Lithuania's prominent town of Vilnius has produced a great idea, a map and a trail of talking statues from all periods of history, taking you around the city. So you don't walk aimlessly but have a destination, a sense of achievement, learn along the route. A city gets you the visitor (or resident) to pass landmarks, historic quarters and as you go the shops and restaurants or open spaces. Well done, Vilna tourist board.
The Statues
But who are the statues of other famous citizens of Vilnius? Frank Zappa; a Jewish doctor; The Mermaid; Barbara, Duchess and Queen of Poland; Adam Mickiewicz national poet of Lithuania and Poland, and more.
It's something for you to do, even with the map, which you can start any time of day.
The Vilna Genius
When I was researching for a novel featuring one of my ancestors from Ukraine, and trying to include several countries and cities in Europe and worldwide to interest the widest possible audience for my book, I came across the Vilna Gaon or genius. (I am not saying that the map of talking statues is a stroke of genius, I am just saying it is excellent.)
The Vilna Gaon was the intellectual, rival, and enemy, of the illiterate Hasids who were singing and dancing in the streets and forests in their warm coats in winter and big hats. The Hasids were communing directly with God through nature, instead of sitting sensibly in synagogue listening to the learned Gaon who presided with wise words over funerals.
The saintly Gaon, however, on learning that his rival was dead, forbade his own followers from dancing on the grave. He wisely said that the dead should be respected. Past rivalry should be forgotten. (Forgotten - I am still talking about it centuries later. Forgiven, but not forgotten.)
I think this is a great story. It explains a lot about why groups of people don't get on. If you look at the psychological systems such as Briggs Meyers, it's simply the introvert versus the extravert, the intellectual book reader living in the past and future versus the sensor living in the here and now.
The Gaon lives on a literature. The Hasids live on in their headgear. (For years I was afraid to approach Hasids. When I did, I found that they won't shake hands with a woman, however, they will speak to you and they are a very jolly crowd.)
The Vilna Gaon is the sort of character you can promote in conferences and long, learned magazine articles. The Hasids are a group who can dance in the streets at festivals.
Back to the Gaon. Mention Vilna to anybody who has studied Jewish history for any reason and they will immediately associate Vilna with the Vilna Gaon. I looked to see where is the Vilna Gaon. A character of interest to the American Jewish visitor. Wikipedia comes up with the instant answer.
Attracting Tourists
Anybody connected with the travel trade will remember that when the Americans stopped visiting London the hotels were suddenly in trouble. Why? Because a hundred room hotel with two bedroom suites occupied by the rich and retired, suddenly found that a ten per cent drop in takings was the difference between profit and loss.
Maybe nobody in a group of 20 visitors or a hundred visitors is interested. But the owner of the travel agency had a granny from a European city. Your Jewish owned or staffed travel company can also send dozens of people to a city, or nobody.
If you visit Vilnius, and know about the Vilna Gaon, you will have no trouble finding where he was and then seeing the other statues.
http://www.mmcentras.lt/uploads/files/dir551/dir27/dir1/0_0.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilna_Gaon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilna_Gaon_Jewish_State_Museum
Adam Mickiewicz is the national poet of more than one country (because borders have changed through history). Adam was and is national poet of Lithuania and Poland. Was Adam Mickiewicz also Jewish? If not, was he ever Jewish, or of Jewish descent? It seems he was a staunch Catholic, rumoured to have a Jewish mother so possibly of Jewish origin with Jewish sympathies or connections and definitely a political alliance.
If you are trying to write a historical novel, and work out the sympathies of your real life or imaginary hero, or a minor or famous character of the era, here's a site which summarises the issues neatly.
http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1143
Angela Lansbury, travel writer, researcher, speaker.
The Statues
But who are the statues of other famous citizens of Vilnius? Frank Zappa; a Jewish doctor; The Mermaid; Barbara, Duchess and Queen of Poland; Adam Mickiewicz national poet of Lithuania and Poland, and more.
It's something for you to do, even with the map, which you can start any time of day.
The Vilna Genius
When I was researching for a novel featuring one of my ancestors from Ukraine, and trying to include several countries and cities in Europe and worldwide to interest the widest possible audience for my book, I came across the Vilna Gaon or genius. (I am not saying that the map of talking statues is a stroke of genius, I am just saying it is excellent.)
The Vilna Gaon was the intellectual, rival, and enemy, of the illiterate Hasids who were singing and dancing in the streets and forests in their warm coats in winter and big hats. The Hasids were communing directly with God through nature, instead of sitting sensibly in synagogue listening to the learned Gaon who presided with wise words over funerals.
The saintly Gaon, however, on learning that his rival was dead, forbade his own followers from dancing on the grave. He wisely said that the dead should be respected. Past rivalry should be forgotten. (Forgotten - I am still talking about it centuries later. Forgiven, but not forgotten.)
I think this is a great story. It explains a lot about why groups of people don't get on. If you look at the psychological systems such as Briggs Meyers, it's simply the introvert versus the extravert, the intellectual book reader living in the past and future versus the sensor living in the here and now.
The Gaon lives on a literature. The Hasids live on in their headgear. (For years I was afraid to approach Hasids. When I did, I found that they won't shake hands with a woman, however, they will speak to you and they are a very jolly crowd.)
The Vilna Gaon is the sort of character you can promote in conferences and long, learned magazine articles. The Hasids are a group who can dance in the streets at festivals.
Back to the Gaon. Mention Vilna to anybody who has studied Jewish history for any reason and they will immediately associate Vilna with the Vilna Gaon. I looked to see where is the Vilna Gaon. A character of interest to the American Jewish visitor. Wikipedia comes up with the instant answer.
Attracting Tourists
Anybody connected with the travel trade will remember that when the Americans stopped visiting London the hotels were suddenly in trouble. Why? Because a hundred room hotel with two bedroom suites occupied by the rich and retired, suddenly found that a ten per cent drop in takings was the difference between profit and loss.
Maybe nobody in a group of 20 visitors or a hundred visitors is interested. But the owner of the travel agency had a granny from a European city. Your Jewish owned or staffed travel company can also send dozens of people to a city, or nobody.
If you visit Vilnius, and know about the Vilna Gaon, you will have no trouble finding where he was and then seeing the other statues.
http://www.mmcentras.lt/uploads/files/dir551/dir27/dir1/0_0.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilna_Gaon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilna_Gaon_Jewish_State_Museum
Adam Mickiewicz is the national poet of more than one country (because borders have changed through history). Adam was and is national poet of Lithuania and Poland. Was Adam Mickiewicz also Jewish? If not, was he ever Jewish, or of Jewish descent? It seems he was a staunch Catholic, rumoured to have a Jewish mother so possibly of Jewish origin with Jewish sympathies or connections and definitely a political alliance.
If you are trying to write a historical novel, and work out the sympathies of your real life or imaginary hero, or a minor or famous character of the era, here's a site which summarises the issues neatly.
http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1143
Angela Lansbury, travel writer, researcher, speaker.
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