The US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, has formally intervened in the ongoing dispute over the historic Snipiskes Jewish Cemetery in Vilnius, issuing a sharp letter to Lithuanian Culture Minister Lukas Alsys warning against renewed development plans at the site.
The intervention targets revived proposals involving the former Vilnius Palace of Concerts and Sports, a Soviet-era structure situated directly within the historic burial ground, also known as Piramont or Shnipishok.
Founded centuries ago, the cemetery served as the primary burial ground for the city’s Jewish community from the late 16th century until its official closure in 1831. Although burials ceased, the site remained a sacred resting place for generations of prominent scholars and community figures before suffering extensive desecration and the leveling of headstones during the Soviet occupation.
Despite past destruction and the erection of a sports palace over the grounds in the 1970s, preservation advocates and religious authorities emphasize that thousands of Jewish graves and human remains still lie intact beneath the surface.
In his August 10 letter to Minister Alsys, Kaploun expressed deep concern over official remarks suggesting the site’s future remains open, writing that such statements “risk legitimizing the ongoing and shameful attempts by members of the Seimas to further desecrate it.”
US envoy urges Lithuania to protect historic Jewish burial site
Reaffirming objections previously raised to Lithuanian Prime Minister Sinkevicius and his predecessor, Kaploun warned that moving forward with a conference center project “would send a clear signal to Jews around the world that not only can cemeteries be desecrated in Lithuania but that the rich, 600-year history of the Jews in this country before the Nazi regime is meaningless.”
Addressing the sanctity of the ground under religious law, Kaploun wrote, “Cemeteries are a sacred ground for all of mankind. No self-respecting government, institution, or even community organization which claims to represent the needs of Jewish citizens can allow for their desecration.”
He explicitly urged the Lithuanian government to “oppose the pending parliamentary resolution and reject any attempt to develop the sacred site for profane purposes,” encompassing any initiatives to convert the Soviet-era structure into commercial or cultural facilities.
Concluding his message with a strong moral appeal, the envoy invoked biblical history, writing, “God told Cain: ‘Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the Earth.’
Now, the blood of every Lithuanian Jew denied a proper burial during the Holocaust cries out to us as well.” Kaploun added, “Any attempt to further desecrate this cemetery is shameful for the government of Lithuania and will be met with opposition. The blood of an entire people demands nothing less.”
Vilnius cemetery dispute resurfaces despite preservation agreement
The controversy follows a move earlier this year when the Lithuanian parliament gave initial approval to a resolution reopening consideration of the sports palace site. The Lithuanian Jewish Community expressed profound concern over the parliamentary initiative, noting that it bypassed a compromise agreement reached in July 2024. Under that prior framework, established through a joint working group involving government institutions and community leaders, the property and surrounding territory were designated exclusively for commemoration, historical education, and reflection.
Vilnius, historically celebrated as the “Jerusalem of Lithuania,” holds deep significance for global Jewry and Litvak heritage. The Snipiskes cemetery was originally the final resting place of notable figures, including the renowned 18th-century rabbinic scholar Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, known as the Vilna Gaon, whose remains were later relocated amid Soviet-era destruction.