VILNIUS - Community leaders and activists from across theglobe have rallied in protest of the construction of a conference center on the oldcemetery in Vilnius.
The Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau, the highest authority in Jewish Law Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and a respected rabbinical court have all ruled that theconstruction of a conference center is forbidden and illegal. Their decisionsare consistent with a multitude of Rabbis from across the globe, who have comeout vehemently against the new conference center. The initiative is alsofurther opposed by the White House, U.S. Senators, Congressmen, Mr. PaulPacker(Chairman of the United States Commission for the Preservation of America’sHeritage Abroad) and the Israeli Knesset.
The proponents of the conference center (the Turto Bankos and the Vilnius City Council) arguethat the development will facilitate a remarkable improvement to the area, botheconomically and aesthetically. To give credence their initiative or perhapspurely out of ignorance, they sought the blessing of Jewish interest groups tosupport their cause.
Practically, these interest groups are dwarfed by theauthority of the prestigious rabbis who oppose the plan, almost to the point ofoblivion. To anyone who is in the know, who appreciates the importance affordedto varying levels of authority in Jewish law, the attempt by the planners ofthe conference center to candy coat their project is both tickling and atragedy. It is tickling because the notion that any Jewish body or individualcould overrule the authority of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, the Chief Rabbi ofIsrael Rabbi David Lau and a respected rabbinical court, is practicallyimpossible. It is a tragedy because the idea that professionals and Lithuanianpoliticians who are ostensibly citizens in good standing, could err so badly intheir judgement, is sad.
Pointedly, it is unlikely that the Vilnius City Councilwould allow a junior school student to sign off as a construction engineer to asuspension bridge. But yet that is exactly what they have done.
Another misconception which the bank and City Councilhave tried to peddle, is that with the utmost surgical precision and care, thedisruption of bones and skeletal remains can be eloquently avoided. “Jewishheritage will be protected,” press releases proclaim.
Preservation of skeletal remains is an important factorin preventing desecration. However, just as important is therequirement that the place of burial be used exclusively as a resting place forthe deceased. Most certainly a conference center or a creationwith any other purpose, simply wouldn’t cut.
Seemingly, the desire to improve the area by the VilniusCity Council is juxtaposed by the tragic desecration which will take place ifthe plan for the conference center goes ahead. This leaves the city in anirresolvable quandary.
Enter Adele Schachner Architecture, New York architect and designer extraordinaire, who hasput forward a tentative proposal: the restoration of the cemetery to anaesthetically pleasing memorial with beautiful and trendy sidewalks. The planensures that the authentic memorial component of the cemetery will bemaintained together with a design which is pleasing and attractive to the eye.
“We arranged the ground in a metaphorical griddedcemetery of two shades of gravel,” says Ms Schachner. “Weused soft white and grey tones, evocative of the tombstones that once inhabitedthe site. The gravel also allowed for low maintenance, year round groundcoverfor the expansive site. We then frosted the existing glass windows and addedmirrored panels to the massive roof, reducing its appearance. During the daythe roof reflects the sky and gridded ground. At night, the roof twinkles withthe thousands of mini solar-powered lights planted at each corner of the groundgrid.”
“The forlorn, abandoned cemetery will finally be restoredto the prestige it deserves,” she asserts reassuringly.
Whether this foresighted vision is realized, will dependon whether logic, measured thinking and pragmatism prevail. The alternative issanctions, boycotts and relegation. It’s an avenue which no one wants.
Everyone involved in this dispute would far rather see aprosperous and beautiful Vilnius, a city which could be the cultural capital ofEastern Europe. That is the vision for which loyal Lithuanians, deep in theirhearts, want.
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SAVE VILNA
David Sagorin
Jewish Lives Matter
About the organization:Save Vilna is an action group which is spearheading a campaign tostop the construction of the conference centre (Vilnius Congress Centre) by theLithuanian government. You can learn more about the campaign on the SaveVilna website.
