California to Vilna: A gentile and a Jewish library

Hi, my name is Wyman Brent. I am the American gentile founder of the Vilnius Jewish Public Library in Lithuania. It is the first Jewish public library in Lithuania since 1943. I first became involved in Jewish life and culture in 1993 with my first visit to Prague. There I saw an exhibition of artwork of Jewish children who had sadly perished in the camps. Their work lived on. How could I not get involved?

In 2004, I had the idea for the library while living in San Diego, California. It was a combination of my love for reading, Vilna, and above all else, my deep respect for Jewish life and its contributions to the world. I spent seven and a half years of my life to see the project through until it opened on December 16, 2011. This year is the library`s bar/bat mitzvah. During my work to set up the library, I managed to save the Vilna Ghetto Library from sale and destruction. That library and mine are not connected. I received dozens of death threats in three languages. I did not quit. How could I?

It is through working on the library that I discovered my German wife. She was already creating documentaries promoting Jewish culture before she knew of me. We met because of a mutual interest in Al Jolson. Our now 11 year old son bears the middle name Jolson, a truly famous Litvak. We have taken him to visit my library. He has also seen the birthplace of Al Jolson. We have taken him to Bergen-Belsen. Glenn starred in a stage play created and directed by Andrea about Jewish children in the camps. Our family shall never forget.

Life has been a challenge the past few years. I developed an incurable lung disease, though I never smoked. A couple of years ago a major storm passed through our village. We lost 18 trees in one night. The number 18 should mean life. Our barn, shed, carport and animal enclosures damaged. Then add that our home is 134 years old and in need of repairs. We are at risk of losing the farm where my wife took her first steps and where our son did the same.

I never started out 32 years ago with the thought that one day I would need help, but here it is. My motto was always that of Horace Mann. He wrote, Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity. Did I win a victory for humanity? That is for others to judge.

Our family is facing extremely difficult circumstances. My lung disease limits my ability to work. There is also the fact that Andrea lost her job a couple of days before Christmas. We not only want to save our farm. We want to transform our farm into a place promoting tolerance, understanding and acceptance. Will you help us?