AJC-Led Delegation Examines Jewish Book Collection In Vilnius; They Are In No Immediate Danger

American Jewish Committee
Tuesday, 18 February 1997

Prime Minister Promises Cooperation To Resolve All Problems

An American Jewish Committee-organized delegation has just returned from a three-day visit to Vilnius, Lithuania, where they went to check on the condition of the tens of thousands of Jewish books, documents, periodicals and Torah scrolls currently stored in the National Library. After personally looking through the centuries-old collection - which chronicles the history of this nearly destroyed Jewish population - the group reported that the collection is in adequate condition and in no immediate danger of deterioration or destruction.

The AJC-sponsored group, led by Rabbi Andrew Baker, AJC's Director of European Affairs, met with Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Vagnorius; Parliamentary President Vitautus Landsbergis; the American and Israeli Ambassadors, and representatives of the Jewish community. The delegation expressed the concern that these books and religious articles be cared for appropriately, that necessary cataloging and identification work be undertaken, and that access to scholars and archivists be assured.

After spending many hours looking through the extensive Jewish collection, Rabbi Baker noted:

"The collection is no immediate danger. Much of it, including books, newspapers, documents, and periodicals is catalogued and properly stored. There are still, however, more than 13,000 items that have not yet been catalogued. These are kept in the former St. George Church, now an annex to the National Library. Most are unsorted and on rough wooden shelves, but some of these items, including Yiddish newspapers from pre-war Poland, are in piles on the floor. However, it must be stated that the inadequate facilities and lack of professional staff has also resulted in many Lithuanian and Byelorussian books being kept in similar conditions."

The director of the National Library also allowed the group to see the 370 Torah scrolls and fragments stored elsewhere in the library's facilities. Rabbi Baker reported that they are kept on storage shelves, each one in a canvas bag and numbered. "However," he added, "the director would not allow us to remove and examine the scrolls so we were unable to determine their condition or how many of them might still be serviceable. A listing of the scrolls and fragments prepared some time ago was promised to us, but ultimately not provided."

The Lithuanian government had become aware of these difficulties. Following the delegation's meeting with the Prime Minister, he issued an official statement titled, "Problems Will Be Solved Together." In it, Prime Minister Vagnorius noted the meeting with the AJC delegation and assured the members of the delegation that "once the task of cataloging and classification will be completed, these Jewish books and Torah scrolls will be transferred to the State Jewish Museum." The Prime Minister gave his assurances that "any problems that might arise will be solved through joint effort." The statement also repeated the delegation's request that the Torah scrolls "be given to synagogues, since they are used during religious services." Delegation members were hopeful that this recognition that the Torah scrolls are a separate matter from the book collection will eventually lead to returning them to use in Jewish congregational life in Lithuania and abroad.

The Prime Minister was further informed that plans are underway for a delegation of archivists and library specialists from the YIVO Institute to visit Vilnius, and his statement indicated that "the Lithuanian government would support in every way the work of these specialists from the United States." Difficulties have arisen in the past with lack of cooperation from the National Library staff and director. Since only two half-time employees remain at the Library who possess the Yiddish and Hebrew language skills necessary to conduct the cataloging work, outside assistance is essential if this is to be completed expeditiously.

While in Vilnius, the delegation also adopted a joint communique with the State Jewish Museum which, among other matters, endorsed a cooperative relationship between the Museum and the YIVO Institute in New York.

The delegation also included Nicholas Lane, chair of AJC's International Affairs Commission; Max Gitter, Board Member and Secretary of YIVO; Dr. David Fishman, archivist and a professor of history at the Jewish Theological Seminary; and Daniel Mariaschin, director of international affairs of B'nai B'rith.

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