Jewish Museum of Rhodes

About

The Jewish Museum of Rhodes preserves the memory of one of the oldest Sephardic communities in the Mediterranean, housed beside the historic Kahal Shalom Synagogue—the oldest functioning synagogue in Greece. The museum tells the story of the Jews of Rhodes, who arrived after the 1492 expulsion from Spain and developed a vibrant Ladino‑speaking community that shaped the island’s cultural life for centuries. Inside, visitors can explore rooms filled with personal objects, photographs and documents that trace daily life before the Second World War. Traditional Rhodian Jewish costumes, embroidered with bright colours and Ottoman‑influenced patterns, reveal how the community blended local and Sephardic traditions. The museum also displays ritual items such as silver Torah crowns, spice boxes and menorahs, each reflecting the craftsmanship of local artisans. One of the most moving sections recounts the tragic deportation of the island’s Jews in 1944, when nearly the entire community was sent to Auschwitz. Testimonies, letters and family photographs give this history a deeply human dimension.

Rhodes Greece

Location

The Jewish Museum of Rhodes is located in the Medieval Old Town of Rhodes, Greece. You’ll find it on Dosiadou and Simiou Streets, Rhodes 85100, right next to the Kahal Shalom Synagogue in the historic Jewish Quarter. The museum occupies rooms that once formed part of the women’s section of the synagogue and tells the story of the island’s Jewish community through photographs, documents, traditional objects and personal items. It’s a quiet and moving place that sits in a corner of the old town that feels a little apart from the busier streets. Just outside is the Kahal Shalom Synagogue itself, the oldest synagogue in Greece, and the nearby Square of the Jewish Martyrs. A short walk takes you towards the Archaeological Museum and the Street of the Knights leading up to the Palace of the Grand Master. The medieval walls and several of the old town gates are also close by.