Remembering Jewish Salonica through stamps at Balkanfila XX

In November 2024, the city of Thessaloniki hosted “Balkanfila XX,” an international stamp exhibition celebrating the shared history of the Balkan nations. As Israel’s philatelic commissioner to the event, it was an honor to witness this unique gathering, which not only fostered relationships among collectors and historians but also highlighted the deep multicultural roots of the region. Among the most poignant aspects of the exhibition was the opportunity to reflect on the rich and tragic history of Jewish Salonica a community that thrived for centuries before its near-total destruction during the Holocaust.

Thessaloniki, or Salonica in Ladino, was once the heart of Sephardic Jewry in the Balkans. Jewish presence in the city dates back over 2,000 years, but it was the influx of Spanish Jews following the 1492 expulsion that truly shaped its identity. By the 16th century, Salonica had become a renowned center of Jewish learning, home to prominent rabbis such as Samuel Abarbanel and Solomon Alkabez, the author of the Shabbat hymn "Lecha Dodi."

At its height in the early 20th century, Salonica was a thriving Jewish metropolis. In 1908, the Jewish population exceeded 90,000 more than half of the city’s total 157,000 residents. This dominance was so pronounced that the city’s bustling port closed on Shabbat, as most of its dockworkers were Jewish. Salonica was not just a Jewish city; it was the undisputed world capital of Sephardic culture.

This golden age came to a tragic end in April 1941, when Nazi Germany occupied the city. Over the following years, the ancient Jewish community of Salonica was systematically destroyed. By the time the deportations ended, 96% of the city’s Jews had been sent to death camps, primarily Auschwitz. What had once been the "Jerusalem of the Balkans" was reduced to ruins, its synagogues, schools, and cemeteries desecrated.

At Balkanfila XX, the philatelic world paid tribute to this lost world through the art of stamp collecting. Stamps are more than just postal currency they are a form of historical storytelling, preserving the legacies of nations, cities, and peoples. The exhibition served as a reminder that while the physical presence of Jewish Salonica may be lost, its memory endures.

Through stamps, letters, and documents, we can still glimpse the vibrancy of a community that once flourished along the Aegean coast. The rich Jewish history of Thessaloniki remains an integral part of both Greek and Jewish heritage, reminding us that even in loss, memory prevails.

The story of Salonica is one of survival through remembrance. Share this history and stay connected by subscribing to our newsletter.