NCSJ - Lithuanian Jews Support Israel

Lithuanian Jews Express Solidarity with Israel

Vilnius, 15 April: At a meeting in the community hall in Vilnius on Sunday [14 April], a group of Lithuanian Jews expressed solidarity with Israel fighting for solidarity [as published].

"The world did not say anything when bloody attacks claimed innocent lives in public places almost every day, but spoke up when the state of Israel took measures to prevent them," Rabbi Shalom Ber Krinsky told the participants.

In his words, the world community protests against the siege of the Christian church where Jesus Christ was born, yet is closing its eyes before the vandalism of the sanctuary by 200 Palestinians barricaded inside.

"Over its 4,000-year history, the Jewish nation was constantly under attack by powerful enemies but held out because it remained loyal to its faith and national consciousness. With the help of God, it endured, restored its sanctuaries and defended its honour on a number of occasions," said Ber Krinsky, who moved to Vilnius from New York several years ago.

"All Israeli people - women and men, young or old, children and old persons - killed in the latest wave of terrorism are our brothers and sisters," he told the participants of the event.

Most of those who spoke during the meeting noted that some anti-Semitic forces in Lithuania took advantage of situation in Israel to set their activities in motion.

An opinion was also expressed that there has been little repulse, with a few exceptions.

The participants decided to inform the Israeli embassy for the three Baltic states about the sympathy of Lithuanian Jews to their historical homeland...

Source: BNS news agency, Tallinn, in English 0949 gmt 15 Apr 02


	*The Financial Times - 04.16.2002* from BBC Monitoring Service Lithuanian Jews Express Solidarity with Israel Vilnius, 15 April: At a meeting in the community hall in Vilnius on Sunday [14 April], a group of Lithuanian Jews expressed solidarity with Israel fighting for solidarity [as published]. "The world did not say anything when bloody attacks claimed innocent lives in public places almost every day, but spoke up when the state of Israel took measures to prevent them," Rabbi Shalom Ber Krinsky told the participants. In his words, the world community protests against the siege of the Christian church where Jesus Christ was born, yet is closing its eyes before the vandalism of the sanctuary by 200 Palestinians barricaded inside. "Over its 4,000-year history, the Jewish nation was constantly under attack by powerful enemies but held out because it remained loyal to its faith and national consciousness. With the help of God, it endured, restored its sanctuaries and defended its honour on a number of occasions," said Ber Krinsky, who moved to Vilnius from New York several years ago. "All Israeli people - women and men, young or old, children and old persons - killed in the latest wave of terrorism are our brothers and sisters," he told the participants of the event. Most of those who spoke during the meeting noted that some anti-Semitic forces in Lithuania took advantage of situation in Israel to set their activities in motion. An opinion was also expressed that there has been little repulse, with a few exceptions. The participants decided to inform the Israeli embassy for the three Baltic states about the sympathy of Lithuanian Jews to their historical homeland... Source: BNS news agency, Tallinn, in English 0949 gmt 15 Apr 02
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from BBC Monitoring Service