Lithuania Jewish Community closes Vilnius synagogue over threats

Jewish leaders in Lithuania announced Tuesday they were temporarily closing the Vilnius Synagogue and the community's headquarters due to threats, citing an "atmosphere of rising tension". The move comes amid a highly-charged public debate over commemorations to Lithuanian wartime officials, who the Lithuanian Jewish Community (LJC) claims were involved in the Holocaust. In recent days authorities have acted to remove a plaque to one of the men and rename a street named after another -- sparking a backlash which the LJC claims has been stoked by some politicians who have called for protests.