The settlement of Jews in Rhodes dates back to the Hellenistic period (Maccabee 15:23). Much later, a Jewish community in Rhodes is mentioned by the traveling Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela in Spain, who visited the island in 1116 and reported that about 400 Jews lived there. In the 15th century, the Jewish quarter in the southeast of the city was affected by earthquakes and by wars between the Johannites and the Ottomans. In the 16th century, with the arrival of Sephardic Jews, mainly from Constantinople and Smyrna, but also from Thessaloniki, the number of Jews in Rhodes exceeded 2,000. Six synagogues and rabbinical schools operated in Rhodes, giving a prominent place to the Jewish community. The community also developed an important economic activity with the trade in textiles and silk and other professions such as rabbis, doctors, gunsmiths, artisans, bookbinders, fishermen and weavers. In 1941, there were approximately 1,800 Jews living in Rhodes who were deported on July 23, first to Haidari and finally to Auschwitz. Only 151 Rhodian Jews survived.
The Holocaust story in Rhodes is no different from most other cities in Greece. But it could have been written differently. As, for example, it was written in Zakynthos.
On June 9, 1944, a month before the deportation of the Jews of Rhodes, the deportation of the Jews of Corfu began based on the plan of the Nazi conquerors, followed by anti-Semitic articles that the island was ‘cleansed of Jews’ and the looting of Jewish property, shops and warehouses of the displaced. But unlike Corfu, in neighboring Zakynthos, history took a different turn. Thanks to the heroism of two true leaders – Mayor Loukas Carrer and Metropolitan of Zakynthos Chrysostomos Dimitrios – who refused to cooperate with the Nazi conquerors, and with the support of all – ALL without exception! – of the brave inhabitants of the island, the chapter “Holocaust in Zakynthos” was not followed by the word “murder”, but rather “rescue of the 275 Jews of Zakynthos”.
The difference between Rhodes and Zakynthos is that the island’s religious and political leadership did not operate on the basis of anti-Semitic prejudices, stereotypes and economic interests. It operated on the basis of logic and humanity. Despite Zakynthos being under Nazi occupation, as was Rhodes and the entire Greek territory, it managed to confront the powerful conqueror of the time with heroism and selflessness, without any prejudice. With humanity and logic. With respect for people, regardless of their religion.
And while today we commemorate the victims of the Holocaust in Rhodes, who were murdered because of anti-Semitism 80 years ago, anti-Semitism is once again on the rise. Christos Homenidis’s sensational and very timely article in the NEWS of October 15, 2023, just one week after Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel from Gaza, reminds us of this.
As the recent presence of the Palestinian flag and the slogan “Freedom in Palestine” in Epidaurus reminds us, has anyone ever wondered what exactly he is asking for? There is no doubt that Gaza is counting daily human casualties in a state of war initiated by the same Hamas terrorists who are the leaders of Gaza, massacring hundreds of innocent people inside Israel on October 7, and holding 120 Israeli hostages to date. Israel responded to this attack with an unequal war, where the terrorists hide in underground tunnels and inside hospitals and schools. At the same time, Israel is negotiating a ceasefire and the return of the hostages with the participation of America, Egypt and Qatar. If Hamas, which rules Gaza, wanted peace, its terrorist leaders could accept the terms of the negotiation today, the immediate return of the hostages today, and an end to the bloodshed today. But they choose to murder the people of Gaza, while using anti-Semitic propaganda and aiming for a new Holocaust of the Jews, to guide the civilized world to raise the Palestinian flag and shout “freedom in Palestine”.
The people of Gaza and the people of Israel want to live in peace, with dignity
Because if anyone takes the trouble to look at the map, they will understand that the “freedom of Palestine” “from the river to the sea”, that is, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean, means the erasure of the State of Israel. With this message, even the most well-intentioned call for the destruction of Israel and the displacement (again?) of the Jews from the place to which they returned after centuries. When, after the murder of six million Jews from all over Europe in the crematoria in 1947-48, by a UN decision, the surviving Jews were given a place to re-establish a homeland with the partition of British Palestine. With the same decision, the UN also gave the Arabs the opportunity to create a homeland – Palestine – in the West Bank, next to Israel. But they, unlike the Jews, did not accept this. They preferred to destroy what the Jews worked to build in the desert, thinking that they would gain more by destroying Israel: sometimes with terrorism, sometimes with rockets, and sometimes with anti-Semitic propaganda – as happens to this day.
The people of Gaza and the people of Israel, like all peoples on the planet, regardless of religion, want to live in peace, prosperity and dignity. As the demonstrations in Israel show, the world is tired of wars and hatred. The message that we must all send today, the young people at the universities, but also all civilized spectators at the cultural events, is to liberate Gaza from Hamas terrorism, return the Israeli hostages to their own, make peace between Israel and the Palestinians and free the entire planet from the anti-Semitic propaganda that led to the Holocaust.
*Ilias Messinas is an architect, urban planner and writer. Creator of Ecoweek. Author of the books ‘A Sinagoga’, ‘A Sinagoga’ and ‘O Bom’ (Infognomon publications, 2022, 2023, autumn 2024).