The Jews of Greece
Dr Stavros Kyrimis, Consul General of Greece in Sydney has opened The Jews of Greece Exhibition at the Sydney Jewish Museum in h.
Vic Alhadeff and Sydney Jewish Museum CEO Norman Seligman with Greek guests
Photo: Giselle Haber
He told the 150 guests: “We are proud to support this historic exhibition of one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. The Jewish community has been an integral part of Hellenism and its history as far back as antiquity. We applaud the organisers, curators and the Sydney Jewish Museum for bringing to the Australian public this cultural treasure.”
Developed by filmmaker Carol Gordon, Natalie Cunningham as the co-director and editor of the documentary and photographer Emmanuel Santos, they shed light on the little known-history of one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. Through photography and documentary, this exhibition brings to life the story of Greece’s once vibrant 2,500-year-old Jewish community and show us the history, tradition and present-day existence of the Jews of Greece.
The Jewish community of Greece was one of the largest ancient communities in the world. It was nearly wiped out during the Holocaust, which saw 87% of the Jewish population murdered.
The Jews of Greece exhibition provides an insight into the life of Romaniote Jews, Sephardim (Jews of Spain) and the smaller groups of Ashkenazi Jews of Europe that constitute the Greek-Jewish community. This community witnessed and experienced the beginnings of Christianity, the rise and fall of Empires and the creation of the Modern State. The exhibition also tells the story of Greece in the Second World War and during the Holocaust, telling the story of nearly 13,000 Jewish Greeks who served in the Greek army during the war and in the Greek resistance to the Nazi occupation.
The Jew of Greece exhibition celebrates this ancient community, who despite facing almost total decimation in the Holocaust, have continued to survive.
Photos: Giselle Haber
Well done, even necessary but not sufficient. Consider two or three statistics that continue to haunt: 87% of Greek Jews were martyred in the Holocaust; 95% of Denmark’s Jews were saved! The difference is, for the condition remains, that Jews in Greece are viewed suspiciciously, the “other,” not really as part of the nation in the manner of Danes! And, this, most disturbing datum; 67% of the Greek population have acquired the bug of long-standing, the oldest social disease of anti-Semitism —- sometimes camouflaged as anti-Zionism! Finally, hundreds of signatories, in 10 nations, demand that after 79 years, Greece must come clean on its hateful ballot in the United Nations —- the only Christian and European country —- voting against the birth of a Jewish State! We demand that our native land renounce that decision, and apologize to Israel and the Jewish People everywhere!