Jews established themselves in several communities in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th century. Historic Lithuania was part of the Polish kingdom from the 16th century to the 18th century. From the end of the 18th century until World War I, it was under czarist Russian rule.

Historically, Lithuanian Jewry was less affected by pogroms than Jews of Poland, Russia and the Ukraine. A center of Jewish learning and culture, Lithuania was home to renowned Torah scholars-pre-eminent among them, the Gaon of Vilna. Its yeshivot attracted young men from all over Russia and trained rabbis and religious communal workers for communities all over the world. Lithuanian Jews also were prominent in the emergence of Haskalah, Zionism and Jewish Socialism.

World War I and the revolutions and border changes that occurred in its wake had a severe effect on Lithuanian Jews. From 1915 until 1918, Germany occupied Lithuania. After the war, the Lithuanian Jews were divided among newly-independent Poland, the Belorussian S.S.R. and independent Lithuania.

From 1919 until 1922, the Jews' political and civil rights in independent Lithuania were recognized. After 1922, however, their position in Lithuania deteriorated. Jewish businesses were increasingly unable to compete with newly-formed government cooperatives. Nationalist organizations of Lithuanian traders and workers had anti-Semitic overtones. The worsening economic climate stimulated Jewish emigration.

In 1940, Soviet troops entered Lithuania, establishing a "people's government." Private and communal properties were nationalized. Like all other groups, Jews had to cease their organized activities, and Zionists and Bundists were among the "counter-revolutionaries" deported to Siberia.

Germany occupied Lithuania in 1941. By 1944, when the Soviet army liberated Lithuania, 94% of Lithuania's Jews had been murdered

In March 1990,Lithuania proclaimed its independence from the Soviet Union. The west and the USSR recognized Lithuania as an independent nation in September 1991.

JDC returned to Lithuania in 1988 and continues to help its Jewish community rebuild Jewish communal life.

2005