Shabbos in Vilnius

We were all vaguely aware of some organizational rift within the Jewish community in Vilnius. During the week, the head of teh Lubavitch center, Rabbi Krinsky, told us that he was uncertain if the main synagogue would be open Friday because of what he termed, 'internal issues'.

However, we were unprepared for what awaited us when my father and I got to the synagogue Friday afternoon. On the steps to the Synagogue was a counter-minyan taking place. As I approached the doors, a young women from the group told me, "Don't go in there if you are looking to daven'.

Ignoring her advice, I stepped inside. I went to get a siddur, but the only ones were Lubavicth ones in Nusach Ari. At the front of the sanctuary Rabbi Krinsky was leading the service. There were about twenty to thirty people participating, mostly seated in the front near the Rabbi. They were all praying very loudly. I didn't understand why until I saw the people milling about near the back. They were mostly older than the average praying congregant and they were talking amoungst themselves and on their cell phones. It was enough of a stir to be disruptive to the prayers so the Rabbi seemed to be trying to compensate by shouting. It didn't help that the acoustics of the Synagogue were terrible.

With us in the back row were four or five armed guards. They seemed be there to keep the peace between the two groups. They certainly didn't stand by the entrace to guard the building; you could come and go as you pleased. Mostly they stood in the back but occasionally they would go outside or towards the front if something strange caught their eye. It was surreal.

After prayers were over, Rabbi Krinsky headed for the exits rather quickly. The minyan outside was long since finished. The older protesters in the back spoke to anyone who listened that they were very much against the Rabbi attempting to hijack an historial Mitnagdish communal synagogue and stamp chassidus onto it. Apparently this fight had been going on for some time now, and it already has spilled out into the local government and secular court system.

Outside, both groups milled about in the courtyard. The presence of the security guards seemed to keep the peace, however a small scuffle took place when one of the Mitnagdic protestors began calling on his cellphone, even though Ma'ariv prayers were over and Shabbat had began. One of the Lubavitcher supporters started shoving the man, and the Rabbi himself held him back. At that point, my father and I headed back to our hotel in disguist.