Museum Team Trained by Experts

In April, the team of the Lost Shtetl Museum took part in a series of training sessions aimed at deepening their knowledge of Jewish culture, Judaic traditions, and the evolution of the Yiddish language. These sessions also placed a strong emphasis on exploring the history of the Holocaust in Lithuania and worldwide, examining the roots of antisemitism, and engaging with other themes presented in the museum's exhibitions.

The training was led by a distinguished group of international scholars, including Prof. Antony Polonsky, an authority on Jewish culture and history; Holocaust historians Dr. Christoph Dieckmann and Prof. Motti Zalkin; religion and Judaic studies expert Prof. Stephen Wilson; as well as leading Lithuanian researchers in historical memory, genocide, and resistance—Prof. Violeta Davoliūtė, Dr. Tomas Balkelis, Dr. Darius Staliūnas, and Dr. Gintarė Malinauskaitė. The training series ended symbolically with a lecture-excursion at the home-museum of Jewish culture and history expert Dovid Katz.

Dr. Jolanta Mickutė, Head of Education at the museum, emphasizes that such comprehensive training is essential to ensure that guides and educators are prepared to welcome visitors and respond to their questions. “At the start of the year, when forming the museum team and onboarding new members—guides and educators—we committed to helping them get ready to work at the Jewish history museum before its opening. We aim to strengthen and expand their knowledge so that they not only understand the exhibition thoroughly, but also grasp the broader historical context,” she states.

Mickutė adds that these sessions are the first but certainly not the last: “We’re committed to continually developing our team’s expertise and organizing thematic training. It's heartening to see how curious and motivated our colleagues are—they seek information independently, ask questions, and explore. After all, a museum isn’t just a repository of historical memory. We must know how to discover and interpret new documents, assess context, and, when needed, know which experts to turn to for further insights.” Mickutė hopes that in the future, members of the Advisory Board will also contribute their knowledge and guidance to support the museum staff’s ongoing development.