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2009-09-05
The VYI is awarded a Certificate of Acknowledgement

On October 1, 2009, the Vilnius Yiddish Institute (VYI) was awarded a Certificate of Acknowledgement for acting as co-organizer of the Lithuanian National Project:  “The European Year of Inter-Cultural Dialogue 2008 in Lithuania”.  This project was conceived as an opportunity to experience a variety of interdisciplinary events.  The cultural aspect of the 2008 Vilnius Yiddish Summer Program was fortunate to be a part of this project. 

The VYI organized seven lectures featuring a variety of topics given by several instructors, including:  Dr. Nancy Sinkoff of Rutgers University, (New Jersey), Esfir Bramsonaite-Alperniene from the Judaica section of the Lithuanian National Library, Professor Dov-Ber Kerler of Indiana University, and Dr. Vilma Gradinskaite from the Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum. 

An important part of this program was the presentation and discussion led by the Lithuanian Jewish Community about Jewish life in Vilnius today, organized by the VYI.  Excursions to former Jewish sites included the Vilna ghetto, Ponar Forests, Kovne, Trok and Olkenik, which were led by renowned Lithuanian tour guides and Holocaust survivors. 

Another successful feature of the program included four concerts presented by professional musicians and singers.  These performances included:  “Songs of the Vilna Ghetto” sung by