Rabbi Pessah
complemements of
Raphael Frezis
President of the
Jewish Community
of Volos
In 1940 there were 882 Jews living in Volos.
With the occupation of Greece, Volos
was placed in the Italian zone of
occupation, and the Jews of the city
lived in relative safety until the
Germans took over in September of 1943.
While the Italians were in power,
Jews fleeing Nazi persecution in Thessaloniki
sought sanctuary in Volos.
Volos, an important port city on the Aegean Sea,
south of Thessaloniki, has known a Jewish presence since the 14th century.
There is evidence that Jews have existed in the surrounding areas since ancient times.
The resistance movement was very active in Volos. Head Rabbi
Pessah worked with Archbishop Ioakim and the non-communist
resistance movement (EAM) to find sanctuary for the city’s Jews
in the mountainous villages of Pelion.
Volos today
GNTO
The Germans chose March 25, 1944, Greek Independence Day, to deport the Jews of Volos, and any Jews remaining on the Greek mainland. Due to the valiant efforts of Rabbi Pessah, Archbishop Ioakim (honored at Yad Vashem as "Righteous Among Nations"), and the EAM, 74 percent of Volos’ Jews were saved. Of more than 1,000 Jews living in the city in March 1944, only 130 were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Bishop Ioakim
complemements of Raphael Frezis
President of the Jewish Community of Volos
Devastating
earthquakes in 1955-57
forced many of the remaining Jews to leave Volos, and most immigrated to the United States and Israel. Only 100 Jews remain in the city today.