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The Jewish Perspective of Thessaloniki
What is the connection between the Jews and Thessaloniki, and how did they influence its overall image?
by Elena Kostakoglou
The Jews of Thessaloniki constituted a significant part of the city’s history, as they formed the majority of its population for a period of time. They influenced various aspects of the city of Thessaloniki. For example, their contribution to the economy was crucial, as well as their impact on architecture, where buildings that were once their homes still adorn the city’s major streets. Naturally, the Jewish synagogue was always their sanctuary, and in combination with the Jewish Museum, they now serve as focal points, where a significant part of their history is preserved. The Holocaust and their deportation to concentration camps were a great blow to Thessaloniki and the people of Israel, and certainly the return of those who survived was not as they had anticipated.
When did the Jews begin to settle in Thessaloniki?
We can distinguish two periods during which Jews started to come to the city of Thessaloniki:
The first period dates back to the early years when the first wave arrived from Alexandria and Egypt around 140 BC, until 1492 AD. This wave of Jews was called “Romaniotes” and fully settled in the region, adopting the language. They established their own synagogue, Etz Hayyim, which also served as the center of their social and religious activities.
The second period is identified in 1492 AD when the Spanish Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella asked the Jews of Spain (known as Sephardim, meaning Spanish) either to convert to Christianity or leave the country.It’s important to be underlined that the monarchs forced the Sephardim to leave not only from the Iberian peninsula, but also from all other territories subject to the power of the Spanish Crown. In Thessaloniki, the Sephardim established various synagogues named after the cities they came from: Castilia, Catalan, Aragon, Majorca, Lisbon, Sicilia, Calabria, Puglia, Provincia, and so on.
What did they do in Thessaloniki?
The Jews primarily got involved in the cultivation and trade of silk, to such an extent that they transformed Thessaloniki into one of the largest ports in Europe. They also developed trade relations with other European cities and major ports worldwide (Ioannis Mimidas’ thesis in Hellenic University). In other words, they significantly contributed to the economic development of Thessaloniki, as they had extensive experience in trade, knowledge of various foreign languages, and a cosmopolitan mindset, which were crucial for the evolution of the Ottoman Empire (Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki).
Influence on Architecture
Most Jews were quite prosperous, and this is evident in various parts of the city, where many of the buildings they inhabited still stand out for their distinctive architectural features. The area where most of these buildings are located is Vasilissis Olgas Street. Specifically:
Villa Fernadez
Villa Fernandez, known as Casa Bianca, built in 1912 for Dino Fernandez-Diaz on the same land he purchased that year. Dino Fernandez was an Italian citizen, a wealthy Jewish merchant and banker, who founded the Olympus Brewery in collaboration with the Misrachi company in 1893 in the Sfageia area. The history of the building is closely connected to the romance between Fernandez’s daughter, Alianne, and a Greek officer Spyros Alibertis, which became the subject of extensive press coverage at the time, as the conservative society of 1912 was not approving a marriage between a Jewish woman and a Christian man. It includes Renaissance architectural elements and Art Nouveau elements.
Villa Modiano
Villa Modiano, built in 1906 for Jacob Modiano by the architect Eli Modiano. In 1913, Villa Modiano was purchased by the Municipality of Thessaloniki and converted into a palace where King Constantine resided.
Modiano Market
Modiano Market is one of the largest covered markets in Thessaloniki and was built in 1922 by architect Eli Modiano. It opened to the public in 1925 as one of the central food markets. This rectangular-shaped building, featuring a glass roof and divided into four galleries, has now become a modern market.
“Matanoth Laevionim” School
Since 1979, the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki has operated a six-year primary school and nursery attended by about 80 children. The school is housed in the traditional building of the charity organization “Matanoth Laevionim”.
The 1917 Fire
In 1917, a major fire broke out in Thessaloniki, destroying a significant part of the city, particularly the area where Jews were living. As a result, approximately 52,000 Jews became homeless. Although the Greek government was willing to compensate those Jews who lost their homes, it prohibited them from settling in specific areas in order to implement its Hellenization policy. This, combined with the enactment of a law that banned work on Sundays (while Jews considered Saturday their holy day), led many Jews to emigrate either to Palestine or to Paris (Jews Museum of Thessaloniki). Nevertheless, there were many Jews who managed to rebuild what the fire had destroyed and continue their lives in Thessaloniki.
World War II
On April 9, 1941, the Germans entered Thessaloniki, and two days later, they banned the publication of the only Spanish-Jewish newspaper, “Mesatsevero.” Persecutions began when, in 1942, all Jewish men aged 18-45 were asked to gather in Eleftherias Square for forced labor.
After numerous humiliations, prohibitions, and property confiscations, Jews were required to wear the yellow star that distinguished them from the rest of the population. During the German occupation, the Jewish cemetery was destroyed, and now university buildings have been constructed in its place. On March 15, the deportation of Jews began, with trains transporting them in deplorable conditions to concentration camps in Poland (Auschwitz and Birkenau). Approximately 43,900 Jews, 95% of the Jewish population in Greece, were deported from Thessaloniki.
Some of the Jews of Thessaloniki were lucky and had the opportunity to hide in the homes of Greek Christians, who chose to take the risk of being executed if caught, instead of passively watching the brutality happening in front of their eyes.
The return
Very few Jews managed to survive despite the miserable conditions in the concentration camps. When they returned, they found a foreign city, as many of their properties had been occupied or looted. After the war, there were fewer than 2,000 Jews left in Thessaloniki.
Nevertheless, they managed to rebuild their shattered community and organize themselves, creating the Jewish synagogue, within which the Jewish Choir operates. Today, the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki counts fewer than 1,100 members. It maintains the Monastirioton Synagogue and the Yanit Lezikaron, the Talmud Torah Agadolon Primary School, the Saul Modiano Nursing Home, the Jewish Museum, and the Community Center.
