As early as 400 B.C.E., Jews were living in established communities in Greece, many of which remained in contact with other Jewish communities. After the Spanish Inquisition, thousands of Jews fled from Spain to Greece and settled there where the Ottomans granted Jews greater rights than in other parts of Europe. The two most important Greek Jewish communities were in Thessaloniki and Athens. When the Axis powers divided Greece, the Germans began imposing restrictions on Jews and eventually began deportations. Over 45,000 Jews from Thessaloniki were deported to Auschwitz. Only the Jews living under Italian control were spared from deportations. Today, there are between 4,300-6,000 Jews currently living in Greece.
Daniel Ischakis
Athens, Greece
+30-693-723-5201, WhatsApp available
info@jewishtours-greece.com
Experience the past and present of Jewish life in Athens and in Greece in general. Visit the Jewish Museum of Greece, Synagogues, the old Jewish quarter, and more together with an incredible local guide.
February 19, 2019