A Journey Through Time – ΙΚΛ

Mural depicting the movement of Torah scrolls following the expulsion from Spain. (Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Los Angeles)

Jewish Community of Larissa – A Journey Through Time

The Jewish Community of Larissa is one of the oldest and most active in Greece, ranking third in members’ population after those of Athens and Thessaloniki. With an unbroken historical presence since the 2nd century AD, it continues to preserve its cultural, religious, and social identity.

Asignificant milestone in its history was the arrival of Jews expelled from Spain —known as Sephardim — who settled here, bringing with them their culture, language, and professional expertise. Alongside the local Romaniote (Greek-speaking) Jews, they contributed to the flourishing of the Community and to the progress of the city of Larissa.

The Community reached a particular peak from the 17th to the 19th century, despite the persecutions and restrictions it suffered during the Ottoman rule. By the time Larissa was liberated in 1881, the Community numbered 2,200 members and played a significant role in the city’s social and professional life.

Jewish life in Larissa was centered around the district of “Exi Dromoi” (Six Roads), in the heart of the city, where the synagogues, schools, and charitable institutions of the Community were located. Peaceful coexistence with the Christian population has always been a hallmark of the city.

During the Nazi occupation and the Holocaust, the Community was completely destroyed and lost one third of its members in the concentration camps. However, thanks to the solidarity of Christian fellow citizens and the help of resistance organizations, the majority of the city’s Jewish population was saved.
After the liberation, the Jews of Larissa managed to rebuild the Community and pass on its rich heritage to future generations.
Today, the Jewish Community of Larissa, although small, remains active and offers its members a meaningful traditional Jewish life. With devotion to faith, customs, and its Greek identity, it continues to be an integral part of the city’s identity. It carries forward the message that coexistence, historical continuity, and hope for the future are living and timeless values.

Μαθητές του σχολείου Ταλμούντ Τορά με τους Ραβίνους - δασκάλους τους, Ζαχαρία Σασών και Αβραάμ Αζουβή (1920), Talmud Tora school students with their Rabbis – teachers, Zaharia Sason & Avraam Azouvi (1920)

Διανομή εφοδίων της Αμερικανικής Οργάνωσης Joint στα μέλη της Κοινότητας μπροστά στη μισοκατεστραμμένη Συναγωγή (1946), Distribution of supplies by the American organization Joint to members of the Community in front of the half-destroyed Synagogue (1946)

Ets Hayim Synagogue

The Synagogue of Larissa was built in the heart of the Jewish quarter in 1866, at a time when the traditional Sephardic Community had already centuries of notable presence in the city and was flourishing in terms of population. It was symbolically named Ets Hayim (Tree of Life), and indeed, within and around it, many generations were nurtured and the life of Larissa’s Jews “blossomed.”

Ets Hayim Synagogue is the largest and the only surviving one of the seven synagogues that once existed in the city. It appears austere from the outside, but inside it is beautiful and majestic in its radiant simplicity.

Over its 160 years of operation, the synagogue has undergone several small and large-scale interventions to address damage caused by earthquakes, moisture, and destruction—most notably during the Nazi occupation, when it was looted and used by the occupiers as a stable.

Its most extensive restoration took place between 2019 and 2025, during which the building was dismantled, reinforced, and carefully reconstructed in its original form. This project was funded by the Region of Thessaly, the German state, Jewish organizations, and countless donors from around the world.

The Ets Hayim Synagogue, under the guidance of wise Rabbis and dedicated officiants, has continuously served as a place of gathering and prayer for the Jews of Larissa. It has always been a “living” temple, with community members of all ages considering it their second home and actively participating in its services.
Today, it operates every Friday evening and Saturday morning, as well as on all Jewish holidays. It also hosts the religious ceremonies of community members, including weddings, circumcisions, bar and bat mitzvahs, and memorial services.
The Synagogue also hosts major events organized by the Jewish Community of Larissa, which are open to non-Jewish fellow-citizens.
In addition, it frequently welcomes visits from students, university groups, and researchers interested in learning about the principles of Judaism, as well as the Jewish past and present of the city. In recent years, it has even become a popular destination for tourists from around the world who come to admire it.
Recognizing Ets Hayim Synagogue as a monument of significant historical and cultural value, the Municipality of Larissa has included it in the Network of archaeological and cultural landmarks, which connects key heritage sites into a unified route through Larissa.
Next to the Synagogue, two additional buildings of the Jewish Community are in operation:

The Community Center, where the Community’s gatherings and events take place
The Funeral Hall, which also includes a dedicated space for the ritual preparation of the deceased for burial

To enhance the visitor experience, the Jewish Community is planning the creation of a small museum and exhibition space in the elevated area that once housed the women’s gallery (ezrat nashim) of the Synagogue. There, a curated collection of objects will be displayed, documenting the Community’s history in both a scholarly and immersive way.
Address: Corner of Kyprou and Kentavron Streets – Jewish Martyrs of the Occupation Square
Visits and guided tours are available by appointment through the Community office.

Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish cemetery is located in the district of Anthoupoli, next to the old Christian cemetery. It began to be used by the Jewish Community in the early 20th century, after the old cemetery, which had existed for centuries in the area of Philippoupoli, was abandoned due to lack of space and later completely desecrated and destroyed.

In the older rear section of the cemetery, the graves are placed irregularly; nearly half of them bear no inscription, and due to soil sedimentation, many of the gravestones have sunk into the ground. Through a major project carried out by the Community between 2009 and 2011, the old graves were uncovered, and a practical album was created containing photographs of the tombs and any available information about the deceased. This album is available at the Community office for anyone interested.

The newer front section is arranged with walkways, and the graves are laid out in orderly rows, alternating between men and women, according to the date of death. The details of the deceased are clearly marked and easy to read.

The Jewish cemetery of Larissa was not destroyed by the Nazi occupiers, as happened in other cities; however, it did serve as an execution site for Greek resistance fighters. The Community continues to use it to this day, viewing its upkeep as a sacred duty.
A visit to Larissa’s Jewish cemetery holds particular cultural interest, since its gravestones “tell” the history of the Jewish Community from the early 20th century to the present. In coordination with the Community, guided tours can be arranged for groups wishing to explore history in this way and to learn about the laws, customs, and symbols that govern the solemn chapter of death according to Jewish tradition.

Address: 39 Alexandroupoleos Street – Anthoupoli, Larissa
Visits and guided tours available by appointment through the Community office.

Marble Column with Seven-Branched Menorah

Archaeological excavations conducted in 1973 in the area of Larissa’s central square brought to light a find that confirms the existence of an organized Jewish presence in the city since early Christian times. It is a column made of grayish marble, bearing the inscription “Alexandrou Scholastikou kai Prostatu” (Alexander the Scholar and Protector), and above it, the ancient Jewish symbol of the seven-branched lampstand, known in Hebrew as the Menorah.

Archaeologists date the column to between the 4th and 6th centuries CE, a period when dedicatory columns were commonly placed in public spaces. It is believed that, through the dedication of this particular column, the Jews of the city sought to honor a protector or benefactor named Alexander Scholastikos.

The column is exhibited at the Diachronic Museum of Larissa – Mezourlo Website: efalar@culture.gr

Jewish Martyrs of the Occupation Square – Holocaust Memorial

The city of Larissa honored its Jewish citizens who perished in the Nazi concentration camps by naming a central square Jewish Martyrs of the Occupation Square. The square was created at the site where the Talmud Torah Rabbinical School once stood.
On a specially designed elevation within the square, the Jewish Community of Larissa erected the first Holocaust memorial in Greece, dedicated to the victims of the Shoah.
The monument is the work of sculptor Giorgos Houliaras, who used large bronze forms to create a piece that is both imposing and symbolically austere. It depicts a female figure in a dramatic pose and expression, standing beside a vertical column engraved with a commemorative epigram honoring the 235 Jews of Larissa who took their last breath in Auschwitz.

The unveiling ceremony took place in April 1987, attended by numerous distinguished guests, Holocaust survivors, and a large number of citizens.
On the day of the ceremony, a velvet box was placed in a specially designed cavity at the base of the monument. Inside the box was a copper scroll engraved with the names of all the Jewish residents of Larissa who perished in the Holocaust. The following day, the sculptor sealed the cavity, ensuring that the names of the victims would be preserved in history for eternity.

The Holocaust Memorial is a significant landmark in the city and has also been included in Larissa’s Network of archaeological and cultural landmarks. Although there have been occasional acts of desecration, the majority of citizens respect and honor the monument.
It serves as a place of visitation for students, university groups, associations, and tourists from around the world. The Jewish Community organizes educational activities there, designed for various age groups, aiming to offer experiential approach of concepts such as racism, democracy, solidarity, tolerance, and more.
During the ceremonies held each year on the National Holocaust Remembrance Day, the square is filled with people, and the atmosphere resonates with emotion and reverence.

Κατάθεση στεφάνου από την κ. Νάκη Μπέγα, επιζήσασα όμηρο στρατοπέδων (2021), Wreath laying by Ms. Naki Bega, Holocaust survivor (2021)

Εθνική Ημέρα Μνήμης Ολοκαυτώματος - Ιανουάριος 2025, National Holocaust Remembrance Day – January 2025

Anna Frank Square and Memorial Column

Also dedicated to the memory of the Holocaust is a small square next to the General Hospital of Larissa, which the Municipality named Anna Frank Square after a proposal by the Larissan author Vangelis Kolonas.

Asimple marble memorial column, created by sculptor Kostas Dais, was erected there by the Jewish Community and the Secretariat of the Region of Thessaly. It was unveiled in October 1999, in the presence of the Ambassadors of Israel and the Netherlands. The sculpture depicts an open book — Anne Frank’s diary — and a fountain pen. At its base, the most well-known and iconic quote from her diary is engraved.

In the figure of the tragic young Jewish girl, the 1,500,000 children — the most innocent of the Holocaust’s victims — are commemorated. This symbolism is honored through the student events held there each year on the occasion of the National Holocaust Remembrance Day, aiming to raise awareness among young people about racism, antisemitism, and intolerance. These events have become an important institution for the educational community of the city.

Anna Frank Square (Erythrou Stavrou – Nirvana – Elladiou – Nikis St.)
behind the General Hospital of Larissa

Commemorative Stele for the Jewish Soldiers of Larissa Fallen in World War II

With the outbreak of World War II, many Jews from Larissa enlisted and fought the invading forces alongside their Christian Greek compatriots, while others joined resistance organizations and supported the struggle for liberation.

In October 2003, the Jewish Community of Larissa, fulfilling its duty to honor the Jewish citizens of Larissa who heroically fell in battle for Greece on the Albanian front, erected a commemorative stele in the courtyard of the Synagogue.

The monument, made of white marble, is the work of sculptor Kostas Dais from Larissa. It bears a monumental inscription along with the names of the fallen heroes.

Address: 29 Kentavron Street – Larissa (within the courtyard of the Ets Haim Synagogue)

Commemorative Plaque at Bougas Camp

Bougas Camp is located at the southern entrance of the city, in the area that once served as the military vehicle depot. It was here that 240 Jews from Larissa were transferred after being arrested by the Nazis on March 24, 1944, along with Jews from other cities. A total of 2,650 individuals of all ages were detained in deplorable conditions at this site. Ten days later, they were crammed into trains and sent on a one-way journey to the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Out of the 240 Jews from Larissa, only six returned.

The recognition of Bougas Camp as a site of martyrdom was considered a sacred duty by the Jewish Community of Larissa — a tribute to the memory of their tragically lost ancestors. With the support of the Ministry of National Defense, the First Army/ EU-OHQ and the Municipality of Larissa, this duty was fulfilled in January 2025 through the installation of a marble commemorative plaque on the outer wall of the Camp.

The inscription, written in two languages, marks the historical weight of the location and serves as a lasting call to vigilance against intolerance and hatred.

Address: 97 Farsalon & Rodopoulou – Larissa

The Esdras Moissis Archive

Housed in the library of the Community’s office is the valuable personal archive of the late Honorary President of the Larissa Jewish Community, Esdras Moissis, which he himself donated to his Community in 2007.

The archive represents the life’s work of a passionate researcher and Community leader and contains an extensive range of materials related to the Jewish Community of Larissa, Greek Jewry, the history of Larissa, Israel and the Diaspora, World War II, the Occupation and Resistance, the Holocaust, as well as the Jewish religion, culture, and notable personalities. It includes letters, articles, studies, and official documents of great historical value, photographs, correspondence, and a rich collection of newspapers, magazines, and printed materials — many of which date back to the pre-war era.

Though preserved in its original form, the archive has also been digitized, thanks to the initiative and support of the Jewish Museum of Greece and a grant from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. It remains open to all historians and researchers who wish to delve into its invaluable contents.

Address: 29 Kentavron Street – Larissa, 1st floor, Office of J.C.L.
Access to the Esdras Moissis Archive and use of its material are subject to regulations
(information available at the JCL office)

Sources

“The Jewish Community of Larissa Before and After the Holocaust” – Esdras D. Moissis – Jewish Community of Larissa, 2000
“Larissa: 8000 Years of Youth” – Municipality of Larissa, 2008
Archive of Documents and Photographs of the Jewish Community of Larissa
Private Photograph Collections of Members of the Jewish Community of Larissa

Text Editing: Alina Moissis – JCL Director
Production – Printing: Gospasaniotis Alexandros

JEWISH COMMUNITY OF LARISSA
With the kind support of the Region of Thessaly

June 2025