Talk:Lithuanian Jews

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It is my understanding that the Litvak cultural area was considerably larger than the borders of modern Lithuania. Can anyone confirm/explain this in the article?--Pharos 19:12, 4 Mar 2005 (UTC)

My father's family lived in Horodok, Belarus, which I believe changed hands among Russia, Poland and Lithuania. Modern maps -- even those purporting to show previous historical territorial boundaries -- are often much more definitive than documentary history supports. Jules Siegel 10:12, 13 Jan 2006

Map of present-day Lithuania ilustrates a historical article. It should be replaced by a historical one.Xx236 08:44, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Rabbi Krinsky is actually Chabad rabbi, so description about his physical removal by two men hired by him is an oxymoron.

Litvak cultural area basically coincides with Grand Duchy of Lithuania borders ca. 15th century, "from the Baltic to the Black Sea" as Lithuanians are fond of saying. That includes modern Lithuania, Belarus and a large portion of Ukraine. The Volhynian schism or the Chassidim/Orthodox conflict happened later. Other famous Lithuanian Jews include Emma Goldman and Roseanne Arnold-Barr. Monica Lewinsky is also mentioned sometimes, whose mother's maiden name is reportedly Wilenski (Vilna). Trotsky also took his stage-name from a Jewish Lithuanian family he stayed with named Trotsky, which is supposed to derive from the place-name Trakai, the ancient capital of the Lithuanian Grand Duchy. Solly Grinor writers about this in his book "Light One Candle."81.7.91.43 10:44, 14 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Modern day Haredim

There are indeed many subgroups within Ashkenazi Jewry, including descendants of German, Polish, Polish Hasidim, Lithuanian, Galician, Galician Hasidim, Hungarian, Hungarian Hasidim, Russian, Russian Hasidim, etc. Jewish communities. In the modern day (Israeli) Haredi culture, however, the sole groupings are Lithuanian and Hasidic. Put differently, within the (Israeli) Haredi world, anyone not Hasidic or Sefaradic is Lithuanian, irrespective of ancestors or outlook on life. Although these "Lithuanians" are affiliated with yeshivas, some of which are successors to Lithuanian institutions, they themselves are not in any way Lithuanian. In reality, their approaches to Judaism and to life draw as much on Polish, Hungarian, and general Hasidic ideals as Lithuanian ideals.

Similarly, it is inappropriate to list rosh yeshivas as Lithuanian leaders when they are more accurately described as yeshiva leaders whose Israeli constituents have appropriated the Lithuanian label for themselves. Would you categorize the late Rabbis Moshe Feinstein, Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, or Joseph B. Soloveitchik as Lithuanian? Only one of them was of Lithuanian descent or mentality, and he was the one least associated with the modern "Lithuanian" movement. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.237.215.95 (talk) 01:09, 25 April 2008 (UTC)