Memory Office: R. Litay
Litvak Roza Litay shares memories of her family's life in Kaunas and beyond - the fate of the loved ones during World War II, the Soviet era and later. Roza's mom of blessed memory, singer with an extraordinary voice, Nechama Lifšicaitė.
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“My mother grew up in Alytus. As she said, in Lithuania – everything was autonomous. Lithuanians used to live their lives, Jews - theirs. My family had a Jewish life, used to tell me about Jewish Lithuania. It was only later I have realized that they actually knew Lithuanian.”
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“My uncle Jakov was studying medicine in Italy and later had to leave for Israel. In 1941, he came to Kaunas to say goodbye to his family and ended up in the ghetto. He was a ghetto policeman; he was severely tortured and killed in Fort IX. The same happened to all children of my Grandma's sister... Srolick wanted to join partisans, escape the ghetto – he was shot. I know the ways everyone was killed. My grandmother's sister - Sonia's daughter Rivka was hiding in a malina, when they’ve found her together with others – they’ve simply burned it in the ghetto in the middle of the war... Son Dodik - didn't want to leave his mother and was also burnt with Mirala and Bertha...”
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“While my mother and grandmother ran off to Uzbekistan. They have managed it there, of course. Even though, they were starving. They’ve told me – we had thought – Dear Lord, when we come back to Lithuania – will tell – how difficult it was... When they have learned what had happened here, they’ve realized that it wasn't difficult at all.”
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“My grandma couldn't see anything that reminded of her family. She went to a former maid to ask what had happened. My aunt's tablecloth and my aunt's vase was placed on her desk. When she saw that, Grandma fainted... The next day came, and those things were gone.
Our huge, five-apartment house with a big tree, built during pre-war period in Žaliakalnis, was taken by Lithuanians. My grandma couldn't argue with them. She had no strength. She just wanted everyone alive.”
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“One Jew at the train station would meet and accommodate everyone who came by train. My family eventually got an apartment on Janonis Street. It was so beautiful there. Garden with gooseberries. Sandbox with white sand. Full of friends - Lithuanian, Russian, Jewish... I used to ride my bike. Professor Tadas Ivanauskas had lived side by side and would always bring apples. My childhood was very good. I used to ride my bike and eat apples.”
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“We have celebrated all the holidays at home. Grandma used to bring macas (scones made from unleavened and unsalted wheat flour dough) from the synagogue. Would place them on the closet and it couldn’t be touched. They used to make a really good mead in Lithuania. I have not managed to find anything like what we have used to get from the synagogue. During Hanukkah, by tradition, we kids were getting money. During Pacha, we were playing with nuts. We used to celebrate Rosh Hashanah - the New Year, as well. We would eat apples with honey, even had a watermelon once. Grandpa knew how to prepare all the dishes. I grew up with so many Jewish traditions. With love for Jewish, Lithuanian and Russian culture.”
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“There was a Jewish world in Lithuania. On the streets of Kaunas, after the war, most of the remained ones – spoke Yiddish. Not only my mom’s, but my generation as well. After all, it was difficult in the Soviet Union. The ones that would arrive – found it strange. The union restrained us, prevented us from talking. But when you are not allowed, you try to remain even harder. We sang Jewish songs. Yiddish alphabet got published in Vilnius. I think it depended on a family. Some have passed the traditions while others were afraid to do so. And I can’t blame them.”
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“Of course, there are many terrible things that I relate to Lithuania. But there are many rescuers as well. You can’t be responsible for all the bad people. Stay with the good ones. I have many good friends here. A lot of people had helped us. I can't forget that I grew up here. I love Lithuanian culture and history very much.”
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“It's a miracle that we have managed to survive, to leave, that now - we are in Israel. That our children speak Lithuanian. It was our secret language. I thought I'd ever come back here. I did not miss Lithuania until I went to Chicago to study. I saw tulips there. And they reminded me of Lithuania a lot. Only then, I have realized I miss it.”
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Roza Litay (Reizla Gertnerytė)
Roza was born in 1948, in Kaunas, in the family of Boris Gertner and Nechama Lifšitsaite. Roza's grandparents from her mom’s side, Yehuda (Judel) Lifshic and Batya (Basia) Dakofker, both came from Vilnius, and followed Jewish traditions in the family. During the Second World War, as the Nazis approached Lithuania, they fled to Uzbekistan by firefighter's car. In 1946, when they have returned to Kaunas, their relatives were no longer alive. The grandparents on the father's side come from Krikiai. Most of their family fled to Ural, although, 17 relatives were shot dead in Zapyškis. Roza grew up listening to grandmother Batya's stories of a disappeared pre-war Kaunas, and her mom's operas, which she had listened to in the Music Theater lounge. Roza's family left for Israel in 1969.
Read more about singer Nechama Lifšitsaite in the exhibition catalogue “Jewish nightingale Nechama Lifšicaitė (1927-2017)”.