In keeping with the mission of the Vilna Shul to honor our past, educate future generations and create community, we are thrilled to announce our SECOND ANNUAL DESCENDANTS' DAY!
Our first-ever Descendants' Day last November was such a huge success that we are holding this event again for the second batch of descendants we have located since last winter.
As you may have heard, the Vilna Shul, Boston's Center for Jewish Culture has undertaken an ambitious genealogical project to locate living descendants of the Vilna Shul's founders. Through our painstaking research on 400 surnames that appear on the four plaques at the Vilna, thus far we have located over 300 living descendants of the founders of the Vilna. We invite those who live in the Greater Boston area who know of a connection to the Vilna Shul to join us for this special event. We have spoken to many of you, and we hope you will join us. If you know you are a Vilna descendant and could not attend last November, this is your chance!
To read the Boston Globe article on December 1, 2013 about our first Descendants' Day, click here.
On November 23, you will have the opportunity to tour the Vilna, see the plaques and learn exactly where your ancestors lived in the vicinity of the Vilna Shul. Join us to learn more about the history of the West End and what life was like for Boston's early Jewish immigrants. We encourage you to bring other family members as well!
RSVP is required. The sooner you let us know you are attending, the more likely it will be that we will be able to locate and print historical documents relating to your ancestors.
We look forward to seeing you on November 23th!
Marilyn Okonow David Rosen
Co-Chairs, Vilna Shul Genealogical Project
That you might recount it for a future generation, Psalms 48:14
---
The Vilna Shul will be offering complimentary validated parking for this event.
Parking:
Parking validation is only good for inside the underground parking at the Charles River Plaza Parking Garage, 165 Cambridge Street. Entrance to the underground garage is between the Charles River Plaza Shopping Center (Whole Foods/CVS) and Au Bon Pain, near the intersection of Blossom St and Cambridge St. Tickets from the the surface lot at Whole Foods will not be validated.
You must validate your green ticket at the Vilna Shul for validated parking.
Public Transit Directions:
The Vilna Shul is easily accessible by public transportation (MBTA and commuter rail). We are just a 4 minute walk from the MBTA Red Line Charles/MGH stop, 7 minute walk from Blue Line Bowdoin stop, 10 minute walk from Red/Green Line Park Street stop (very uphill), and a 14 minute walk from the Commuter Rail/Green/Orange Line North Station. We highly encourage using public transportation when visiting the Vilna Shul. Please visit mbta.com for details.
After exiting the Charles/MGH MBTA Red Line station, turn left, cross Cambridge Street (to the CVS), turn left, and walk east down Cambridge Street under the elevated subway. Proceed east on Cambridge Street past Lindall Place, an alley, and Grove Street to Anderson Street. Turn right on Anderson Street and walk one block up Anderson Street to Phillips Street. Turn left/east onto Phillips Street. The Vilna Shul is 1/2 block down Phillips Street on the right/uphill side of Phillips Street.
If you have any questions, email Jessica Antoline at jessica@vilnashul.org or call (617) 523-2324.