Sharing Stories to Build Community
As we approach the halfway point of this revelatory journey, the camaraderie of our group continues to solidify. This morning’s four hour bus ride was quickly elevated to a teacher-to-teacher bonding experience, complete with college lectures, sing-alongs, and genuine human connections. The emotional honesty of community members in Volos, Ioannina, and here in Thessaloniki has magnified not only the lesser-known stories of Greek Jews, but also the personal stories and connections of the individual members of our study group.
Today we visited the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki, where their small but mighty collection of artifacts revealed the breadth and depth of history dating back to the earliest recorded history of Jewry in Salonika in 315 BCE. A thriving Jewish community that was once 40% of this beautiful city’s population was hit by rising antisemitism, the great fire of 1917, and the horrific consequences of the Nazi invasion. The tragic degradation of the community was underscored by the story of Akis, a member of this community who met with Classrooms when the group last visited 4 years ago. In that interim, he has been able to collect many of his father’s stories. The miracle of his father’s survival, especially as a member of the Sonderkommando, was an incredibly poignant revelation for us.
Visiting the Synagogue of the Monasteriotes, or “Big Synagogue” (built from 1925—1927 and recently restored to its original glory), we learned that the sanctity of that space came not only from its status as one of the few Jewish sites to emerge from the war relatively unscathed (thanks to its status as a Red Cross site). It also hosted the last meeting of the Jewish community prior to their mass deportation to Auschwitz, and later served as a safe haven for about 40 Jews who miraculously survived the end of the war in Poland only to return to Thessaloniki to find themselves homeless.
Late this afternoon, we took time to check in as a whole group and reflect on the moments that have marked us. From Betsy’s personal connection to Akis through her grandfather’s liberation of the camp where his father was, to Tricia’s personal reflection on what it takes for a starving person to sacrifice themselves even further in order to save another person, each of us is coming to terms with the ways in which our own narratives fit in with the greater story. Connecting these oral traditions to literature, Mary Louise observed human beings’ seemingly limitless inhumanity towards each other. Barbara reminded us of how the past is repeating itself with the barbaric treatment of families and children at the US southern border, while Laura asked what can we do to help continue the tradition of the Righteous Gentiles—to bring that spirit of humanity to the next generation.
John admired the power of the upstander in relation to the stories of the survivors here in Greece. Jeffrey underscored that sentiment with his reminder of how the Greek partisans offer a brilliant example of the importance of resistance. Akiliann noted the generational trauma experienced by Jews as compared to the African and African-American experience, and Nancy reminded us of that vital Jewish adage, “if you save one life, you save the world.”
Jeremy observed the interesting balance of joy in the face of tragedy, and Marque reminded us that we are all on the same quest as those who tell their stories here in Greece. As Sarah said, it all comes back to story because the stories of others empower us to change our own narrative. Adam acknowledged an empowerment of his own Jewish identity, as did Lilia, who is now adamant that none of us can afford to remain quiet. As Nicki said, the past is part of our present whether or not we are aware of it. And as Garrett articulated, when we highlight similarities, we can acknowledge the ways in which they are more powerful and more important than differences.
This evening after a joyous Shabbat dinner, we joined the Jewish community of Thessaloniki at the site of their “Little Synagogue”, Yad Lezicaron. We were honored to break bread and listen to some of the world’s last remaining Ladino speakers sing in beautiful harmony. The rabbi reminded us that Thessaloniki, this ancient and vibrant city, was once the pinnacle of how people of varying faiths can live in harmony in the world—a true “city without borders”. We all seek to manifest his words in our classrooms and in our lives as we allow the walls that divide us to fall away. We are privileged to continue to build community, both with each other and with the world.
Jessica Yates is a teacher at the Valley School of Ligonier.