Arbit Blatas, a Lithuanian-born Litvak artist, became one of the most vivid visual chroniclers of Paris. Living among the greats of the École de Paris, he sketched studios, cafés, and street life with immediacy and insight. His works preserve the atmosphere of a creative era that has since vanished.
Category Archives: Litvakai
Shtetl of the week: starting a new series with Dusetos
In the “Shtetl of the Week” series, I explore and share traces of Jewish heritage in former Lithuanian shtetls. Each week focuses on one town, highlighting surviving sites, personal stories, notable Litvaks, artistic contributions, cemeteries, and Holocaust memorials, offering a glimpse into the life, memory, and legacy of these communities.
How to plan a Jewish Heritage or Family roots trip to Lithuania
For more than ten years, I am helping visitors from all over the world discover and reconnect with Lithuania’s Jewish past. In this conversation, she shares how to plan a Jewish heritage or family roots trip to Lithuania, what a typical three-day journey looks like, and how even independent travellers often find deeper meaning through her personalized itineraries.
Sonia Gaskell: The Litvak Who Shaped Dutch Ballet
Born in 1904 in Vilkaviškis, Lithuania, Sonia Gaskell (Sara Gaskelytė) rose from her Litvak roots to become one of the leading figures in Dutch ballet and a teacher of Audrey Hepburn. Founder of the Dutch National Ballet, she lived by her motto: “I always move forward.”
A Litvak Heritage: Rosemary’s Emotional Journey to Plungė
This time, I was deeply moved by Rosemary. She is a descendant of Joffe Marks, a Litvak from Plungė. He built a remarkable life in South Africa. Rosemary traveled to Lithuania in October 2024 with something truly special in her suitcase. The book was about her family’s journey: their life in Lithuania, emigration, and theContinueContinue reading “A Litvak Heritage: Rosemary’s Emotional Journey to Plungė”
From Plungė to Port Elizabeth: The Journey of Moshe Jaffee (Joffe Marks)
Joffe Marks in Johannesburg, South Africa. A photo of the Jaffee family, available on the website of the South African Jewish Museum Before emigration, Jewish families in Lithuanian towns followed certain rituals: reciting Torah on Shabbat, visiting family graves, and sharing freshly baked challah. These moments marked the transition from the familiar to the unknown.ContinueContinue reading “From Plungė to Port Elizabeth: The Journey of Moshe Jaffee (Joffe Marks)”
Rabbi Yisrael Salanter: Father of the Musar Movement
“Rev Salanter, I can only spare one half-hour to devote to learning. For which subject should I best utilise this precious time?””Well, in this case”, responded the Rabbi, “devote it whole to the study of Musar. For, when you study that subject carefully and diligently, you will inevitably discover that you can find another halfContinueContinue reading “Rabbi Yisrael Salanter: Father of the Musar Movement”
Apsilankymas Kanovičiaus Jonavoje
Prieš savaitę sulaukiau skambučio iš Toronto. Skambino Dmitrijus Kanovičius, norėjo pasikalbėti apie mano “Litvak Shtetls”. Paklausė keleto dalykų ir labai stipriai pagyrė. Nesijaučiu daranti kažką tokio ypatingo, todėl buvo labai netikėta ir jautru. Lyg tarp kitko užklausė, ar esu girdėjus apie Grigorijų Kanovičių, nes tinklaraštyje nieko apie jį nerado. Kaip negirdėjus, jo „Miestelio romansą“ esuContinueContinue reading “Apsilankymas Kanovičiaus Jonavoje”
Vandens nešėjai
Tu esi Lietuvon įstatytas tamsus talismanas,Apipintas kerpėm ir samanom pilkom;Kiekviena siena – pergamentas, kiekvienas akmuo – šventas raštas,Išdėlioti mįslingai ir praskleisti nakčia,Kai ant senos sinagogos sustiręs vandens nešėjasStovi ir barzdą užvertęs skaičiuoja žvaigždes.Iš Mošės Kulbako (1896-1937) poemos “Vilnius”. Vertė Alfonsas Bukontas. Visą poemą galima rasti čia. Šį spalį, skulptoriaus Romualdo Kvinto (1953-2018) mirties metinių dieną,ContinueContinue reading “Vandens nešėjai”
Samuel Bak’s Vilnius
Samuel Bak’s relationship with Vilnius was a complex one, as complex as can only be experienced by a person who has lived through both paradise and hell here. Born in Polish Vilnius in 1933 into the family of Jonas Bakas, a Jewish dental technician, and his wife Mita, the lone child Samek was spoilt byContinueContinue reading “Samuel Bak’s Vilnius”
Litvak Shtetls 