Aug 17 - Seduva and Kadain

Seduva is believed by the Lithuanians to be an important Shtetl, so they are investing significantly in the restoration of the cemetery, memorials, and they are building the “Lost Shtetl Museum”, due to open in 2020.

There is a very tasteful memorial in the center of town, next to a former synagogue. Most of the buildings in town prior to the Soviet era.

Outside of town was the most well kept cemetery we’ve seen thus far. As part of the Lost Shtetl project they documented and reset all the headstones and markers, put down sod, and restored the cemetery walls. 

In the far end is a Jewish Star repository for all the broken and damaged stones collected from the town and elsewhere that could not be properly placed.

(I’m not sure that a pristine cemetery accurately represents our heritage as it is maintained without a Jew in sight. Compared to the other overgrown and tangled it comes across as sanitized.)

We visited the smaller of 2 murder sites back in the woods. This site was used by the Nazis earlier on to eliminate leaders and elite of the Shtetl.

We also visited Kedainai, another well kept Jewish heritage site.

We paid our respects at the cemetery, first. Not a headstone in site. All were dispersed or destroyed. They plan to collect them, but where should they be placed? 

The 2 restored synagogues are in excellent shape and one contained exhibits showing information about the Jews of the district and included a memorialized listing in the walls of all known executed Jews. Following are my family surnames, possibly relatives: