Jewish Museum In Thessaloniki

History of Jewish Museum

The building in which the museum is housed was originally built by an Italian architect called Vitaliano Poselli. Its modern restoration had started in 1994, under the patronage of Andres Sefiha, the president of the Jewish community of Thessaloniki. It was completed and inaugurated in 2001 and opened for the public to witness the evolution of Jewish culture in Thessaloniki. The collection of the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki traces the city’s Sephardic culture back to when they first landed here.

The ground floor houses some enormous tomb stones and inscriptions found from a Jewish cemetery of the city, ruins of a Synagogue from the days of German occupation, old Hebrew manuscripts and some photographs dating back to 1913-14.

As you go up to the first floor, it has a complete timeline of Thessaloniki Jews from 3rd century BC, to the 15th and 16th century when it was at its peak, right up to the time of World War II, before the Holocaust took place and large parts of their community were deported to the camps. It displays several objects of rituals, documents, books and photographs related to the everyday lives of Thessaloniki Jews that could be salvaged and restored. There are letters, clothing, pre-war family photos and business documents, and many other objects of daily use among the displays.

There is a separate exhibit on the Holocaust, and what happened to the Thessaloniki Jews in that horrible catastrophe, displayed through documents and occasional photographs.

The museum offers an insight into how the Jews lived and thrived in the city. But more importantly, it once again reflects how much the War and the Holocaust affected every part of the Jewish community around the world – no matter how big or small.

Attractions of Jewish Museum

Jewish Museum is one of the best historical structures to visit in Thessaloniki. The museum boasts the stones and the relics of the Jewish cemetery. The museum also has a library which is open to all the visitors visiting the museum. There is also an audio-visual centre where visitors can watch films and documentaries about Jewish history and culture.