Following the election of a new mayor of Vilna, Mr. Jouzas
Imbrasas, heads of the Rabbinical Center of Europe (RCE) are
making concerted efforts to put a stop to the destructive
construction work taking place at the ancient Jewish cemetery
in Vilna.
The work on the cemetery grounds, where Torah luminaries such
as the Be'er Hagoloh and the Chayei Odom lie buried, began
when the previous mayor issued a license to a construction
company for a large project at the site.
At a special meeting in Jerusalem with the new Mayor,
participants included HaRav Avrohom Yaffe Schlesinger,
gavad of Geneva and chairman of the RCE's Burial and
Cemetery Department, Rabbi Levi Matusof, liaison to the EU
government officials, Rabbi Avrohom Abba Turetzki, director
of the Burial and Cemetery Department, Rabbi Yosef Meir Yaffe
Schlesinger, and the Mayor's aides.
During the meeting, Mayor Imbrasas proved to be attentive to
the problem and after HaRav Schlesinger expressed the pain of
the Jewish people around the world due to the destruction and
desecration taking place in Vilna at one of the most
important cemeteries to the Jewish people, he promised to
make every effort to halt the work at the site.
The Mayor invited HaRav Schlesinger to visit Vilna as an
honored guest in order to observe the situation and work to
restore the honor of the gedolei olom and other Jews
buried at the cemetery. The visit is slated to take place
soon, once Rabbi Matusof and the Mayor's aides coordinate the
arrangements.
