Directory listings Archive | Page 107 of 260

The Jewish Story of Kedainiai, Lithuania

Kėdainiai is one of the oldest towns in current-day Lithuania. The noble Radziwiłł family owned the town for a longer part of the town’s history. The Jews settled in Kėdainiai at the beginning of the 17th century, when in 1627, the town’s owner Krzysztof Radziwiłł allowed the Jews to settle around the Old market square.

The first synagogue in Kėdainiai was mentioned in 1655, which stood in the Northern part of the Old market square. The Kacenelenbogen family made the town a center of Talmudic studies that even famous Vilna Gaon (Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman) studied here when he was young. It is believed that he was a student of a famous rabbi, Moses Ben Simeon Margoliot (1710-1780). Also, Moshe Leib Lilienblum (1843-1910) – a famous Jewish scholar and proponent of the Haskalah movement was born in Kėdainiai.

Alma Pater, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commonsns

At the end of the 19th century, Jews constituted about half of the total town population. High-density living space formed favorable conditions for fires that often ravaged the town. During WW1, the Jews of Kėdainiai were expelled from the town by the Tsarist regime. However, after the end of the war, many local Jews returned to their hometown. In 1923 about 2500 Jews lived in the town. The majority of the Kėdainiai Jews engaged in certain crafts and small trade, and even during the interwar period they dominated in the town’s economic life. In 1941, when Nazi Germany occupied Lithuania, Jews from Kėdainiai and surrounding towns were forced to abandon their homes and were taken to the newly established ghetto. In August 1941, 2076 Jews were killed in nearby Daukšiai village.

The Kėdainiai Jewish community ceased to exist, however, the traces of former shtetl could be visible to this day. The town has a synagogue complex that consists of two synagogues: The Great Synagogue and the New Synagogue, which were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Since 2002, the building of the New Synagogue has been used as a multicultural center, where people have an opportunity to get acquainted with the history of the Jewish community and attend various cultural events. In the cozy old town of Kėdainiai, there are many surviving Jewish buildings and objects in Kėdainiai, including the Jewish cemetery, Wulf Polones Pharmacy, the old 18th-century Jewish-house with the Sukkah, that remind us about the town’s Jewish past.

Gray’s House Hotel

The Hotel “Grejaus namas”(Gray’s house) is a peaceful oasis in a quiet street of the old town of Kedainiai, and is situated right in the middle of town. The hotel is established in an 18th century building built by the Scots. Our front desk is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We offer you commodious, comfortable and homelike rooms, safe parking lot, restaurant-bar. Also comfort conference hall, Russian and Turkish baths.

Hotel Smilga

Located in the city of Kėdainiai, only 100 m from its Old Town, Hotel Smilga offers rooms with cable TV and a work desk. The River Nevezis is located nearby. Free private parking is provided. The Smilga’s rooms feature a classic interior design with walls painted in bright pastel colours and wooden furniture. All have a private bathroom with a shower. The Smilga’s front desk staff is available 24/7. Guests can relax in the hot tub or sauna. They can also get a steam bath or play a game of billiards.

Gray’s house

Kedainiai town is one of seven towns of Lithuania which has a unique historic heritage – the old town. Kedainiai history starts with the first mentioning of its name in Livonion chronical written by Herman Vartberge in 1372. The Hotel “Grejaus namas”(Gray’s house) is a peaceful oasis in a quiet street of the old town of Kedainiai, and is situated right in the middle of town. The hotel is established in an 18th century building built by the Scots. Our front desk is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We offer you commodious, comfortable and homelike rooms, safe parking lot, restaurant-bar. Also comfort conference hall, Russian and Turkish baths.

In the restaurant “Grėjaus namas” we offer you to arrange a festive occasion or a romantic dinner by candlelight. Both in the whole restaurant and its separate halls. Warm surroundings, delicious cuisine, and the restaurant’s cellars known for their mysterious history will long endure in your memory. We will make every gourmet’s heart beat stronger.

Krakių Bendruomenės Svetainė

Visitors to the site will be able to participate not only in programs of exceptional creativity, but also to taste the products supplied by local farmers and small producers. One of the main goals of the project is to promote cooperation between local food producers and local communities in the production, promotion and sale of their products by creating a public space. Encourage cooperation between food producers in the field of agricultural and food supply, combining transport, distribution, marketing, advertising and quality management activities, with the aim of ensuring that the products supplied reach the consumer quickly by developing the organization of the food supply chain.

The head of the community center says that by organizing food for consumers according to the so-called short and healthy food chain, the consumer has a great opportunity to find out what is being bought, what and how it is made. Benefits for both the producer, who can create more added value, and the consumer, who gets food closer and healthier. It is both an education and a benefit to nature. Still, there is still a lot to improve here. “It simply came to our notice then. There are people in the area who produce butter organically and grow vegetables, but people do not dare to apply to the Veterinary Service for a permit. And we are without permission – no way. “Our people are hardworking, they only have a lot of internal fears, which is the biggest obstacle,” Daiva is convinced.

Currently, agreements are being concluded with thirteen farmers and small producers of Kėdainiai region. Erikas Augustinavičius, one of the largest beekeepers in the area, will supply honey and its products. Eggs, vegetables and spices will be bought from local farmers. And that’s just the beginning of the list.

“Local produce is not just food. For example, the Ažytėnai community center has a sewing shop where she sews wonderful aprons and bags for spices. After all, it is also a local producer. Krakiškis Algimantas Vaiciekauskas weaves wonderful baskets and baskets. They can be used to add products and prepare business gifts for customers. Such a harmony is very beautiful. If you look more creatively, you can create a lot of wonderful things, ”said the community leader.

According to her, the site will initially produce traditional food from the region, such as zeppelins with curd, cold beets with sourdoughs, and customers will be invited to try new and exclusive dishes and desserts during the tastings.

Hotel-Restaurant “Smilga”

Restaurant “Smilga” offers a wide range of Lithuanian traditional dishes. The restaurant also offers different food degustations, such as Lithuanian dishes, Jewish dishes (non-kosher), and historical dishes from the noble Radziwiłł family recipe books.

Edita Mongirdaite

Edita offers private and group guided tours throughout the region of Kedainiai. She offers a Jewish Quarter tour where you can see the many historic Jewish sites that the city has preserved including the synagogue complex, the old Jewish orphanage, and the market square!

Audrone Peciulyte

Audrone offers guided tours in the city of Kedainiai and around the Jewish Quarter, as well as the settlements of the Kėdainiai District. With several years of experience and an extensive knowledge of the region’s history, Audrone will be able to personalize your tour so that you can get the most out of your stay in Kedainai!

Daniel Gurevichh

When we travel and experience the world, the marks left by other people throughout history influence us and inspire new ideas that help us leave our own mark on this world. Jerulita is a tour operator company founded in 1999. Our mission is to help travelers learn about the culture, heritage, and historical value that places around the world have. Our tours are led by friendly passionate and knowledgeable tour guides. They are always happy to answer questions, make you laugh, tell local stories, and little known facts. Whether you’re looking for a city tour, a bus tour, or solo travel we guarantee your experience with us will be memorable.

Great Market Square

Jews settled in the private town of Kėdainiai in the first half of the 17th century. The Jewish community grew rapidly, so local Christian-dwellers asked town owners to implement restrictions on Jews, limiting their living space in town. Thus, the town’s owner issued regulations, which allowed Jews to live only in a separate part of town – the Jewish quarter, which is located around the Synagogue complex. However, despite the restrictions, some Jews lived outside the boundaries of the Jewish quarter. The main market square was the most attractive place in town to do business, as many people from neighboring towns and other areas gathered here during the weekly markets. Most of the local Jews engaged in crafts and small trade. Later, in the 19th century, the local Jews began to grow cucumbers and sell them in many Lithuanian and even Latvian towns.

Archives: Directory listings