ISRAELI COMMUNITY OF FLORINA
Jews from Spain, after their expulsion in 1492, also settled in Florina. There they created their quarter called "Evriomachalas" and it was located in the riverside area "Kokozia", which extended along the current Epirou street and to the south, on Chrysostomou Smyrnis and Averof streets. It included the narrow streets on both banks of the "Sakuleva" river. This area today extends from the height of the Courts to Heroes' Square.
In Florina there was a Synagogue, on Averof Street /Yenitson/, at the edge of the river and it had an area of about 500 cubits. The Synagogue was destroyed during the Occupation and half of its plot was filled up by the river. The cemetery was walled and was located at the foot of the mountain, opposite the zoo, near the public road leading to Pisoderi. Most Jews were merchants, small tradesmen and artisans. Their shops dominated the main street of Alexander the Great and the Spyrakis arcade.
In the 1940 war, Menachem Aaron, Menashe Joseph, I. Rahami and T. Pitson were killed in the battles, whose names are written on the Hero of the city. On 9.8.1943 the Germans executed in retaliation nine Christians and two Jews at the location "Kladorachi". The conquerors forced the Jews to wear the insignia of their religion, the Star of David, on their lapels. Some, foreseeing the danger that threatened them, fled to the mountains or to other cities. The rest were arrested and exterminated in the Nazi camps.
The once flourishing Israelite Community had pre-war approximately 400 members of which only 64 survived, that is, during the Holocaust 84% of the population of the Israelite Community was lost. Those who survived settled in other cities or emigrated, with the result that only 10 people remained in Florina, who left the city later. The last president of the Community was Jacob Cohen. The Jewish Community of Florina was dissolved in 1970 after an important presence of 500 years in the city.
