THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
came to a standstill on the Sab-
bath."
Today, 41 years after the first
deportation of Jews to Polish
death camps began, Salonika is
home to between 1,100 and 1,300
Jews. "We are a little community
with a big tradition," Naar ob-
serves, his voice betraying pride
and sadness.
Salonika, or Thessalonika, has
had a Jewish community since
140 B.C.E. Under the Romans,
the Jews were granted autonomy.
During the Byzantine period,
Salonika attracted Jewish
settlers from nearly all parts of
Europe, and they established
synagogues whose names —
Italia, Aragon, Lisbon —reflected
the origin of its worshippers.
Prior to 1939, Salonikan Jews
could boast of community-run
hospitals mental asylums, or-
phanages, daily newspapers, rab-
binical seminaries and book pub-
lishing houses in Ladino, French
and Hebrew. And relates Naar,
the unofficial historian of the
community, there were 37 syna-
gogues in town.
The golden aura that seemed to
surround the Jewish community
was forever broken with the entry
of German troops into Salonika on
April 9, 1941. Newspapers were
suppressed, buildings were requi-
sitioned, people were arrested,
sections of the city were cordoned
off, and wholesale expropriations
were undertaken. In 1942, adult
Jewish males were rounded up for
forced labor battalions.
On March 15, 1943, the Ger-
mans took the final step. They
started to deport the Jews to the
gas chambers of Auschwitz and
Birkenau.
Damaskinos, the Archbishop of
Greece, issued an appeal to the
collaborationist Prime Minister,
pointing out that Greek Jews
"have proven themselves not only
valuable contributors to the eco-
nomic growth of the country, but
also as law-abiding citizens who
understand fully their duties as
Greeks." It was to no avail.
Ninety-five percent of Salonikan
Jewry perished in the concentra-
tion camps.
With the German occupation
over, the Jewish survivors re-
turned to Salonika. But several
thousand, unable to begin anew
and unwilling to bear their bitter
memories, emigrated. The major-
ity of emigrants went to Israel,
joining relatives who had gone
there during the British mandate.
Salonika's contemporary
Jewish community, although
miniscule, is young and vital.
Only 25 percent of its members
are 60 and older and, thanks to
pre-war property holdings, the
community can support itself in a
fairly fine style.
There is a Jewish day school,
and a modern seven-story old
people's home which is said to be
half filled. A summer camp for
children is maintained, as is a
kosher butcher shop. There is a
rabbi, and a ritual slaughterer
comes in from Athens — which
has displaced Salonika as
Greece's premiere Jewish com-
munity.
Friday, September 28, 1984
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
ERWIN & BERTHA FRIEDMAN
LAUDERDALE LAKES, - FLORIDA
ROSLYN, IRVING & LISA SCHNEIDER
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
11111111iFFKV111111111
PEGGY & RALPH GROSS
May the coming year be
one filled with health,
happiness and
prosperity for all our
friends and family.
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
NeW Year
ANTAL & HERMINE GRUBER & FAMILY
ALLEN & FRANKA
CHARLUPSKI
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
ELSIE & MAX JAFFE
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
To All Our
Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
health and prosperity
ROZ & SID PELTON
PLANTATION, FLORIDA
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
SIDNEY & SHIRLEY RICER & FAMILY
ROSA, GEORGE, MARK &
ELANA CHESSLER
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
- ARON & JANE SALZBERG
•
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
AARON & MELANIE WALLIS
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
MR. & MRS. HARRY WEISS
TOO
'
•
To All Our
Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
health and prosperity
CATHY, ARNIE &
RICHARD GOODMAN
"
Wishing all our family and
friends a year of
health and happiness
MR. & MRS. MORRIS E. BLOOMBERG
Wishing all our family and
friends a year of
health and happiness
Wishing all our family and
friends a year of
health and happiness
MR. 8E . MRS. SIMON SCHWARZBERG
K45051:14E1
May the New Year. Bring
To All Our Friends
Health,
and Family
Joy, Prosperity
and Everything
Good in Life
THE GOODMANS
MAE, MILT, LESLIE,
ROBBIE & CINDY
3B