meeting took place with the museum staff: Marius, Museum Director; Vitold, Head of Education (whose grandfather was recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations); and Edgar, dedicated guiding coordinator. Following a tour of the exhibitions and prisoner cells, the journey continued to the Sugihara Museum (located in the former Japanese Consulate building), commemorating the courageous actions of Japanese Consul Chiune Sugihara and his wife Yukiko, who issued "visas for life" to refugees in the summer of 1940. The day in Kaunas concluded with a walking tour led by Herzl Zaks, head of the local Jewish community, which included a stop at the memorial for victims at the Levitkes Garage and reflection before the wall dedicated to Hebrew poet Leah Goldberg.

Day 4: Šeduva and Kupiškis – "The Lost Shtetl" Museum and Strengthening Municipal Ties

The fourth day included a drive, accompanied by devoted driver Eduard, to the town of Šeduva to visit "The Lost Shtetl" Museum—an architectural masterpiece documenting the lives of the region's Jews, guided by Dr. Jolanta, Head of Education. From there, the journey continued to Kupiškis, where the delegation was warmly and cordially welcomed by Mayor Algirdas Raslanas, alongside discussions on tightening ties in education, youth, and culture, coupled with an emotional meeting with descendants of local Jewish families. During the visit, the participants were deeply moved to see the Israeli flag flying proudly in the Mayor's office and the public library.

Days 5 & 6: Concluding the Journey in Vilna – Literature, Art, and Enduring Friendship

The final days of the tour opened standing before the mural painted by an Israeli artist in Vilnius, depicting the figure of Theodor Herzl alongside landscapes of the Land of Israel. Following lunch at the "Belbuste" restaurant and a meeting with Tadas, director of the Shalom Festival, the participants visited the wonderful Jewish Library (part of the general municipal library). There, they met the library staff, who nurture rare Yiddish literature, and reviewed impressive educational and cultural projects such as the translation of Leah Goldberg's immortal book "Room for Rent" into Lithuanian, and a special edition of Yitzhak Rudashevski's diary.

The entire journey concluded with a profound sense of mission, strengthened international ties, and immense gratitude to all partners: the Embassy of Lithuania in Israel (Lietuvos ambasada Izraelyje), Cultural Attaché Laura Grybkauskaitė, Israeli Ambassador Shelly Hugler Livne, the Municipality of Kiryat Motzkin, Tziki Avisar, and the Mashmaut Center. A living testament to the fact that this tour opened the door to meaningful collaborations is the announcement that following the Sukkot holidays, the Ambassador of Lithuania to Israel is scheduled to visit Kiryat Motzkin and the Mashmaut Center in person.