Patrick Comerford
Greece has issued a series of six commemorative stamps and two first cover envelopes featuring eight historic and living synagogues in Greece, including synagogues I am familiar with in Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Corfu and Chania.
The six stamps in the series depict the interiors of the historic synagogues of Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Trikala, Ioannina, and Rhodes, while the two first day cover envelopes depict the synagogues in Corfu and in Chania in Crete.
The stamps have been in circulation since 18 April, when they were presented at an event organised by the Hellenic Post (ELTA) and the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS).
The images on the stamps are not photographs, but illustrations by the painter and engraver Myrsini Vardopoulou.
The commemorative series of stamps, ‘Synagogues of Greece’, was presented at an event organised by the Hellenic Post (ELTA) and the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS), in the Old Parliament, on 18 April 2024, the first day of circulation of the stamps.
The six stamps in the series are illustrated with the historic synagogues in Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Trikala, Ioannina and Rhodes, while the two envelopes present the synagogues in Corfu and in Chania in Crete.
With this special series of stamps, ELTA says it is honouring Greek Jewry and its centuries-old history. The series also draws international attention to the cultural wealth, elaborate architecture, and religious tradition of Greek Jews.
Both the President of KIS, David Saltiel, and the President of ELTA, Daniel Benardout, spoke at the launch of the series.
‘A stamp is not just a pre-paid fee for sending mail. It is a carrier of culture and has its own social role in spreading important messages’, David Saltiel of KIS said. He added that ‘the extremely elegant stamps of the synagogues present the rich religious tradition of the Greek Jews, giving elements from both Sephardic and Romaniote traditions.’
Daniel Benardout of ELTA said: ‘From the depths of history, from ancient times, as far as Romaniote Jews are concerned, and of course later, during the large mass settlement of Sephardic Jews in our country, in the 14th and 15th centuries, the synagogues became the reference points and pillars of Jewish culture, the pre-eminent symbols of Diaspora Jewry.’
He added: ‘We honour this symbol of faith and identity today by issuing these stamps. We honour a cultural heritage, which spanned centuries, generations, dreams, steps towards the future, and at the same time kept intact and alive the imprint of an old, sacred tradition.’
The video prepared by ELTA for the event refers not only to the synagogues on the stamps but also to other historical synagogues throughout Greece. The soundtrack includes the Romaniote, bilingual prayer Adonai ata yadata, sung by the soprano Mariangela Hadjistamatiou, with the musical ensemble Pellegrinaggio al levante.
The stamps were designed by the Greek painter and engraver Dr Myrsini Vardopoulou, who spoke at the launch about the process of designing the stamps. She described how she immersed herself in the Greek-Jewish tradition, and studied each synagogue with care to convey the greatest possible information in order to keep as many of their details as possible.
The director of the Jewish Museum of Greece, the archaeologist Zanet Battinou, in a key speech, presented ‘The Synagogues of Greece through the ages’, with a parallel display of photographs of the synagogues. She described the function, importance, architecture, ritual objects and holy books, as well as the richness of Jewish history and synagogues throughout Greece, from Thrace and Epirus to Crete.
The event included a Jewish song from the soprano Mariangela Hadjistamatiou.
The guests included the Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Gabriel Negrin, cabinet ministers, senior government officials, Members of Parliament, ambassadors, representatives of Jewish communities and organisations and philatelists.
Other countries have issued stamps depicting historic synagogues, including Serbia, Romania and Hungary.
Shabbat Shalom, שבת שלום
The video prepared by Hellenic Post (ELTA) for the launch of a series of stamps and envelopes celebrating eight historic synagogues in Greece
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