Shliach Attacked by Lithuanian Anti-Semitic Paper
European and North American human rights activists may have thought that the Lithuanian newspaper Vakaro žinios (‘The Evening News’) could not outdo its past antisemitic sensations, but the 21 December, 2011 edition full front page with a huge banner headline ‘THE JEWS’ may herald a new low in the series of 1930s grade disseminations of hate against Lithuania’s tiny and shrinking Jewish minority (around 95% of the country’s Jewish population was killed during the Holocaust).
Lithuanian antisemitism watchdog defendinghistory.com carried the story, together with a full PDF of the article and a full English translation.
The article’s huge banner headline ‘THE JEWS’ is followed by much smaller ‘See No Need to Pay their Social Security Taxes’, giving the impression that ‘the Jews’ are responsible for the country’s economic woes. The rest of the page contains a large photograph of Chabad rabbi Sholom-Ber Krinsky, a native of Boston, in his usual rabbinic attire. Rabbi Krinsky, who has been a full-time resident rabbi in Vilnius since 1994, officiates at the Chabad synagogue and religious center in the Lithuanian capital.
The Chabad school, Beis Menachem, is singled out for its difficulties in paying up in a large page one spread which includes the information that Western Union is even more behind in payments. In the continuation of the article, there is a list of the ten major entities that are behind in social security tax payments. Lo and behold, Chabad and Beis Menachem are not among the major non-payers.
As of today, there has been no public comment by the leaders of the Center for East European Jewish Studies, the Vilnius Yiddish Institute, the Jewish Cultural and Information Center, the Vilnius Jewish Public Library, any politician or diplomat, or any of the human rights centers in the country.
A Lithuanian community leader who did not wish to be named told the Algemeiner “this is yellow journalism and the story has been paid for, what needs to be looked into is who paid for it and why.”
henya
it is very possible that the article was written by Jewish anti- Semites. Jews even Religious Jews, who are against Rabbi Krinsky or are jealous of all his accomplishments in Vilna. (Reminds me of Yud Tes Kislev 200 yeas ago.)
They are still naive to think that if they write against a Jewish Chabad Shliach, nothing will happen to them. Well, history has taught us that they very wrong.
They are next to be attached.
I was there
As someone who spent a lot of time in Vilna, I am sure that this article WAS instigated by some of the Jewish enemies of Chabad in Vilna. They are also responsible for any issues with the school mentioned in this article.
People would be really surprised if they knew of a fraction of the problems the these people caused Rabbi Krinsky. There aren’t many people who would be able to cope with it like he does.
From a sibling
Hang in there, Sholom Ber. As in the story of Chanukah,light will prevail over darkness, good will triumph over evil…
for amazing shluchim!
amazing Shluchim who have mesiras nefesh on a daily basis!!! If even one person reading this thinks they have it tough – find out what goes on there – & hey – anyone who can PLEASE help them out! Sholom Ber & Nechama Dina & their KA“H 11 children have had their home taken from them because of the hatred from other ”yidden,” their work constantly undermined & yet they continue to trek ahead! The most amazing shluchim we know – & I’d rather help them out then be in their shoes! Go SB & ND – you guys r the BEST!!!!!
glenlivet
חזק ואמץ! גם זו יעבור.
chaim
Lithuania’s hate Jews period. They have Nazi’s still alive and they will not even think about arresting them. Yad Hachassidim Al haelyona.