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From July 21 to 25, 2022, the Holocaust commemoration of the Jews of the Dodecanese took place in Rhodes and Kos. I.K. Rhodes organized this year again a rich program of cultural and artistic activities. At the same time, the new Administration - with symbolic ceremonies of honor dedicated to the outgoing President Bella Resti and the late Morris Magrizos - marked the history and course of I.K. of Rhodes, but also its commitment to development and progress.
The program of events started on 21.7.2022, with the screening of the film "Denial" at the summer cinema "Rodon". This is the well-known film that tells the true story of the legal battle waged by the intrepid Deborah I. Lipstadt against David Irving, who sued her for defamation when she accused him of denying the Holocaust.
On 22.7.2022, visitors proceeded to the Jewish cemetery where the askavot (memorial prayers) were recited and then participated in the Shabbat services conducted by Rabbi Gabriel Negrin of Athens.
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The events of the South Aegean Region and the Israeli Community of Rhodes for the Day of Remembrance of the Greek Jews of Rhodes and Kos who were exterminated by the Nazis during the Holocaust took place in Rhodes, on 26.7.2021, at the Synagogue of the island and at the Holocaust Memorial, observing all necessary sanitary measures due to the pandemic.
At the Kal Shalom Synagogue, in the Medieval Town of Rhodes, the event began with a memorial service by the Rabbi of Athens Gabriel Negrin and the lighting of candles in memory of the victims. The representatives of the Authorities and the Israeli Communities were welcomed by the Vice President of the Administrative Committee of I.K. Rodou Daniel Benardout, General Treasurer of KISE. This was followed by the greetings of the officials: of District Governor Giorgos Hatzimarkou, of the Mayor Antonios Kambourakis and the President of KISE David Saltiel. Afterwards, the keynote speaker Ambassador Mr. Christodoulos Lazaris, President of IHRA, spoke about the work of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and the importance that this year's Greek presidency of IHRA attaches to the preservation of historical memory through education. At the same time, Mr. Lazaris highlighted the planned actions aimed at promoting research and highlighting the history of the Holocaust of the Jewish communities in Greece.
More: RHODES HONORED THE MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST – 2021 EVENTS
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On January 27, 1945, the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp was liberated by Soviet troops.
In November 2005 during the sixtieth General Assembly of its Representatives the United Nations decided to designate January 27 as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims and urged the member countries of the organization to develop educational programs that will transfer the memory of this tragedy to the upcoming generations.
The Jews of Rhodes with their long history and rich cultural tradition lived here peacefully for more than 2.200 years. Their historic journey was brutally interrupted on July 23, 1944, when the 2.500 Jews of Rhodes, together with the 100 Jews of Kos, were exterminated in Hitler's concentration camps.
More: ACTION I.K. RHODES FOR HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY & "BISWAT" 2021
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July 23 marks 76 years since the displacement and annihilation of the Jewish Community of Rhodes and Kos in 1944.
Unfortunately, the Dodecanese have been linked to the tragic events of the history of the Holocaust, having one of the highest rates of annihilation of the Jews of Europe with losses amounting to 94%.
However, we should underline that in the post-war path of the painful reconstruction effort, Rhodes was one of the first regions of Greece to recognize the sacrifice of their Jewish fellow citizens.
More: ANNOUNCEMENT I.K. RHODES FOR HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY 2020
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By Manolis Kassotis
The Jewish Holocaust is commemorated every year all over the world, not only by Jews but also by other nationalities who want to commemorate the six million of our fellow human beings who were tortured and lost their lives, but also to prevent a repeat of the Holocaust and in other ethnicities and peoples.
The Jewish quarter of Rhodes
The history of the Jewish community of Rhodes begins from the Hellenistic period, at least from 142 BC. and after. In 1 AD century the historian Josephus and in 653 AD. the historian Theophrastus mentions the presence of Jews in Rhodes and in 1116 AD. the traveler Rabbi Benjamin of Tuleda finds around 400-500 Jews on the island.
Later, due to the Spanish Inquisition, several Jews, mainly from Thessaloniki, but also from Smyrna, Constantinople and Jerusalem, moved to Rhodes. In 1900, before the Jewish emigration began, as well as the Greek emigration, to America and Africa the Jews of Rhodes numbered 4500-5000.
More: 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HOLOCAUST OF THE JEWS OF RHODES MARKED IN AMERICA