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L I T H U A N I A N A M E R I C A N N E W S J O U R N A L
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B R I D G E SLithuanian American News Journal
USPS 017131 Published 10 times per year(Jan./Feb. & Jul./Aug. combined).
Address of publication is:
LAC, Inc./BRIDGES,
3906 Lakeview Dr., Racine, WI. 53403BRIDGES
is the official publication of theLithuanian American Community, Inc.
National Executive Board
2715 E. Allegheny AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19134
Tel: 800- 625 -1170Fax: 856-428-6014
E-mail: Lithuanian USA@yahoo. com
BRIDGES Consultants Jeanne Dorr Editor
Gema Kreivenas Art Director/ProductionRimas Gedeika TreasurerLithuanian American Community, Inc., &Subscription Manager.
Copyright 2010 Lithuanian American Community, Inc. All rightsreserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced without writ-ten permission of the publisher. All statements & opinions, includingproduct claims, are those of the organization/advertiser makingthose statements or claims. The publisher does not adopt, or putforth, any such statement or c laim as his own, & anysuch statement or claim does not necessarily reflect theopinion of the publisher.
Address all editorial correspondence to:
BRIDGESJeanne Dorr4 Shrewsbury YardRiverton, NJ 08077-1038
E-Mail: [email protected] subscription & advertising information,
please contact:
LAC, Inc./BRIDGES,Rimas Gedeika78 Mark Twain Dr.Hamilton Sq., NJ 08690
Subscription rate is $20.00 annually, 2 full years for$38.00 (US Mail serviced subscribers). Subscriptionsto other addresses are (US $35.00), payable in ad-vance (US funds). Periodicals postage paid at Racine,
WI & additional locations.
Contact us on the Internet at:http://www.lithuanian-american.org
Postmaster: Send any address correction&/or changes to:
LAC, Inc./BRIDGES,Rimas Gedeika78 Mark Twain Dr.Hamilton Sq., NJ 08690
* COVER: Sculpture ofVARGOMOKYKLA- School of Hardshipby Petras Rimsa representing the period of suppression of Lithuanianschools by Russians. Mothers, while working at their spinning wheels,taught their children the Lithuanian language and their prayers.
Editors Note: Realizing that he could not move the Lithuanians to acceptthe Cyrillic alphabet, Czar Nicholas 11 restored the right to use the Latinalphabet. The persistence and determination of the Lithuanian people
should never be doubted. Throughout Lithuanias long history, so much isowed to so many in the name of freedom.
The following are excerpts from LITHUANIA 700 YEARS
*****
The Battle To Retain
The Lithuanian Free Press And National Rebirth
1. The Successful Resistance to Cyrillic Alphabet
The Russian prohibition of the use of the Latin alphabet for theLithuanian press, and in its stead the forced use of the RussianCyrillic alphabet, was an unprecedented event in the history of Europe. Though this prohibition did not have a direct link with therevolt of 1863, it was nevertheless an outcome. The Russians saw verywell how the Poles and Lithuanians (together with the White Russians)had led the uprising. The Russians began to observe the Lithuaniansmore closely-the Lithuanians were, to them, too much under theinfluence of the Poles. The Russian concern was to separate the
c o n t e n t s
2 editorialLetter from the Editor
Jeanne Dorr
4 reflectionsMothers to ManyBy Ona Aleknaviciene
6 cultualThe TraditionOf The LithuanianSong FestivalsDainu Sventes
Birute Litviniene
7 genealogyAttending Lietuvas1000th BirthdayCelebrationsGeorge A. Stankevicius
9 book reviewFORESTBROTHERSReviewed by:
Vytautas Volertas
10 foundationMoney at WorkLithuanian Foundation
10 triviaSubmitted byEdward Shakalis
12 photo albumLithuanian MothersJeanne Dorr
14 reflectionsRomas Kalantaand
The Eye of Freedom
by Michael Lucas
15 reflectionsConclusionLike A Shot EagleVytautas Kupcikevicius
17 sportsWhat a Season!
Rimas Gedeika
21 calendar
in this issue
Continued on page 5
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Those who are living for-tunate and satiated livesprobably will never really
comprehend what a poorperson experiences, espe-cially when one has nomoney and dai ly hungeris gnawing at ones stom-ach. Quite often such aperson is also embar-rassed by his predicamentand does not contact ex-isting support organiza-tions to ask for food andother assistance.According
to an article in a Lithuaniannewspaper, Utenos Zinios (No. 119,dated October 24, 2009), it is esti-mated that in the near future about400,000 Lithuanians will be experi-encing such hunger and want.
Seventeen years ago, two nuns,Sr. Dolorita Butkus and Sr. MicheleGaras, of the Sisters of St. Francis ofthe Providence of God, arrived fromPittsburgh, PA to Utena, Lithuania.Their goals were to offer theLithuanian people support and guid-
ance; to minister to both the physicaland spiri tual needs of the people; toprovide Catholics and others the op-portunity to meet and work withvowed religious women in their dailylives. The sisters now are involved in
youth projects, reli-gious instructionswith children andtheir parents, andteaching religionclasses in a localschool . Addition-ally, the sisters areoffering pastoralservices at the 45-bed St. Clare Hos-pice. The sistershave created sev-eral projects andare seeking sup-porters to carry out
their projects.For the past five
years they have an on-going projectto feed the hungry of Utena. Over theyears the numbers of the hungry havebeen increasing. In October 2009,there were 3,651 workers unem-ployed and looking for work. (OnJanuary 01, 2006, the population of
Utena was 38,876). In thebeginning, the sisterswere providing food for
50 needy individuals.Today they provide foodfor more than 300 needyfamilies. These familiesinclude the elderly, in-valids, and orphans.Some of the families ares ingle-parent and somehave numerous children.For some of the familiesthis is the only help thatsustains them from onemonth to the next. This
assistance provides a measure of joyand happiness, especially to the chil-dren and the elderly, who know thatthey will not go hungry that month.
Food packages are prepared andgiven out once a month. The foodpackages basically consist of cookingoil, flour, various cereal grains, sugar,macaroni, cookies, and other items.The food packages vary monthly,
based on local food prices. TheLithuanian Catholic Religious Aid
4 m ay 20 10
r e f l e c t i o n sMothers to Many
By Ona Aleknaviciene
An elderly woman is grateful.
Lines of people registering for their food. They wait for hours
even through rain, snow and sleet.
Seated is Sister Michele, registering a child and hergrandmother while Sister Dolorita looks on.
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e d u c a t i o n
(64-25 PerryAvenue, Masbeth NY 11378) hasbeen supporting this project, but the sisters areasking your help to continue this project andalso to increase the number of families to besupported.
Director of the Association of St. Francis:Ona Aleknaviciene
A young mother and her child depend on thegenerosity of others.
http://www.osfprov.org/lithuania.aspEditors note: Whatsoever you do to the least of my people, thatyou do unto me.
Matthew 25:40
I have held this article for several months because I wanted to printit for Mothers Day. These Sisters are mothers to so many people.They do all a mother does and even more. Its easy to love and help
your own family. But the Sisters are helping strangers and thesestrangers are the downtrodden and those left behind in a world besetby a financial crisis.
For many years I have been writing about the work being done inUtena and the surrounding areas by Sister Dolorita and Sister
Michele. The mission statement of their order can be found on theabove link. Many of you have supported the Lithuanian Mission ofthe Sisters of St. Francis of the Providence of God. If you would liketo help with the food pantry please send a check to:
Sisters of St. Francis of the
Providence of God
3603 McRoberts RoadPittsburgh, PA. 15234
You must write Lithuanian Mission on your check.
The Battle To Retain The Lithuanian Free Press And National RebirthContinued from page 3
Continued on page 19
Lithuanians, Poles, and White Russians. The tinycountry of Lithuania within the giant Russian Empireseemed to the Russians to be unimportant, and to beeasily Russified. Thus, the first implement in this pro-gram of Russification was to forbid the use of the
"Polish" letters-that is, the Latin alphabet. Throughthe use of the Cyrillic alphabet, the ultimate aim wasto Russify Lithuania through prohibition of the Latinalphabet.
The Russians thought that it would be relativelyeasy for the Lithuanians to adopt the Cyrillic alphabet.The first three books introduced into the country werea grammar, a prayer book, and a calendar. The Russ-ian grammar books meant nothing to the people, whojust read the old books. At first, even the prohibitionof the free press did not touch the average citizen, for
few were schooled in recognizing Russian characters;furthermore, the awakened spirit of anti-Russianismduring the revolt helped in resisting this alphabet,which the Lithuanians came to abhor.
Religion, as had been the case in the past, playedan important part in the lives of the people. This wasespecially evident concerning the new prayer booksof Cyrillic alphabet. The Lithuanians refused to use
these missals, and naturally did not purchase them.There was no use or profit for the Russians to con-tinue further publication; in fact, only fifty-fourprayer books were published in forty years!
Meanwhile, Lithuanian books were published inPrussia; the first editions, printed in Konigsberg in1866, were smuggled across the border into Lithuaniaby contrabandists who had engaged in similar blackmarket activities since ancient times.
The first united resistance against the Cyrillic alpha-bet began with the peasants. At first, the relativelysmall educated class did not realize the imminent dan-ger lying in the prohibition. Some even helped inpreparing some texts for the new Russian printings.Bishop Valancius, held under arrest, was persuaded togive his imprimatur for the first religious writings in
the Russian characters; however, he soon saw thedanger and began to protest such publications. In 1866he wrote to Kaunas' general-governor: "I believe it isimpossible to publish the Samogitian Gospels as aBible in Russian letters because it is my duty tosee that such a book would not be ruined." A yearlater Valancius requested permission to publish a very popular prayer book, Aukso Altorius, in the Latin
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Calendar of Events for May, June and July/August 2010Please verify all events as places & times are subject to change.
MAY
May 1, 2010KOSCIUSKO FOUNDATIONS 600TH AN-NIVERSARYcommemoration of theBattle of Zalgiris
(Tannenberg) NY LithuanianChoir & Annunciation ParishChoir & others will provideLithuanian music underthe direction of GintareBukauskas. United StatesMilitary AcademyWest Point, NY.Mass at West Point, 9:45 amOther activities will follow.American LegionLithuanian Post 154,Baltimore, MDWILL BE PART OF THEHONOR GUARD.
May 8, 2010US - BALTIC FOUNDATION GALAMayflower HotelWashington, DCKeynote AddressH.E. Andrius KubiliusPrime Minister,Republic of LithuaniaWeekend Events include:Baltic Business Program,VIP Reception, Silent Auction& Dinner. All proceeds fromthe events will benefit USBFprograms. For tickets please
visit www.usbaltic.orgTrevor Dane: [email protected]
MAY 9, 2010, - 2:00 pmMOTHER'S DAY CELEBRATIONfeaturing a puppet play by aLithuanian artist OnaPuckoriute-Zalensas fromCleveland followed by apancake supper. Admission:
$15 for dues paying mebers,$20 for everyone else.Discount for seniors &children under 16.Fraternal Order of Eagles Hall1151 S Galena Street(just west of Mississippi & Havana)
Denver, CO 80247Info:www.coloradolithuanians.org
May 16, 2010ANNUAL LAC, INC. SD CHAPTER PIC-NIC "Geguzine "Sunday - 12:00 pm
San Dieguito Park1628 Lomas Santa Fe DriveDel Mar, CA 92014Info: http://www.lithsd.orgSponsor: San DiegoChapter of the LAC
May 22-23, 2010-11am-6pm,38th Annual Lithuanian FestivalCantonsville Armory130 Mellor Ave.Cantonsville, MD.Voted Best Little EthnicFestival in Maryland,
this years theme isA Lithuanian Celebration ofSpring. Lithuanian folkdancers, exhibits, vendors &
Lithuanian food. Admission-$4 per person. Children age10 & under are free.Info: Maria Patlaba at410- 646- 0261.
JUNE
June 5, 2010 -8am.2pmSPRING FLINGFeaturing indoor & outdooractivities, crafts, vendors,flea market, food, raffles,childrens activities, bakesale, book sale & muchmore!3603 Mc Roberts RoadPittsburgh, PA.For info. or to registerfor space please visitwww. Osfprov.orgcall 412-885-7232.
Sponsor: Sisters ofSt Francis of theProvidence of God.
June 5-6, 2010TALKA WORK WEEKENPlease plan to come helpprepare the Neringacampsite for the summerduring the annual. Talkawork weekend. Kindly [email protected](or 978-582-5592) if youplan to attend.
JUNE 26, 2010 -1:00 pm
J O N I N E S I N T H E R O C K YM O U N T A I N Swith the Latvian Community(If you want to travel to
Meadow Creek Reservoirfrom Fraser together, we'llbe meeting at the FraserSafeway parking lot & will beleaving at 12:30) Location:Meadow Creek Reservoir(the campsite's coordinates
are 40.056376,-105.752056)Info: Romas Zableckas orGintautas Sutkus970-531-25, Sponsor:www.coloradolithuanians.org
JULY
July 2-4, 2010IX LITHUANIAN SONG FESTIVALToronto, Canadawww.lithuaniansongfest.org
July 2-4, 2010We are offering thepossibility of a BILINGUAL
INTRODUCTION TO NERINGA campfor families, to be facilitatedby Sr.Igne Marijosius.Pending interest, familieswho have always wonderedabout Neringa will have achance to become acquaintedwith her spirit, mission, &beautiful landscape. Pleasesee www.neringa.orgif interested in thispossibility.
July 25,2010ANNUAL PUTNAM PICNIC & NERINGA
campers will perform as hasbeen the tradition in thepast. www.neringa.org
AUGUST
August 1-14 , 2010:CAMP NERINGA HERITAGEChildren's Camp in English(7-16 yr-olds)www.neringa.com
August 5-8, 2010:Knights of Lithuania97th National ConventionBinghamton, NYHosted by Council 72www.knightsoflithuania.com
August 14-21, 2010:CAMP NERINGACONTINUATION OF HERITAGEChildren's Camp in English(for ages 13-16)www.neringa.org
August 15-16, 201096th Consecutive Lithuanian DaysFood, dances, history, &the celebration of allthings LithuanianSchuylkill Mall,Frackville, PASponsor: Knights ofLithuania Council 144
August 28, 2010:EUROPEAN FESTIVAL 2010Time: 10:00am - 10:00pmAdmission: FreeLocation: Civic Green Park9370 Ridgeline Blvd.,
Highlands Ranch CO 80129www.coloradolithuanians.org
bridges
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