In Search of Salonika’s Lost Synagogues. An Open Question Concerning Intangible Heritage

Until 1944 Salonika was also known as the Jerusalem of the Balkans for its predominantly Jewish population. In August 1917 however, late Ottoman Salonika was ravaged by a great fire which destroyed most of its oldest synagogues. This article is an attempt to survey the “state of the art” on the sour...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cristina Pallini, Annalisa Riccarda Scaccabarozzi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Fondazione Centro di Documentazione Ebraica Contemporanea CDEC 2014-07-01
Series:Quest. Issues in Contemporary Jewish History
Online Access:http://www.quest-cdecjournal.it/focus.php?id=354
Description
Summary:Until 1944 Salonika was also known as the Jerusalem of the Balkans for its predominantly Jewish population. In August 1917 however, late Ottoman Salonika was ravaged by a great fire which destroyed most of its oldest synagogues. This article is an attempt to survey the “state of the art” on the sources available concerning the architecture and urban role of Salonika’s lost synagogues. The authors’ thesis, requiring further research, is that these synagogues played a poleogenetic role, in fostering both a settlement structure and cohesion of the social edifice.
ISSN:2037-741X