Since 1977 I have repeatedly visited the Larissa Jewish community, a historic and vibrant center for our people. I have photographed extensively its Jewish life and  written about the history of this proud post-Holocaust Jewish community. I have grown fond of the Jews of Larissa, shining lights of the Greek diaspora.

The members of the JCL are passionate about preserving their long standing Community while sadly being faced with shrinking numbers and their struggle for survival. The JCL has always been welcoming, warm and willing to help me with my Shira’s Journey Project on the Jews of Greece. I deeply value our friendship.

The Jewish Community of Larissa, even if it lost 35% of its potential at the Nazi’s concentration camps, reconstituted after the release. Today, it is one of the few organized Jewish Communities of Greece, with a Synagogue, Jewish primary school and cemetery.

It is strange how Jews just like Greeks insist on surviving for thousands of years. All beasts eat but there is always yeast. Therefore, being a Greek Jew means that you have two roots, the same ancient, the same precious. We know that the only Jews who rebelled in Auschwitz were Greeks. It happened on October 7, 1944. And when they were killed, as they knew it would happen, they chanted our national anthem, proud of their religion, proud of their homeland, proud of themselves as free people.