Šeduva, once a thriving Lithuanian shtetl where Jews formed two-thirds of the population, now has no Jewish residents. Yet in September 2025 it became home to the Lost Shtetl Museum, dedicated to preserving the memory of its vanished community.
The idea began with the restoration of Šeduva’s Jewish cemetery. Sergey Kanovich, whose NGO Maceva documents Jewish cemeteries in Lithuania, was asked to restore the site and mark local Holocaust mass-killing grounds. Fearing the cemetery would again be forgotten, he envisioned a museum to serve as its ‘guardian’.
Funded by descendants of Šeduva Jews, the museum was designed by Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamäki, with exhibitions by Ralph Appelbaum Associates and curator Milda Jakulytė-Vasil. Its nine galleries highlight interwar Jewish life, teenage diaries, and a striking glass Torah Ark. A Holocaust gallery documents the 1941 destruction of Šeduva’s Jews, naming victims and perpetrators, while the soaring ‘Canyon of Hope’ memorial leads to a view of the restored cemetery.
Former Capetonian Eli Rabinowitz attended the opening ceremony, along with many other South Africans, some of whom trace their origins to the town. A few thousand Jews from Šeduva immigrated to South Africa before World War II.
Eli spoke about the impressive line-up at the opening event, which included an address by the Chairman of Yad Vashem, and entertainment by some of the biggest names in the music world, including Pinchas Zukerman and Andre Bocelli, and Jewish music stars Shulem Lemmer and Yitzchok Meir Helfgott.
The Museum is now open to members of the public. ●
Are your family origins in Šeduva? Share your knowledge about Jewish life in the town before the War. Please send an email to editor@ctjc.co.za with the information.
- For the current edition of the Cape Jewish Chronicle, click here.
- Subscribe to the Cape Jewish Chronicle: R450/year, or R38/month via debit order. Simply email us at subscriptions@ctjc.co.za and click here for payment info.
- The Cape Jewish Chronicle reaches over 6 000 readers monthly across print and digital platforms.
- To book advertising space or discuss a custom package contact Adéle Gradner Mobile: 083 321 5222 | Office: 021 464 6736 | Email advertising@ctjc.co.za
