Švieimo ministerija

In 1918, following the end of WWI, the first independent Lithuanian government was established. The Board of Education was founded as one of the new ministries and was responsible for all educational matters in the state. This collection contains documents of the Lithuanian Board of Education, primarily related to the bureaucracy of running and overseeing various Jewish schools, rabbinical seminaries, teachers’ seminaries, and other Jewish educational, cultural and sports associations. Accordingly, it contains materials on: “Javne” teachers' seminaries in Kaunas and in Telšiai; “ORT” artisans’ and agriculture association; the “Tsairei-Israel” Association; the “Tarbut” association’ schools, seminaries and kindergartens; the “Kultur-Lige” and more. An important part of the collection is correspondence of the Board of Education with other state institutions, government offices, Jewish associations and communities. The documents mention establishment of Jewish primary schools, study programs, teachers, student progress, the issue of certificates, etc. The collection includes minutes of teachers’ councils’ meetings, lists with names of Jewish students, teachers and their autobiographies. Another important part of the collection are materials related to Jewish communal and religious life in Lithuania. For example, it includes: minutes of the meetings of the Jewish Council for Religious Affairs in 1926; lists of rabbis; minutes of elections of rabbis and records on appointment of rabbis; correspondence with rabbis; records on opening of synagogues; statutes of the Jewish communities, etc. -- Read more