Kahal Shalom Synagogue

The Kahal Shalom Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת קהל קדוש שלום, romanizedBeit HaKnesset Kahal Kadosh Shalom, lit.'Synagogue of the Holy Congregation of Peace'; Greek: Συναγωγή Καχάλ Σαλόμ) is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in La Juderia, the Jewish quarter of the city of Rhodes on the island of Rhodes, in the South Aegean region of Greece. Completed in 1577, the synagogue building is the oldest synagogue in Greece.[2] The congregation worships in the Eastern Sephardi rite,[1] predominately in summer months only.

Kahal Kadosh Shalom Synagogue
Hebrew: בית הכנסת קהל קדוש שלום
Greek: Συναγωγή Καχάλ Σαλόμ
The synagogue interior, in 2013
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
RiteNusach Sefard
Ecclesiastical or organisational status
StatusActive (summer only)
Location
Location8 Simiou Street, La Juderia, Rhodes, Rhodes, South Aegean
CountryGreece
Kahal Shalom Synagogue is located in Greece South Aegean
Kahal Shalom Synagogue
Location of the synagogue in the
South Aegean Sea
Geographic coordinates36°26′32″N 28°13′49″E / 36.4422°N 28.2304°E / 36.4422; 28.2304
Architecture
TypeSynagogue architecture
Completed1577
[1]

The synagogue building contains the Jewish Museum of Rhodes, a Jewish museum, that details the history of the community. Services are held on holidays, and the building is also used for community events.

History

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There has been a Jewish presence in Rhodes for 2,300 years. They were, at times, persecuted by Romans, the Knights Hospitaller, and other rulers of the islands. During Ottoman rule, however, the Jews of Rhodes prospered, and many expelled Sephardim settled there, particularly in the city of Rhodes, where they built many synagogues (there were six, including Kahal Shalom, in La Juderia, at one time).

The Kahal Shalom Synagogue was constructed in 1577 (5338 in the Hebrew calendar), and has been in use ever since. The synagogue and its worshipers prospered under Ottoman rule into the twentieth century. However, the Kingdom of Italy took over the Dodecanese Islands in 1912, and large numbers of the Jews of Rhodes had begun to emigrate during the 1930s, as they felt menaced by the Fascist Italian regime. When the Italian Fascist government fell, the island came under direct German control in 1943, and more than 1,550 of the remaining 1,700 Jews were deported and murdered in concentration camps, largely putting an end to the use of Kahal Shalom. Kahal Shalom was the only of the four synagogues in La Juderia at the time to survive the bombing during World War II.

Kahal Shalom is only used for services during the summer, when there is an influx of Jewish tourists and Rhodeslis (Jews hailing from Rhodes) as there are only 35 Jews on the island today, and as the headquarters for the Jewish Museum of Rhodes.

Layout

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Most features of the Kahal Shalom Synagogue are typical of Sephardic and Ottoman synagogues. The bimah, or podium, from which the Sefer Torah is read, is in the center of the sanctuary, as in most Sephardic houses of worship. The floor is a mosaic using the black and white local stones used in pavements around Rhodes. An unusual feature of the temple is the fact that there are two hekháls (Torah arks), on either side of the door leading into the interior courtyard. There is also a fountain in the courtyard used for handwashing by the Kohanim before reciting the priestly blessings.[citation needed]

Plaques

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A number of plaques adorn the exterior and interior of the synagogue. Most, primarily in Ladino, the language of the Sephardic community, and Hebrew are dedicated to those who maintained the synagogue. Another, in French, is dedicated to the members of the community who were murdered during the Holocaust.[citation needed]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Kal Kadosh Shalom Synagogue in Rhodes". Historic synagogues of Europe. Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. n.d. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Rhodes". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
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