Leon (Nikos) Capon - 15.11.19
My name is Nikos (Leon) Capon, I live in Greece. I have found a photograph of the wedding of Sarina Capon and Isaac Rousso in Thessaloniki on Sunday 23 May 1937. We thought that the space is Matanoth Laevionim club, but it is not. We thought is is Beth Shaul. Could you help me identify the synagogue in the photograph? Some details about the people in the photograph: Sarina (Bedford, Mass. USA 1915 - Auscwitz 1943) was my aunt. She was the sister of my grandmother Lily Perahia, and was nicknamed 'The American'. With Isaac Rousso (1907-1943) had a child Emilio-Samuel (28/8/1938-1943). When they were arrested by the Germans, aunt Sarina was released because she was an American citizen, but she did not want to leave her husband and son alone, so she followed them and so the family perished in the Holocaust. The little girls in the photo (front row from left) are my mother Yvonne, my aunt Dolly (later married to Aaron Asser), and the third girl is of the Rousso family. My grandmother Lili Perahia had 3 children - Yvonne, Dolly and Mimis Perahia. There are 4 generations in this photograph! My father (z"l) used to say that before WWII the family was praying at the Pulia synagogue, where the Monastery of Ag. Theodora and religious school are located today. It had a facade on Ermou street, next to the central OTE (Telecommunications) building. Also, it may not be accidental that the surname of the synagogue was rooster (gallo) and our surname (Capon) means castrated rooster! capon_leon@hotmail.com

[Reply by Elias Messinas and based on his research (The synagogues of Salonika and Veroia, p. 72): Based on another similar photograph of another wedding, the synagogue was identified as Otranto synagogue (Kehila Karagatch) located in 34 Markou Botsari street, Kararatch quarter, re-established after the great fire of 1917. It is traditionally believed that Otranto synagogue was established in 1537 by Jewish refugees from Napoli and members of Pulia synagogue. It was called Kahal Kadosh Ontranto and its nickname was rooster (gallo). At some unknown date the congregation split into three synagogues, which eventually re-merged. At the end of the nineteenth century it was located in the Pulia quarter, at Onturanto Havlusu (Onturanto court). It was destroyed in the fire of 1917 and was re-established in the Karagatch quarter. In 1919 the hazanim were H. Elazar, I.E. Eleazar, A.A. Eleazar, E.S. Pinhas and S.H. Benozilio].

Return to INDEX

Lea Levi - 27.10.17
My name is Lea Levi, i live in Israel. I'm doing a research about my family who immigrated to Israel after world war II. I would like to visit in Greece for a roots trip and like your help with information about my family's burial place. My grandfather David Levi and grandmother Smiralda Daniel met in Israel, and both of thier famelis lived in Greece. My great grandfather Shem tov lived in Saloniki and died and buried in Israel, and his father Nisim Levi and wife Rachel Levi died and buried in Greece probably in Saloniki where they lived. (I think that they were born in 1860-1870). My grandmother familey lived in Veroia. my great grandfather Yosef Daniel and his wife Tova Hazan died and buried in Israel. Yosef Daniel's parents Aharon Daniel and Smiralda Tsarfati died in Greece (Veroia) (I think they were born in 1870-1880), so as Aharon parents: Sara (Sarina) and Shmuel Daniel. Aharon has two brothers Asher (born in 1874) and Yakov (born in 1881). Tova Hazan's parents are Sarina and Merkado Hazan. I will appreciate any help or information, or reference to additional information source.
liatlevi12@gmail.com

Return to INDEX

Jacob: Zaffos/Tsafos - 23.1.17
I am trying find my family roots in Greece, Romaniote Jewish Heritage. My family was original from Arta and then living in Athens. The Family name is Tsafos (Zaffos). My grandfather name was Rabbi Jacob Ellis Tsafos as found in Hall of records in Arta. He came to the USA in 1910 but had brothers who remained in Greece. My name is Jacob S. Zaffos. jaczaf@outlook.com

Return to INDEX

Karoline Allalouf: Looking for Allalouf family from Salonika - 15.1.02
Shalom My name is Karoline Allalouf.  I was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, after the holocaust.  My first brother who was born three years prior to me was stillborn.   Both my parents were holocaust survivors.  My father was born in Thessalonika, also.  His name was Moshe (Moshon) Allalouf.  His father and mother were also born here, yet I really do not know much more, because my father beleived that all of his family were slaughtered during the holocaust.  My mothers name was Ester Mendelsohn.  She was born in Roumania, yet they met in the camps after the holocaust.   I would appreciate all information that you have on my fathers family???  I would like to know.  Also, my father passed away in Thessaloniki, in 1991, and has been buried in the cemetery there.  I was there in 1994, yet I did not have the opportunity, to find out any and all information about my fathers family and ancestors.  Now that I have found you, can you please help me in finding out any information about my fathers family???   I would appreciate your soon reply.   My grandmothers name was Doudoun ( nee Camhi) Allalouf, and my grandfathers name was Simantov Allalouf, whom I beleive died many years before the holocaust.  My father had a brother Jacob.  I'm not sure if he had more brothers, there was also a sister named Clara, who my dad said was Miss Thessaloniki, I beleive in the 20's.  Can you get any information on this???   Thank you for all your help.  Also, I beleive that I will be visiting Thessaloniki, this year some time?
also:
I would appreciate it if you would do, and post my inquiry on your website. Can you give me any information on my family, or if you personally know any Allalouf families, coming from the last generation of Allalouf's. You seem to have found quite a few that were sent to the holocaust in 1943, and my dad was there, and he was married, and so was his family, yet I did not see his name? Or maybe I misread? Please if you yourself know of any Allaloufs, from my family, could you please let me know. And also, I would like to tell you, that I am still planning, to write a book, regarding my family, their lives in Thessaloniki and also about me and my brother, who now lives in Israel. I am so very interested in knowing more, Elias. Do you live in Israel? Do you visit Thessaloniki often? Are there any conferences, that I may know about regarding finding and knowing where others from the families ended up. Were they dead or alive after the war, and maybe stayed in the countries, they fled too? My father also lost his inheritance, and likely so did I, which is very sad. Is there anyway, that I could reclaim it??? There really is alot more to discuss, yet, I'm not sure if you would be available to speak with me more about my fathers' family? Like I say, I have alot of questions, when I find some answers I would like to start my book. I also would like to get your permission to use some of your acknowledgements and foreward from your book, and also history, concerning Thessaloniki, in the beginning of my book, which I may start later this year??? I would put the references in my book. Would you give me permission? Maybe I'm asking for too much. Please let me know. Also, Elias, I would like to purchase your book as soon as it is available. Please let me know where I could purchase it, when it comes available. Do you have a date yet? I also have alot of proof about my dad from being in the concentration camps, and papers that were recreated for him after he returned to Thessaloniki after the war in 1945. Proof of his birth, his mother and father names, his marriage certificate to my mother. I have one picture of his first wife, her name was Marcada Raphael. My dad beleived that she and his son Yacov were killed in the camps. He never saw them again, nor knew where they were. He beleived that all his family died during the holocaust, and as I grew up, and even now, I beleived that there were still family alive somewhere. I hope and pray, that someday I could meet a realtive of mine, even if they are offspring of the survivors, like myself?? I truly hope that I could get more information and find out alot more. Thank you for listening, and I hope that you could respond to me speedily. Shalom Karoline Allalouf calalo202@rogers.com 
Return to INDEX