In October 1997, the Jewish Museum of Rhodes opened its doors to visitors. From 1997 to 2008, the Rhodes Jewish Historical Foundation (RJHF), in collaboration with the Jewish Community of Rhodes (JCR), fulfilled the renovation and expansion project of the Synagogue’s vacant prayer rooms into a Museum, including the restoration of the ancient tombstones of the Jewish cemetery. The Museum expanded from the original two rooms into four additional rooms, making it six and reopened on April 28, 2006. In January 2024, the JCR’s renovation of the Museum commenced. The new design was inaugurated on July 18, 2024, during the 80th Commemoration Events of Rhodes & Cos.
The Museum functions to this day and is managed by the JCR. The RJHF maintains its collaborative endeavors and has equipped the Museum with images and artifacts, including educational and printed materials for visitors and Rhodesli descendants worldwide. Thanks to your support and donations, this critical mission of preserving the Rhodes Jewish heritage was made possible.
The RJHF gives recognition to the following individuals who have shared their life stories and knowledge of La Juderia: Stella Levi, Joseph D. Alhadeff, Hillel Franco, Maurice Soriano, Sami Modiano, Moshe & Lucia Sulam, and Esther Fintz Menasce. Their tremendous dedication to our Rhodes Jewish heritage will continue to strengthen and inspire us.
Photo: Former residents of Rhodes and Survivors of the Holocaust* who gave a talk inside the Kahal Shalom (Sitting L-R): Sami Modiano* (Rome), David Galante* (Buenos Aires), Stella Levi* (New York), and Rebecca Habib Levy (Brussels).
In celebration of the 25th year of the Jewish Museum of Rhodes and the Rhodes Jewish Historical Foundation, on September 26, 2022, the RJHF honored the following people who were vital in the preservation efforts of the Rhodesli culture and heritage: Sami Modiano (Distinguished Rhodesli and Advocate), Isaac Habib (Educator), Carmen Cohen (Director) and Bella Angel Restis (Leadership).
For the Museum’s 25th Anniversary, the Rhodes Jewish Historical Foundation donated €25,000.00 to the Jewish Community of Rhodes to fund the enhancement and renovation efforts of the Jewish Museum of Rhodes and preserve its precious artifacts to benefit future Rhodeslis. We thank all donors and supporters who are part of this mission.
Stella Levi (Distinguished Rhodesli & Advocate) was honored at the Kehila Kedosha Janina (KKJ), New York on November 13, 2022.
I was born in Los Angeles and grew up within the tight-knit Sephardic Community. I’m a third generation “Rhodesli” as 4 of my grandparents were born on the island of Rhodes and immigrated to the US between 1912 and 1919. Since 1980, I have been practicing as an immigration attorney. During my first three years of law practice, I worked for the Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles (a branch of HIAS “Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society”), representing the agency with their refugee and religious asylum cases.
With the encouragement and cooperation of Rabbi William Kramer, then editor for the Western States Jewish History, I wrote articles in 1974 and 1996 concerning the “Rhodeslis” who emigrated to Los Angeles.
In 1975, I visited the island of Rhodes, inspired by the historical accounts (istorikos) told by my grandparents. Its charm and history fascinated me.
Several years later, in 1995, I went back to Rhodes, now with my whole family to learn about our heritage. During that trip, I noticed a need to advance the public awareness and appreciation of the island’s unique Jewish history that was unfortunately devastated by the Holocaust.
1995 Family Trip photo of the Hasson, Benon (Benoun), Soriano, Tarica, and Eskenazi families at Tres Molinos, Rhodes.
The island of Rhodes’ Jewish community, known as “La Juderia,” was once a thriving center for learning and living which the Holocaust tragically ended. Today, Rhodes is one of the most popularly visited locations in the Mediterranean Sea, with vacationers coming from worldwide either by chartered flights or by cruise ships. Visitors would walk the streets of “La Juderia” and the surviving synagogue, the “Kahal Shalom,” lacking the knowledge of the Jewish history and the people who once lived there.
Unfortunately, there was nothing at the Kahal Shalom to inform visitors of its unique Jewish past. Although most of the remnants of Jewish life are now absent due to the Holocaust, this “Museum project” is an important first step to a more expansive effort in preserving the unique history of the Jews of Rhodes.
So, in 1997, I created two institutions to fulfill this goal:
First, I established the Jewish Museum of Rhodes, which exhibits photographic materials and artifacts I have collected from my own family and other Rhodeslis.
Second, I set up the Rhodes Jewish Historical Foundation (RJHF), a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization based in Los Angeles, to be used as a vehicle for furthering this goal.
Third, in October 1997, I created this website, www.rhodesjewishmuseum.org as an information resource for people traveling and interested in the history of the Jews of Rhodes.
Photos: The first two vacant rooms shown would be the easiest to restore for the planned museum. These rooms were previously used as the women’s prayer rooms and had been vacant since the Holocaust; Albert Almeleh, and my children, Rachelle & Daniel Hasson, with sample photos to be arranged for the envisioned museum.
The Jewish Community of Rhodes administration agreed to the museum’s establishment.
The members (pictured here) were President Maurice Soriano, Vice President Albert Covo, and Secretary Jacob Sakkis.
1997 Letter from the Jewish Community of Rhodes (JCR):
Dear Mr. Hasson,
We refer to the meeting of the Committee of the Jewish Community of Rhodes to which you took part. During this meeting you developed your ideas about the creation of a Museum of Jewish life in Rhodes, mainly based on photographs and to be located in the side rooms of the synagogue.
Further to the discussion on the subject, the Committee took the following decision, as per translated minutes of its session of June 24, 1997.
The Committee of the Jewish Community of Rhodes, composed of Mssrs. M. Soriano, A. Covo and J. Sakkis, having heard the proposition of Mr. Hasson from Los Angeles, on the creation of a Jewish Museum in the premises of the synagogue of Rhodes, finds it most interesting and historically indispensable and therefore decides:
a.) To entrust Mr. Hasson with the task of further gathering documents among the Jews of Rhodes in the Diaspora, in order to enrich his valuable collection. b.) We entrust Mr. Hasson to act on our behalf and promote these projects among our brothers in the Diaspora so that funds can be raised either from individuals or from institutions…
With sincere regards,
Albert Covo, Vice President
Planned restoration with a team of workers in the courtyard (“cortiju”) of the Kahal Shalom. The group consists of an architect, electrician, carpenter, painter, and assistants. Photo shows Jacob Sakkis, one of the three members of the JCR, directing the construction of the museum’s first phase and Joseph D. Alhadeff of Brussels. The rooms were quickly renovated within a short three-week time period. The before and after photos showing the work being undertaken to restore the women’s prayer rooms for the museum.
First museum visitors with Rabbi Moise Levy in 1997. Other images from 2000 to 2002, with Lucia Sulam & Sami Modiano.
Museum restoration project between 2004 to 2008. Many artifacts and panels are now displayed.
Photos to follow
Rhodes Jewish Historical Foundation
