Students even from the USA went to this world-famous school in Kaunas, but its historical remains are not preserved

Together with historian, guide, pedagogue Deimantas Ramanauskas, we visited the place where the religious school of the most gifted Jews operated in Vilijampole.

According to him, the first Jews arrived in the Kaunas area as early as the 16th century. Then they gathered near Žiežmarii and Kaišiadorii. Jews are first mentioned in Kaunas itself in the 17th century. in the second half.

Vilijampole itself, which was called Vilijampolskaya Svaboda, first mentioned in 1653. At that time there were no Jews in it. This territory belonged to the Radvil nobles, their farm estate stood here, where the Radvils themselves did not reside. In total, this family owned about 1000 hectares of land. A huge territory, almost all of Šilainiai – up to the Linkuva estate.

Radvilai manor stood at the beginning of the current Radvilai manor street. All the crops of the surrounding areas flowed into it.

“The cartographer of Radville had made a map with residential quarters. There were only 4 streets, 8 small houses. More Catholics lived in that area.

However, in the 18th century Ave. The Kaunas Council adopted decisions limiting the activities of Jews in the economic field. Since Vilijampolė grew as a separate city, Radvilos, on the contrary, applied concessions to the Jews, so that they would pay the land rent and build their own homes, engage in business, and build their own homes,” the historian conveyed the current affairs of that time.

The first brick synagogue in Lithuania

According to the historian, it is known that Jews have lived in Vilijampole since the 18th century. Ave. The community grew rapidly. Already in the second half of this century, Radvilas gave the Jews a privilege – they allowed them to build a prayer house. Thus, on the banks of the Neris, about 70 meters from the bridge, near the current building of the “Dailė” kombinat, a huge, multi-storey synagogue sprang up in baroque style, which was the first brick synagogue in the current territory of Lithuania.

It is said that the building was designed by an Italian architect and built in 1772 by Rabbi Isaac’s sons Moze and Abraham Soloveičikas.

At the same time, Jews were allowed to establish a cemetery. They are still preserved in Kalnų Street.