The shtetl (Jewish village) is long gone from Lithuania, eliminated during the Holocaust of WWII. What's left behind in rural villages is a handful of wooden synagogues.
In Kurkliai, a simple structure that could easily be mistaken for a
Walker Evans image from America's Depression years.
Obviously, whatever Jewish presence existed has vanished. At least the building has been preserved and the town is now the steward, keeping it standing.
Another village, another synagogue. Alanta.
Inside, signs of its present use as a storage space for neighboring farmers. Half the building is propped up. An anthropological peek at construction methods.
Potato sacks. Squint and they look like tallisim.
Bike storage. Humble stairs, leading up to...
...the upstairs gallery, reserved for women. Now, grain storage.
The potato sack photo is pretty amazing.
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