The famous Jewish Memorial March of Molėtai took happened 5 years ago. Among the participants were 70 Jewish emigrants from Molėtai and other parts of Lithuania – people currently residing in Israel, South Africa, Uruguay, USA, Great Britain, etc. Writer Marius Ivaškevičius managed to draw a lot of people‘s attention and a few thousands of them gathered in support of Jewish people.
The March has not gone unnoticed as it was spoken about globally – publications were out on The New York Times, The Washington Post, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, The Jerusalem Post, Psrzegląd Baltycki. Such events do not leave anyone indifferent or unconcerned. „You have to choose on whose side you‘re on – memory, historical justice and conscience or lies and double standards. We cannot tell the history selectively, in which Lithuania is for Lithuanians only.“, said hte participants of the March.
It is important to repeat the March. On August 29th all Jewish people of Molėtai were killed. On that day they had to march this 2 km path from the synagogue to their grave. It is important to remind ourselves and the world that we care about the massacred innocent Jewish people and their remembrance, we do not identify ourselves with the executors of the Holocaust and we accept the European Council declaration on fighting antisemitism, announced on Dec 2nd, 2020.
- 13:30 Unveiling of a monument at the site of Jewish synagogues (in front of the Municipality square). Participant: Aurimas Širvys
- 14:00 A Jewish Memorial March of Molėtai rally at the Municipality square. Event hosted by Saulius Pilinkus. Participants: Mayor Saulius Jauneika, Tzvi Kritzer, president of The Jewish Community of Lithuania Faina Kukliansky, Donatas Puslys
- 15:00–16:00 March to the site of the Holocaust
- 16:00 „Kadiš“ prayer with Šmuel Jatom, the chanter of Choral Synagogue of Vilnius at the grave of the victims of the Holocaust of Molėtai Jews. Participants: Leonas Kaplanas, Donatas Katkus
Musical composition „Nežudyk“ (Do not kill) performed by Arkadijus Gotesmanas, Petras Vyšniauskas and Dmitrijus Golovanovas
- 19:00 Presentation of the documentary film „Paskutinis rugpjūčio sekmadienis“ (Last Sunday of August) at Molėtai Cultural Center. Participant: Ilja Bereznickas