AJC Discusses Property Restitution with Lithuanian President

American Jewish Committee
Friday, 18 January 2002

The American Jewish Committee met with Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus yesterday to discuss efforts to advance Jewish property restitution in his country.

The meeting with Rabbi Andrew Baker, AJC's Director of International Jewish Affairs, occurred hours before the Lithuanian President met with President Bush. AJC last met with President Adamkus on September 11, at an AJC breakfast in Washington interrupted by news of that day's catastrophic terrorist attacks.

For several years, AJC has pressed the Lithuanian Government for the return to Jewish communities of 371 full and partial Torah scrolls, which remain in storage in the Lithuanian National Library.

In October 2000, the Parliament of Lithuania passed legislation that authorized their return. In July 2001, AJC, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Melchior and others reached an agreement to form an Ad Hoc Committee representing Jewish communities in the Diaspora and in Israel, which would be prepared to receive the scrolls and arrange for their examination, repair and distribution.

During his September 2001 Washington visit, President Adamkus indicated his support for the restitution of the religious scrolls and his hopes that it would be achieved in the near future. The scrolls, however, remain in Vilnius.

In his meeting yesterday with Rabbi Baker, the Lithuanian President reaffirmed his personal commitment to see that the scrolls are returned and his expectation that the government would complete all the necessary arrangements within 10 days.

Jewish leaders are planning to gather in Vilnius on January 27, to participate in a commemoration of the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and to receive the restituted scrolls.

In their meeting, Rabbi Baker also discussed with President Adamkus the need for Lithuania to address in a comprehensive way the restitution of Jewish communal property and the importance of recapturing some of the Jewish past in the current renovation of the buildings of the former Vilna Ghetto.

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org