When the rov of Vilna, HaRav Chaim Bourstein, arrived at the city’s new Jewish cemetery on Sunday, he was appalled to find 12 gravestones had been shattered.A number of gedolei olom lie buried here, including the Vilna Gaon, whose remains were moved from the old cemetery. HaRav Bourstein summoned the police and notified municipal and government authorities. Meanwhile he spoke with various figures in the Jewish world, including the heads of the Conference of European Rabbis and Knesset members Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz and Reuven Rivlin. Both said they would address the incident and raise the issue on the agenda in the Knesset.
“The attack on the Jewish cemetery in Vilna is a reaction by local antisemites to the firm stance against the excavation and construction work taking place on the grounds of the city’s old cemetery,” says Rabbi Bourstein. “But we’re not backing down and we’ll continue the battle on all fronts to prevent the desecration of the cemetery.” The Jewish community has been waging a campaign against the construction project for the past several weeks. Last week a worker struck HaRav Bourstein with the cemetery gate, knocking him to the ground.
CER (Conference of European Rabbis) Executive Director Rabbi Aba Dunner said the Conference was appalled by the criminal act in Vilna. “We are shocked anew after every such attack and we have already contacted the government heads in Lithuania and the heads of the European Union to reinforce guarding and security of the Jewish communities and institutions. We are demanding that the authorities capture the lawbreakers and put them on trial. Meanwhile we will continue to provide all of the necessary assistance and backing to protect Jewish cemeteries around Europe and will not be deterred by any attack.”
Rabbi Dunner noted that next Tuesday the Conference is sponsoring a two-day seminar in Vilna for dozens of rabbonim from the former Soviet Union. During the event a delegation will meet with the Lithuanian Prime Minister and other heads of government. “This is the winning response to the acts of vandalism and antisemitism,” said Rabbi Dunner.
(Source: Dei’ah veDibur)
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This destruction and desecration of graves has been going on continuously in Europe. When the CER is questioned, the rabbis note that “all is rosy and fine in Britain and in Europe”. STOP being appalled, the facts of life are staring us in the face.
Rabbi Ravitz and R. Rivkin are honest and hardworking MK (few and in between) in the Knesset, what can they possibly do to help? Pass a bill forbidding goyim from desecrating gravestones, ask the EU to look negatively upon cemeteries destruction.