In July, 2025, I had the pleasure of traveling through Lithuania with Jeremy from the U.S., tracing the same path that his relative Rosemary had followed the previous year. The main destination was Plungė (Plungyan)—the town from which part of his family originated. But Jeremy also wanted to visit Kupiškis, his family’s other ancestral town, and explore Vilnius. So, we planned a three-day trip focused on Jewish family history and the places that mattered most.
A story about Jeremy’s and Rosemary’s ancestor From Plungė to Port Elizabeth: The Journey of Moshe Jaffee (Joffe Marks)
Here’s what our journey looked like:
Day 1: Walking Tour of Vilnius
We began with a three-hour walking tour of Vilnius, exploring the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter, including the site of the former Great Synagogue. It helped set the context before we headed out to the smaller towns.
Day 2: Vilnius – Kupiškis – Šeduva – Plateliai – Plungė
We spent the day traveling, with several powerful and memorable visits along the way:
- Kupiškis (Kupishok)
We spent about two hours exploring this shtetl. Highlights included a former synagogue, the central market square, surviving old houses, former cemeteries, and the mass grave site located in the freethinkers’ cemetery. - Šeduva (Shadeve)
A brief stop to see the Lost Shtetl Museum. Still under development but already promising to be one of Lithuania’s most important Jewish heritage institutions. - Plateliai (Plotel)
We visited the Litvak Memorial Garden, a commemorative site surrounded by nature, dedicated to Lithuanian Jewish communities destroyed during the Holocaust. - We made a short visit to Eugenijus Bunka’s home, where Jeremy added his signature to the wall covered withnames of Litvak descendants.
We arrived in Plungė in the evening and stayed overnight in Oginski Hotel.
Day 3: Plungė – Kaunas – Paneriai – Vilnius
- Plungė
In the morning, we explored Plungė. We visited the Oginsky manor park and the site of the former synagogues. We also saw several preserved Jewish houses and the Jewish cemetery. Additionally, we found the stumbling stone dedicated to Maša Rolnikaitė, a Holocaust survivor and writer. - Kaunas (Kovno)
We stopped at the Ninth Fort. It is one of the most significant Holocaust memorials in Lithuania. Thousands of Jews were murdered there during the Nazi occupation. - Paneriai (Ponary)
Before returning to Vilnius, we visited the Paneriai Memorial. It is a forested site just outside the capital. During the Holocaust, about 100,000 people, mostly Jews, were executed there.
This was part personal roots trip, part Litvak heritage tour. It was a chance to connect family history with the wider Jewish story in Lithuania.
About Kupiškis Jewish community 
Near Kupiškis Synagogue 
Memorial To Kupiškis Jews 
Inside the synagogue 
Old houses in Kupiškis 
One of the Holocaust memorials 
World Righteous among the Nations 
Šeduva Jewish cemetery and the Lost Shtetl Museum 
Litvak Memorial Garden 
One of Rosemary’s apples 
Jeremy’s signature 
Rosemary is also here 
Jakovas Bunka’s Jews 
Plungė 
Oginsky Manor Estate 
Stumbling stone. Maša Rolnikaitė 
Jewish cemetery in Plungė 
Joffe Gravestone 
In the Ninth Fort 
Paneriai Memorial
Planning Your Own Jewish Ancestry Tour in Lithuania?
I specialize in custom Jewish heritage tours to small towns and former shtetls across Lithuania. These include places like Plungė, Kupiškis, Šeduva, and beyond. You might be just starting to explore your Litvak roots or returning to a family hometown after years of research. Regardless of your situation, I can help you create a deeply personal and meaningful journey.
Let’s start planning your Jewish roots trip to Lithuania.
Litvak Shtetls 