On Sunday, July 23, 2023, the Municipality of the island of Kos, the Central Board of the Jewish Communities of Greece (KISs), the Civic Society of Hippocrates, and the Jewish Community of Rhodes inaugurated the renovated Synagogue of Kos.
78 years after the deportation of the island's Jews by the Nazis in July 1944, and their extermination in Auschwitz, the historic Kal Shalom once again functions as a Synagogue and opens its doors to the local community and to thousands of annual visitors from all over the world.
The renovation project of the Synagogue of Kos, undertaken by the Architect Ilias Messinas, was implemented with the cooperation of the Municipality of Kos, KIS and the Civic Society of Hippocrates, following the signing of a relevant Memorandum, with the aim of utilizing the Synagogue and upgrading its role in life of the island as a religious center, and also as a place of memory, education, and culture.
The festivities for the opening of the Synagogue began with a visit to the Jewish cemetery, followed by the dedication of the newly restored Synagogue. During the visit to the Jewish cemetery, the Rabbi of Athens Gabriel Negrin delivered a memorial service in memory of the Jews of the island, in the presence of the Mayor, Mr. Theodosis Nikitaras, the President of the Municipal Council and HE Hippocrates Dionysias Tellis, the Imam of Muslim community Irfan Trampa and representatives of Greek Jewry.
Once at the synagogue, the ceremony began with the opening of the doors of the Ark and dedicatory prayers led by Rabbi Negrin, along with a Ashkava Memorial prayer dedicated to the martyrs of Kos. The doors of the Synagogue were opened, the representatives of the Authorities of the island and of Greek Jewry, as well as ordinary citizens of Kos, passed inside following the ceremonial entrance of the Sefer Torah, a donation of the Jewish Community of Athens, which was carried by Dimi-David Opsymoulis (nee Menasseh), a relative of the last Jewish resident of Kos, Michel Menasseh.
After the ceremony, the new mezuzah was placed at the main entrance by the President of the Central Board of the Jewish Communities of Greece David Saltiel, and at the doors of the Synagogue by Rabbi Negrin and the President of Jewish Community of Rhodes Claudia Restis.
After that, the ceremony included special welcomes from the Reverend Metropolitan of Kos and Nisyros, the Mayor of Kos, and David Saltiel. In his speech, Saltiel emphasized that "the renovated Kos Synagogue sends multiple messages: about the centuries-old history of the Jews of Kos, about the importance of preserving the Jewish cultural heritage, and above all about brotherhood. Because it is the unbreakable bonds of friendship and the spirit of excellent cooperation with the Municipality of Kos and the Urban Society of Hippocrates, which led us to the completion of the renovation project and to today's brilliant ceremony."
Architect Ilias Messinas then presented an overview of the renovation project and the restoration process, along with his newly published books Kaal Shalom: The Synagogue of Kos" (published by Hippokratis, Kos 2023) and "The Synagogue" (published by Infognomon). The program concluded with a beautiful concert by soprano Mariangela Hadjistamatiou, who performed classic Romaniote and Sephardic Greek Jewish songs together with the band Pellegrinaggio Allevante.
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