Lithuania’s Jewish community says attack on visiting rabbis was rare but alarming
Lithuania’s Jewish community condemns an attack on three Israeli rabbis in Vilnius, calling it rare but worrying due to online incitement and broader regional tensions.
Faina Kukliansky, chair of the Lithuanian Jewish Community, described the attack on three Orthodox Jewish visitors in central Vilnius as shocking, but stressed that such incidents remain uncommon in the country. The suspect, a man born in 1972, allegedly spat on the visitors and later posted a video online encouraging others to target Jews. He was briefly detained and released, and then sought donations to cover his legal costs.
The victims were rabbis from Israel who had been visiting Jewish heritage sites in Belarus before traveling to Vilnius to pay respects at the grave of the Vilna Gaon, a revered Jewish scholar. Kukliansky noted that rising tensions linked to Israel’s war in Gaza have contributed to anti-Jewish incidents across Europe, but said Lithuania’s situation is better than in many Western European countries where attacks are more frequent and many avoid wearing traditional clothing or religious symbols in public.
She expressed particular concern that the attacker used social media to incite others. “That is a dangerous phenomenon. Public incitement like this will not lead to anything good,” Kukliansky said. The community also recently discovered red graffiti on its premises calling for violence against Jews, and victims often hesitate to report such incidents to police.
Rabbi Sholom Ber Krinsky, the Chabad-Lubavitch representative in Lithuania who has lived in Vilnius for over 30 years, said he had never heard of visiting Jews being subjected to such an attack. “When I arrived here in 1994 and walked through the streets dressed as a rabbi, people would turn and look at me. That no longer happens. People are used to it now. Vilnius is a cosmopolitan and international city,” he said. Krinsky added that attacks on local Orthodox Jews are extremely rare, and most people in traditional clothing are visitors touring historical sites.
Kukliansky said the incident has raised concerns among foreign embassies, with diplomats contacting the community to ask what happened. The attack could discourage Jewish visitors from traveling to Lithuania, she warned. The targeted rabbis had planned to attend a major event in Vilnius but now feel unsafe. However, Krinsky said he has not noticed increased fear among the local Jewish community. “We live in a democratic society. The police maintain order, and the government and political parties pay attention to these issues,” he said.
