Lithuania Master Thread

[WhyAich]

If this destination pertains to anyone I can help

[U-no-me!]

Pertains to me.

How far from the Vilnius city center is the "jewish stuff.?
Is Vilna safe for jewish looking people?
Thanks.

[U-no-me!]

Just in case anyone wants to know. Vilna seems to be a safe city. The main Jewish attractios are, The jewish cemetery (Karpinias). The Choral synagogue on Pylmo G. and then there is the the old town (or whatever of it remains, The soviets demolished most of it and rebuilt on top) The old town is where the ghetto was and also where the vilna Gaon lived. Today all that remains of the Gaon's home Is a plaque and a statue commorating him. Not to far from there is the cathedral which is where Graf Pototsky was burned HY"D.
There used to be many jewish cemeteries in Vilna, But the soviets destroyed them all, and left just one. A few graves from the old cemeteries were moved (due to world pressure) to the existing cemetery, including the Vilna gaon, Avraham ben Avraham and Reb Chaim Ozer.

Taxi's may very well be dishonest in Vilinus, Have your hotel book one for you or you can call Ekipajas which seems to be honest at 1446.

[em0616]

Karpinias I think you meant to write "kapinės)", which is the Lithuanian word for Cemetery.

As for taxis, make sure to order them in advanced by phone.  Else you will be paying quadruple
the price for the same taxi. And when in the taxi, make sure the number on the left side of the
meter is 1.

If you have the hotel order for you, you will also have a higher rate, as the hotel will get a cut.

http://www.ekipazastaksi.lt/en/fares.html
http://www.etaksi.lt/en/book-taxi-online

The Chabad house there (Bokšto 19/12,) is run by Rabbi Krinsky shlita, who has been there since 1994, and it's
the only place you will feel "the most at home".

With all the respect to the Choral Synogogue, the atmosphere there on Shabbos is like Tisha B'av.

The Jewish cemetery, where the Gaon zt"l, and Chaim Ozer zt"l are buried, is at address:
Sudervės Kelias 28.

Also don't forget to visit:

Ponar (Panerių), at (Agrastų 17 for the GPS), where during WWII, over 70,000 Jews were killed. 

Trakai, a castle on small island where the Lithuanian Dukes used to live in the 14th century, is also
a must visit. 20 km from Vilnius.

For those wishing to rent a car, Autobanga, http://www.autobanga.lt/rental.html offers the best rates,
and you are allowed to take their cars to Latvia and Estonia.

[avadah]

Is it better to change USD or EUR to LIT?

[moe8555]

Anybody have any newer/interesting information about Lithuania (and Vilnius, in particular)?  Kosher restaurants perhaps?  I snagged 3 nights at the Crowne Plaza from the latest PointBreaks list for next month.  Thanks!

[Ploni3]

Last time I was there (a few years now) I secured all my food from Chabad and there were no restaurants.

[em0616]

There is a bagel shop Beigelių krautuvėlė, plus a restaurant in Vilnius called Rishon,
but as far as kashrus, I wouldn't comment... -- It's not under a local hashgacha with
a mashigach temidi.

Beautiful country, but soaked with so much Jewish blood. There are other places in the world to visit.