The Jewish community of Panevėžys, which is famous for its impressive Jewish historical heritage, was visited by Deputy Israeli Ambassador to Lithuania Erez Golan and Embassy representative for cultural issues Virginija Bunevičiūtė. The guests got to know the activities of the community and its ongoing projects with great interest. Afterwards, Gennady Kofman, the chairman of the community, visited the entire Jewish heritage of Panevėžys. E. Golan was interested in educational programs implemented in schools and gymnasiums of the Panevėžys region. The guests also visited the Puppet Theater in Panevėžys, met with representatives of the city municipality, and in the evening opened the project “Israeli cinema in your city” at the “Garsas” cinema center. The first film shown outside in a picknick style was the 1969 comedy “Blaumilch Channel” created by famous Israeli director Ephraim Kishon, which mocks the absurdity of bureaucracy and is relevant in all times and countries. “We, Jews, like to make fun of ourselves not only in life, but also in cinema,” said Erez Golan, deputy ambassador of Israel, at the screening of the film. The retrospective was presented by film critic Auksė Kancerevičiūtė. Other screenings of “Israeli cinema in your town” will take place also at the “Garsas” cinema center.
The Vice Mayor of Panevėžys, Žibutė Gaivenienė, who welcomed the guests, was happy about the cooperation of the city of Panevėžys with the Israeli embassy, thanked for the continued sincere communication, the opportunity given to the citizens of Panevėžys to get to know the culture and history of the country of Israel through the film.
As part of the “Israeli cinema in your city” project, the film “Turn Left at the Edge of the World” will be shown on August 24, and “Abulele” on August 31. All sessions are free, shown with Lithuanian subtitles. This is a gift from the Israeli Embassy to the city of Panevėžys.
Films will be screened in the open air, in case of bad weather, in the small hall of the “Garsas” cinema center.
