Athens, Greece

General

Although Athens is now the home to most of the Jews of Greece, after the absorption of the Classical Greek Empire and the Roman Eastern Empire into Byzantium, the city fell into disfavor because of its pagan associations and Jewish settlement was very sparse. In fact, from the destruction of the ancient synagogue in the Agora in the 5^th century, until the 19^th century, the small Jewish community of Athens did not have its own synagogue.

At the onset of WWII there were about 3,000 Jews living in the city, a number that would be supplemented by fleeing Jews from the north of Greece after the German takeover. Athens was in the Italian Zone of Occupation, a fact that gave the Jews of the city more time to prepare for their survival. Due to a strong resistance movement, the actions of the Greek Orthodox Church and the foresight of the Chief Rabbi of Athens most of the Jews hidden throughout the city were spared from the Holocaust.

There are now 3,000 Jews living in Athens with two functioning synagogues and one of the most beautiful Jewish Museums in the world.

Synagogues

Ioanniotiki Synagogue-- The oldest synagogue in Athens, the Ioanniotiki Synagogue, was built by Romaniote Jews from Ioannina. It is now housed behind the Jewish Community of Athens offices on 8 Melidoni Street. The synagogue was constructed in 1903. Its layout is traditionally Romaniote, with the bema on the far western wall and the Aron on the opposing eastern wall. The Torah Scrolls are kept in tikkim, wooden and metal cases, typical to the Romaniote Jews. The synagogue is only open for services on the High Holy Days but can be viewed by request at the Community Offices. Below is a picture of the bema of the Ioanniotiki Synagogue.

Beth Shalom Synagogue-- The main synagogue of Athens is Beth Shalom, built in the 1930’s by the Sephardic community of Athens. It is located at 5 Melidoni Street, directly across the street from the Jewish Community of Athens Offices at 8 Melidoni. The synagogue is a neo-classical marble structure with modern stained glass windows and an unusual layout for Greek synagogues: the tevah (bema) and the echal (Aron) are joined together by a raised platform. As in all Greek synagogues, the women sit upstairs in the balcony. The picture below shows the interior of the Beth Shalom Synagogue.

References

Sevillias, Errikos. Athens-Auschwitz, Lycabettus Press, Athens, 1983.