Inna Rogatchi continues her participation in the Commemorative European Art Events 2026 series in cooperation with Lithuanian colleagues with a special exhibition at the inviting place. The Shtetl Songs exhibition commemorates Jewish life and legacy at the time of the Holocaust Remembrance Day Yom Hashoah ( April 13-14th, 20206), and remembering the 10th anniversary of Elie Wiesel’s passing ( which occurred on July 2nd, 2016). 

Inna’s well-known Shtetl Memories ( or Yiddish Songs) collection will be displayed at the Zarasai County Museum/ Krastiecu Museum in the north-eastern Lithuania.  The region is known as Little Switzerland, due to its stunningly beautiful nature and famous lake district. 

The place is historically and culturally meaningful: it has been known as a town since the early 1500s, had a meaningful history throughout the time, and is the native place of Yehuda Pen, the teacher of Marc Chagall and many other Litvak stars of world modern art. 

Zarasai shtetl which was quite populated, met the awful destiny of almost all shtetls all over Lithuania. On August 26th, 1941, 2 546 Jewish men, women and children who were living at the Zarasai shtetl for generations, were brutally exterminated by the Nazis and their local collaborants. 

Inna Rogatchi and the Rogatchi Foundation would like to dedicate this exhibition to the 10th anniversary of the passing of the artist’s dear friend  Elie Wiesel. The date of Elie Wiesel’s passing is July 2nd, 2016. This year, various commemorative events marking this important date are conducted world-wide. Inna Rogatchi has created a special Elie Wiesel Collection to commemorate the date.

Artworks:  Inna Rogatchi’s works, mostly works in a specific mixed technique, also represents various aspects of the artist’s works on Jewish heritage, including Inna’s well-known original Songs of Our Souls series, as well as her artistic studies on shtetl culture ( Yiddish Songs) and homages. 

Quoting the Zarasai County Museum’s Introduction to the Shtetl Songs exhibition: 

“ Shtetls, people, and their stories from the past come to life in the artworks of two artists, Inna and Michael Rogatchi. 

From April 1st, 2026  the Kraštiečių Museum will host a special Shtetl Songs exhibition. 

The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of the famous Lithuanian writer Grigorijus Kanovičius, and it invites you to take a look at the life of Lithuanian Jews in small towns, the shtetls, with their traditions, everyday life, relationships, and spiritual world.

The authors’ works intertwine melancholy, memory, and a sensitive narrative about the vanished world. This is an exhibition about people whose stories are still relevant today.”

” In the words of great Elie Wiesel, who was my dear teacher, mentor and friend, and whom Inna and Michael also knew well and closely for many years,  “There is no greater peace than a broken heart » . There is no artworks greater than those which make us hear the Song of our Souls and this Cry of Heaven by Inna Rogatchi” – Dr Michael de Saint-Cheron, Hearing the Songs of Our Souls essay. Shtetl Stories and Memories art catalogue. Lithuania, 2024.

The Exhibition Venue: 

The venue for the Michael and Inna Rogatchi Shtetl Songs exhibition ( April 1 – May 10th, 2026  ) is the Zarasai County Museum, Lithuania.   The museum is a well-maintained centre of arts and culture in the north-eastern part of Lithuania, at the centre of its beautiful lake region known as Little Switzerland. 

The museum is a well-maintained and thoughtful, caring arts and culture institution, which regularly holds interesting exhibitions and projects, many of which are providing historical perspectives on culture and humanity development, also contributing to the ongoing commemoration process. The museum also creates and carries on various educational events. 

Shtetl Songs exhibition of the works by Michael and Inna Rogatchi in celebration of the Holocaust Remembrance Day Yom HaShoah 2026 and the 10th anniversary of Elie Wiesel’s passing – April 1st – May 10th, 2026. 

 The Zarasai County Museum

D. Bukonto g. 1, Zarasai, Lithuania

• October 9, 2024

Special collection of Inna Rogatchi works from his well-known Songs of Our Souls series was a part of the national commemoration of October 7th in Finland skilfully organised by the Helsinki Jewish Community, with participation of The Rogatchi Foundation. 

A very dignified, deep and sincere commemoration at the historical synagogue in Helsinki which  was completely full, with very many attendees from different walks of life: community members, MPs, public figures, diplomats, people in absolutely all age categories, from 15 onward. The event also included a dedicated  art exhibition in which a special selection of Michael and mine works, Psalms & Songs for October 7th, was presented. 

Among the attendees were the Ambassadors of Israel H.E. Boaz Rodkin, Germany H.E. Stephan Auer , Austria H.E. Herbert Pihler , Hungary H.E. Klara Breuer, Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy HE Christopher Krafft , the Israeli Embassy Defence Attache Lt-Col. Roy Horowitz, leading Finnish MPs Peter Östman and Atte Kaleva, chairman of the Finnish-Israel Friendship Organisations Association Risto Huvila, well-known pastor and supporter of Israel John Remes, and many others. 

Michael Rogatchi, co-founder of The Rogatchi Foundation, has participated in the October 7th  commemorative event of the Helsinki Jewish Community in Finland with selected works from their special dual collection, artistic tribute Psalms & Songs for October 7th ©, which is a part of a special international project presented in Finland, Lithuania, France, Canada, the US, the UK and the other countries world-wide. 

The collection consists eight original drawings by Inna.

In the words of the artist, “The works from the series are both my dialogue with those of our people who are not with us any longer, and also my personal tribute to the past generations and to those whose lives were taken brutally and inhumanly, as in the Shoah, as in the October 7th and its aftermath nightmare”. 

Inna Rogatchi comments her works from this special tribute in the following way: “They have not disappeared, those children, youth, elderly, men and women who were all butchered in the most sadistic way just a year ago. They did not disappear for their families, friends, and colleagues. They did not disappear for their country. They did not disappear for us, those who have commitment to remember. “

Special October 7th tribute essay by the president of the Rogatchi Foundation Inna Rogatchi: Psalms & Songs for October 7th: Artistic Tribute at the time of Moral Erosion.

Detailed report about the event by The Rogatchi Foundation can be find here.

• October 7, 2024

Special selection of eight works from the Inna Rogatchi Songs of Our Souls series has been presented by The Rogatchi Foundation at the national October 7th commemoration organised by the Helsinki Jewish Community in Finland, and several other countries world-wide.

The detailed presentation of Michael and Inna Rogatchi and the Rogatchi Foundation special artistic tribute international commemorative project is below.

Specially selected artworks include eight works from Inna Rogatchi  Songs of Our Souls series ( from 2017 onward).

Five of the eights works in this artistic tribute have been created by Inna as a direct consequence of the October 7th 2023 massacre. 

Psalms & Songs for October 7th special artistic tribute has been present at the various national commemorative events  in several countries, including Finland, Lithuania, France, the US, the UK and the others.  

The entire Psalms & Songs for October 7th collection in detail can be seen here.

The collection has evoked many positive responses world-wide:

Inna Rogatchi’s special essay Psalms & Songs for October 7th: Artistic Tribute in the Time of Moral Erosion  provides details of the works and places the art tribute in the historical and present contexts.