Greek Synagogues in Israel?

Question

Are there any Greek Romaniote or Greek sephardic synagogues in Israel? and where?

I may be going to Israel next February. and it would be wonderful to visit a Greek Romaniote Synagogue in Israel. if not for shabbat services then just to see. this is because my dad's side of the family is Greek Romaniote. Does any one one know of where there might be one?

If you dont please star this any way and maybe one of your contacts will know

Answer 1

Well, I am not Israeli, I am from Tonga, converting to Judaism... so I am not sure with the streets and etc...

My cousin who is Samoan Jew, lives not far from Greek Synagouge, in Ramat Gan (I think?), but not sure what street... but I think there are some more Greek syngagouges in Tel Aviv/Ramat Gan areas...

I think Ms Miche will know and can help you with this...

Have a goodone... and have a safe trip...

Answer 2

Tel Aviv.

The Romaniotes are a Jewish population who have lived in the territory of today's Greece for more than 2000 years. Their language is Greek. Large communities were located in Thebes, Ioannina, Chalkis, Corfu, Arta, Corinth and on the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Rhodes, and Cyprus, among others. The Romaniotes are distinct from the Sephardim, some of whom settled in Greece after the 1492 expulsion of the Jews from Spain.

Today a small number of Romaniotes live in Greece, mainly in Yannena (Ioannina), in Israel and the U.S.A. (mainly New York). Greek Jews historically tended to follow the Jerusalem Talmud instead of the Babylonian Talmud, and developed their own Minhag and their own Greek-Hebrew language, called Yevanic - a term that originates from the 'Ionian' Greeks.

Today, the only Romaniote synagogues are those in Ioannina and Chalkis in Greece, the Zakynthos Synagogue in Tel Aviv and the Kehila Kedosha Janina on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the only Romaniote synagogue in the Western Hemisphere.

There are approximately 4,500 to 6,000 Jews living in Greece today, both from the Romaniotes and the Sephardi subgroups. Most of them still live in Thessaloniki.

Ioanniotiki Synagogue remains the one Romaniote synagogue in Athens, behind the Jewish Community of Athens offices at #8 Melidoni Avenue. Built in 1903, it has services only during the High Holy Days, but is opened for visitors on request through the Jewish Community office.

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