Articles by Jurgita Siauciunaite-Verbickiene

The Great Vilnius Synagogue
History

Bankruptcy of the Jewish community in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

July 3, 2017 Jurgita Siauciunaite-Verbickiene 0

Ideas about tremendous wealth of the Jews, their well-being, which was thought to have been created by incurring losses on the Christians, was prevalent in the society of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ( GDL and later periods). The reality, however, was quite different. Only a small part of the Jews was successful business people, the majority of them that engaged in small businesses, trade and crafts could hardly make both ends meet. […]

Žydų (Jews) street in Vilnius
History

The Jewish Quarter in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania – isolation or privilege?

June 7, 2017 Jurgita Siauciunaite-Verbickiene 0

Quarters comprising of several streets that were designed along religious, ethnic or professional lines were a regular way of life in European cities during the Middle Ages. Thus the settling of Jews, who employed the use of a section of the city that was delegated to them by law did not go counter to the pattern that had developed for settling in cities. Orthodox believers, Germans, Jews, butchers, glass makers and others who established themselves in Great Duchy of Lithuania (GDL) cities divided up living space in a similar manner. Thus Jews brought traditions to the GDL that were typical for them in the quarters they lived, traditions that coincided with other trends that managed to express themselves in GDL cities. […]