This announcement describes:

*A Letter to Litvaks about this project
*A fact sheet relating to the project
*The progress of the project
*The formation of the * The Lithuanian Memorial Foundation *
(Keren Zikaron Leyahadur Lita) in Israel



**Lithuanian Names Project** - A letter to Litvaks, February 1999.
Note: The full text of this letter is on The Lithuanian Names Project
Web Site http://www.jewishgen.org/litvak/lithnames.htm

Remembering Lithuanian Shoah Victims: A Research Project

A large project started in November 1997, namely, to collect as many
names as possible of victims of the Lithuanian Holocaust (1941-1945).
The goal is to publish a Memorial book; preserving the memory of the
names of the martyrs for generations to come. It is of utmost
importance to prevent the victims >from being forgotten.

No comprehensive record exists of the names and details of Lithuanian
Jews who were murdered.

The methodology and research resources are described. The main sources
of information are at Yad Vashem, the USHMM, the Vilna Gaon Jewish state
Museum and >from privately submitted names.

A name submission form is attached to the web site. This is a further
appeal for submissions of family names.

The database is outlined, and privacy and copyright guidelines are
described.

Go to the Lithuanian Names Project Web Site
http://www.jewishgen.org/litvak/lithnames.htm for further details.

*Progress:

To date (February 1999) approximately 90,000 names have been collected.
A searchable database has been constructed and entry of individual names
and where possible families continues daily.
Many archival and library resources have been investigated, both in
Lithuania and in the rest of the world. Many relevant contacts have been
made in various institutions.
A number of unusual archival resources have been investigated.
An initial list of six thousand names was given to Yad Vashem (at their
request) for matching against Swiss Bank records.
Approximately 40 press references to the project have been published.

**The Lithuanian Memorial Foundation** (Keren Zikaron Leyahadt Lita) has
been registered as an Amuta (charitable foundation) in Israel.

The objectives are (broadly) to facilitate research, collect and
publish information relating to the Holocaust in Lithuania.

The initial board is:

Rose Lerer Cohen M.A., Holocaust researcher.

Sol Ganor. Author of "Light Two Candles" and other works. Board Member
Yad Vashem.

Joseph Harmatz. Director-General emeritus World Ort, Director General
emeritus and comptroller Israeli Ort. Author of "Beyond the Wings".

Prof. Bernard Lerer. Prof. Experimental Psychiatry, Hebrew University
Jerusalem.


Prof. Dov Levin. Head, Oral History, Department of Contemporary History,
Hebrew University, Jerusalem. Author of "Pinkas HaKehilot Lita".

Rachel Levin. Secretary and Archivist, Association of Lithuanian Jews in
Israel.

Advocate Joseph Melamed. Chairman, Association of Lithuanian Jews in
Israel. Board Member, Centre of Organisations of Holocaust Survivors in
Israel.

*Website.
A website attached to Litvak SIG webpage has been constructed by
webmaster Trevor Tucker.

This consists of :

A letter to Litvaks
A factsheet
A name submission form
Multiple links relating to the Lithuanian Holocaust
References (books and journals) relating to the Lithuanian Holocaust.

See:
Ten Facts about the Lithuanian Holocaust
http://www.jewishgen.org/litvak/10facts.htm

Dr Saul Issroff (<saul@swico.demon.co.uk>London),
Rose Lerer Cohen (<roseron@shani.net> Jerusalem)