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Thessaloniki was a beautiful city. We could go swimming and on excursions. Generally we had a good life there.
There were many Jews in Thessaloniki. The neighborhood that I lived in was a Jewish neighborhood. There were many synagogues [14]. I usually attended the Beit Saul Synagogue. I had my bar mitzvah there, too. I remember the parasha [weekly Torah portion] I read, starting with the words 'Asher ve asher...' Rabbi Stroumsa was my tutor. There was another synagogue called Chai Yiako Smoel. My father went there. It was on Miaouli Street, very close to our house.
In Thessaloniki there was also a Jewish Cemetery [15]. It was destroyed. Nothing was left of it. It must have been very big, considering the number of Jews that lived in Thessaloniki. It used to be where the university stands today.
There were also various clubs in Thessaloniki. I remember a club called Ajiji [AJJ] [16]. We would gather there for lectures, excursions and flirting. It also had a library. At Ajiji club we would celebrate the various Jewish holidays, singing and dancing. I remember on Chanukkah we lit the candles and sang Chanukkah songs. Each day we would light an extra candle. Then there was a special treat, a sweet called 'tajicos de menta' [17].
There was also the Club of the Graduates of the French School.
There were many Jews in Thessaloniki. The neighborhood that I lived in was a Jewish neighborhood. There were many synagogues [14]. I usually attended the Beit Saul Synagogue. I had my bar mitzvah there, too. I remember the parasha [weekly Torah portion] I read, starting with the words 'Asher ve asher...' Rabbi Stroumsa was my tutor. There was another synagogue called Chai Yiako Smoel. My father went there. It was on Miaouli Street, very close to our house.
In Thessaloniki there was also a Jewish Cemetery [15]. It was destroyed. Nothing was left of it. It must have been very big, considering the number of Jews that lived in Thessaloniki. It used to be where the university stands today.
There were also various clubs in Thessaloniki. I remember a club called Ajiji [AJJ] [16]. We would gather there for lectures, excursions and flirting. It also had a library. At Ajiji club we would celebrate the various Jewish holidays, singing and dancing. I remember on Chanukkah we lit the candles and sang Chanukkah songs. Each day we would light an extra candle. Then there was a special treat, a sweet called 'tajicos de menta' [17].
There was also the Club of the Graduates of the French School.
Period
Interview
Maurice Leon