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Lazdijai Synagogue and Beit Midrash

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Religious Heritage
Lazdijai
Lazdijai Tourism Information Center

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Lazdijai, located in southern Lithuania, has a rich and fascinating history of its Jewish community. Jewish life in this town began in the late 16th century, but it was only in the mid-19th century that a developed shtetl with a complete Jewish infrastructure emerged. The synagogue, beit midrash, rabbi's house, and Jewish school formed the community's shulḥan (gathering area), becoming the main meeting place in Lazdijai. Here, people gathered not only to pray but also to discuss important business matters or daily news. In the mid-19th century, Jews made up about 60% of Lazdijai's total population, and their residential quarter was located around the market square. This community was an integral part of the city's cultural fabric. By the early 20th century, the spectrum of Jewish activities was broad; they worked in trade, crafts, and industry, owning 16 out of 17 local factories. Additionally, Jews were active in agriculture, contributing to the increasing number of

their families. During the interwar period, cultural life in Lazdijai thrived. The Jewish library, with over 2,000 publications in Hebrew and Yiddish, was particularly significant. The string orchestra "HaKoakh" became an essential part of celebrations, and although there was no dedicated theater in the city, Lazdijai frequently hosted Yiddish theater troupes from Kaunas, filling the halls with audiences. However, in the summer of 1941, the Nazi occupation devastated this vibrant community, with members being mass murdered and the number of survivors being minimal. Today, the former brick synagogue and beit midrash, located at Vilniaus St. 6, stand as historical symbols. Although these buildings were damaged during World War II bombings, they were still marked on the Lazdijai map in 1946. In the 1960s, the buildings were reconstructed and integrated into a cultural house, and in 1994, a youth club was established here, now known as the Lazdijai Culture Center.

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