The Greek Isles are amongst the most beautiful places on earth, and have a history that extends back even beyond the glories of Ancient Greece. Islands like Corfu, Crete and Zakynthos also have a rich Jewish heritage that goes back at least two thousand years.
A luxury customized tour organized by Gil Travel is the perfect way to experience the timeless natural beauty of the islands, while exploring their fascinating Jewish history and culture. Your visit to Greece can include the ancient Jewish heritage sites of the Aegean Sea and the island of Crete.
As well as historical Jewish sites and artifacts, a tailored Greek luxury tour introduces you to the very best of kosher Greek cuisine and includes unique opportunities to meet members of the modern Jewish communities in Greece.
The Rich Tapestry of Greek-Jewish History
Hellenistic Greece was a global cultural center. Under Alexander the Great, it became a regional power that conquered much of the known world, including the Israelite Kingdom of Judah in 332 BCE. In the years that followed, the Jews of Alexandria and Greece created a synergic Jewish Hellenistic culture. When the Romans conquered Greece there was already a well-established Hellenised Judaic community – the Jews of Thessaloniki – who were culturally distinct from their Judaen counterparts. They prospered during Roman rule and enjoyed considerable autonomy.
The Greek speaking Jews of Thessaloniki (Salonica) were joined by a new wave of Jewish immigrants in the 1st century CE and the communities became known as the Romaniote Jews. They survived the collapse of Rome and the rise of the Byzantine era which brought difficulties like punitive taxation and attempts at forced conversion. In 1376, the first Ashkenazi refugees arrived in Greece, fleeing persecution in Hungary and Germany. Their arrival added new cultural threads to the rich Jewish tapestry.
In the mid 1400s, Greece was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. The Turks welcomed up to 20,000 Sephardic Jews who had been expelled from Spain. The Sephardic Jews thrived, enjoying relative peace and prosperity. By the 1600s they represented almost 70% of the population of Thessaloniki . Even many non-Jews spoke the Judeo-Spanish dialect of the region.
The 20th century brought devastation and disaster to Greek Jews. Fewer than 20% survived the Holocaust with an estimated 80,000 being murdered by the Germans. Today there are just 5,000 Jews in Greece. The community is small, but is secure and self-confident and extends a friendly welcome to American guests who want to explore the country’s wonderful Jewish heritage and famous Greek-Jewish landmarks.
Island-by-Island: A Jewish Heritage Guide
Nobody in Greece can agree exactly how many islands there are in Greek waters, or even how many are inhabited. The wildest estimates go as high as 6,000 islands, but many are no more than rocky outcrops in the beautiful Mediterranean sea. Anybody who is keen to explore Jewish heritage usually focuses on four main islands: Rhodes, Corfu, Zakynthos and Crete.
Rhodes: The “Little Jerusalem” of the Aegean
The island of Rhodes is closer to Turkey than to Greece, but it was the heart of Greek Jewish heritage in the Aegean Sea with a 2,000 year history. The Sephardic community prospered for hundreds of years under Ottoman rule, before suffering and declining under Italian occupation. The ancient community was all but wiped out by the Nazis and today only 40 Jews remain.
Rhodes is famous for its medieval Old City which contains the Jewish Quarter (La Juderia). Visitors are made welcome in the surviving Kahal Shalom synagogue. A guided tour of the Old City will also include a visit to the Jewish Museum, the Square of the Martyred Jews which serves as the island’s Holocaust memorial and the old Jewish cemetery.
Corfu: Home to unique Romaniote Jewish traditions
The island of Corfu was coveted by every power that ever rose in the Mediterranean, from the time of the Ancient Greeks up to World War Two. Apart from its strategic location, Corfu is one of the jewels of the Ionian Sea. Its stunning Old City is a UNESCO World Heritage site and visitors can also explore the winding alleys of the 500 year old Jewish Quarter and the 18th century Scuola Greca synagogue.
Before World War Two there were 5,000 Jews in Corfu, today there are less than 100. One enduring legacy of Corfu’s Jewish heritage is the Corfu etrog. The citron fruit (used during Sukkot rituals) was first cultivated in Corfu under the supervision of local rabbis. Visitors can see modern trees on the island.
Zakynthos: A tale of heroism during the Holocaust
The beautiful Ionian island of Zakynthos has a special place in Greek Jewish history. When the Germans ordered the deportation of its Jews in 1943, the mayor and local bishop defied their orders and the islanders hid their Jewish neighbors, saving the entire community.
Unfortunately, the two remaining synagogues in Zakynthos were destroyed by an earthquake, but there is a memorial to the heroic Mayor Karros and Bishop Chrysostomos (both honored as Righteous Among the Nations) at its site. Although most of the island’s Jews emigrated to Israel, Zakynthos still has a tiny community that continues 800 years of Jewish heritage on the island.
Crete: Ancient Synagogue of Etz Hayyim in Hania
Crete is the largest and most populous of all the Greek islands and was home to the ancient Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations – as well as the legendary minotaur! Jews are believed to have first settled in Crete during the 4th century BCE. The hellenized Jewish community thrived during the Roman era and continued to live quietly through a millennium of Arab, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman occupations of the island. By 1944, the 2,500 year old Jewish community in Crete had been wiped out by the Germans.
The most important Jewish site in Crete is the 17th century Etz Hayyim synagogue in the city of Chania. The synagogue, mikveh and library were lovingly restored in the late 1990s and offer a special insight into Jewish life and worship during previous centuries. A guided tour of Chania will include a pleasant and relaxing walk around the Evraiki or Jewish quarter and a chance to explore the wonderful old buildings and family homes where generations of Cretan Jews lived and worked.
Luxury Accommodations Fit for a Hellenic King
Greece has a highly developed tourist industry and some of the best 5-star resorts and hotels in the world. Luxury hotels come with panoramic sea views almost as a matter of course, and many also overlook picturesque old cities and traditional fishing harbors. The usual holiday season runs from the end of April through to the end of September when the sea is calm the weather ranges from pleasantly sunny to hot.
The region’s welcoming boutique hotels, often located in restored historic buildings, are an increasingly popular choice with American Jewish tourists. Greek boutique hotels combine a family style welcome and old world intimacy with the latest modern luxuries and gourmet food. Gil Travel can recommend the best kosher hotels as well as local synagogues for Shabbat services.
If privacy is a priority, or you want to enjoy a relaxing vacation in a family setting, the Greek islands have several luxury villas available for rental. Nothing beats taking it easy by the pool after a stimulating day of sightseeing and exploration around the old Jewish Quarter or museums. Gil Travel can also arrange car hire, or even set you up with a reliable local driver.
Culinary Delights: Where Greek and Jewish Flavors Meet
The Greek Jewish community developed its own unique version of traditional Sephardic cuisine with several influences from Ottoman culture. Fish plays an important role in Sephardic and Romaniote cooking, but the most famous dishes are borekitas de merrendjena (a tasty eggplant empanada style pastry) and Keftikés De Nogáda Con Muési Prishil. Keftikés are delicious meatballs prepared with walnuts and parsley. Middle Eastern-style fava bean dishes are often served as street snacks, as well as honey-drizzled loukoumades which are similar to baklava.
A customized tour with Gil Travel will draw on local knowledge to introduce you to the very best kosher dishes in Greece. Traditional Greek food is mouthwatering and the region also produces excellent wine and spirits, as well as fresh fruit, olives and a range of other delicacies. If you’re a committed foody, Gil Travel can arrange kosher cookery classes with expert Greek chefs, as well as opportunities to sample Jewish home cooking.
Beyond History: Modern Jewish Life in the Greek Isles
An estimated 80% of Greek Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, and many survivors emigrated to Israel after the war. There are only 5,000 Jews in Greece today, but the community is vibrant and friendly, and generally secure in Greek society. Gil Travel will be delighted to arrange introductions to members of the Jewish community, either for informal social events or to discuss contemporary issues and build links between US and Greek Jewish communities. When you work with Gil Travel to create a customized itinerary, you can include special visits to modern synagogues and Jewish cultural events.
Exclusive Experiences on Your Luxury Tour
The beauty of a luxury tour to Greece with Gil Travel is that it can be adapted to suit your specific interests and to match your preferred pace. If you’re interested in Jewish heritage and want to explore ancient Jewish quarters and Greek Jewish landmarks (or thousands of years of wider Greek history and culture) Gil Travel can arrange for private trips with expert English speaking guides. Your guides can take you behind the scenes in museums and archaeological sites for a deeper look at the past.
It’s also possible to book private yacht excursions to hidden island gems, or arrange fishing trips or sub-aqua expeditions in the pristine clear waters around the Greek islands. As well as guided tours of fascinating sites like Jewish Corfu, Zakynthos and Crete, Gil Travel’s Jewish heritage tours can include as much luxury, adventure and cultural exploration as you and your family desire!
Contact us now to learn more about the magic of the Greek islands and how you can plan the perfect luxury travel itinerary.
