The Jews settled in Kaunas
since the 15th century.
They gained several rights
by Grand Duke Vitautas.
They settled in Viljampole suburb
and later on moved into the old city.
Many of them were merchants.
In the 18th century new restrictions
forced the Jews to go back to
their traditional suburb
which they called Slovodka.

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When Lithuania became a part
the Russian Empire in 1795
the Jews gained some rights.
In 1858 a decree was issued
allowing all Jews the right
to live and build houses
in all parts of Kaunas.
A new Hasidic synagogue
was built for example in 1880
on Gymnazios street in Kaunas.
In 1898 and 1899 the first and second
meetings of the "Bund"
( the Jewish workers union )
took part in Kaunas.
The good days of the community
came to an abrupt end
when in 1915 the head
of the Russian army ordered
all of the Jews to leave Kaunas
within no more than three days.
That was the temporary end
of a well established community.

The Jews were back in town
when the first Republic of Lithuania
was declared after the war in 1919.
The Jews came back now
to the city which became
the provisional capital.
The community flourished again.
Several Jewish institutions
were established in the city.
One of them was
the central Jewish bank.

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The Jews took part in many areas
like culture ,trade and sport.
Jewish schools , clubs and parties
were established in Kaunas.
Several Gymnasia became famous.
The Shwabe Hebrew Gymnasium
was one of them.

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The Hebrew and Yiddish languages
could be heard around the city.
The Jewish community was very large.
It consisted of about 40% of
the entire population of the city
Several Kaunas based Lithuanian Jews
came to prominence at that period.
One of them was
banker and chess champion
Alexander Ziselis Machtas

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The well being of the community
came to its tragic end.
when the second world war started.
In the Summer of 1941
the Germans occupied Kaunas.
together with their local supporters
they persecuted thousands of Jews.
A ghetto was opened in Slovodka.
Many of its forced inhabitants
including children and old people
as well as women and men were killed
in the forts around the city
Most of them in the ninth fort.

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Almost an entire community
was eliminated in less
than four years in the Holoucast.
In the Soviet era
very few Jews settled in Kaunas.
They were restricted in general
like all other citizens.
Since the second independence
the few remaining Jews in town
became free citizens of Kaunas
and they maintain today
some Jewish activities around
like the local synagogue of Kaunas.

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