Kahal Shalom Synagogue
Kahal Shalom Synagogue features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Rhodes. Give it roughly ~45 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Rhodes Rhodes guide
About Kahal Shalom Synagogue
Founded in 1577, the oldest surviving synagogue in Greece anchors the old Jewish Quarter and, beside the Square of the Jewish Martyrs, keeps the memory of a lost community.
Kahal Shalom, Hebrew for 'Holy Congregation of Peace', was founded in 1577 and is the oldest surviving synagogue in Greece. It is the only synagogue of the former Jewish Quarter, La Juderia, still standing and in use, mainly for services in summer. It follows the Sephardic plan, with the tevah set in the centre of the room facing southeast toward Jerusalem, and a floor of black-and-white pebble mosaic made from local Rhodian stones. A women's gallery was added in the 1930s, and the complex now houses the Jewish Museum of Rhodes.
In July 1944 the German occupiers assembled the island's Jews in the quarter and deported them to Auschwitz; of roughly 1,600 to 1,700 people, only about 150 survived. The Turkish consul Selahattin Ülkümen intervened to have a group released as Turkish citizens and was later recognised by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations. The adjacent Square of the Jewish Martyrs holds a Holocaust memorial.
How long is a visit to Kahal Shalom Synagogue?
Set aside roughly ~45 min for Kahal Shalom Synagogue. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Kahal Shalom Synagogue worth your time?
Kahal Shalom Synagogue is among the 18 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Rhodes, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Rhodes
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Kahal Shalom Synagogue and read more:
Day 1 of the Rhodes in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Kahal Shalom Synagogue
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