Kahal Shalom Synagogue and Jewish Museum

The Kahal Shalom Synagogue stands at Simiou 5 in the Jewish Quarter of the Old Town of Rhodes, in the South Aegean region of Greece. Dating from 1577, it is the oldest synagogue in Greece still in use, and it survived the deportation of the island's Jewish community in July 1944, when roughly 1,600 people were sent to Auschwitz and few survived. Visitors enter a small courtyard and then a sunlit prayer hall with a wooden ark, a central bimah and chandeliers, with a floor that is paved in black and white pebble mosaic in the Rhodian style. The adjoining Jewish Museum of Rhodes occupies the women's gallery and nearby rooms, and shows photographs, documents, textiles and ritual objects that tell the story of the Sephardic community, which settled on Rhodes after the expulsion from Spain in 1492 and spoke Judeo-Spanish. Panels recount the community's life, its trades and its destruction. The nearby Square of the Jewish Martyrs, with a sea-horse fountain, commemorates those who were deported. A visit takes about 45 minutes. Opening hours are limited, roughly 10:00 to 15:00 in summer, and the synagogue is closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, so visitors should check kahalshalom.gr before going. Admission is about 5 EUR for adults, with reduced prices for children. Mornings tend to be quiet, and tour groups arrive in the late morning. Visitors are asked to dress respectfully, and photography rules can vary by area, so a quick enquiry at the entrance is advisable. The synagogue is within walking distance of Hippocrates Square.