❤ Why Support the Preservation of the Mosaic Floor of the Ancient Synagogue in Aegina, Greece

Aegina: a paradise on earth. An island in the Saronic Sea known for its pistachios. An hour-boat ride from Pireas, the 15,000-residents island attracts more than 70,000 visitors in the summer months and holidays. Most of them Athenians, who keep a summer home on the island. Among them known artists, intellectuals and authors, like Nikos Kazatzakis whose house in Plakakia is still standing. Modern artists, such as Christos Kapralos, Yiannis Moralis, Kostas Varotsos, and Venia Dimitrakopoulou, have left their imprint on the life and landscape of the island, and have added to its fame as a unique destination.

Aegina is special for its people, but also for its history and architecture. A naval power in antiquity, Aegina was first in minting coins in ancient Greece. In modern times, it was the first capital of modern Greece – before Nafplion and Athens, after Greece gained its independence from the Ottomans. Ancient and modern monuments mark every corner of the island: the temple of Aphaia in Aghia Marina, the medieval remains of Palaiochora; the monastery of Aghios Nektarios – the Saint of Aegina. Finally, the medieval monastery of Chrysoleontissa and the ancient olive grove of Eleonas, are some of the sites that mark the track of locals and visitors who seek history and natural beauty.

One of the most popular sites though, the one that greets the visitors on their way to the port of Aegina is the site of Kolona and the Archeological Museum. The modest one-story museum located a few steps away from the beach, exhibits some rare treasures.

One of these treasures, one hardly takes notice of, is the mosaic of the synagogue of Aegina, dating from the 4^th century CE. It is located in the courtyard of the Archeological Museum, close to the gate, surrounded by pine trees. The mosaic, adorned with geometric floral patterns, was discovered not far from the museum, behind Avra hotel across the street at the end of the 19^th century. It was later covered and re-examined several times, until it was removed in the 1960s, when the Avra hotel was built.

Although Jews populated most urban centers in antiquity, very few remains exist. The Synagogue in Delos has been disputed, but the identity of the Synagogue in Aegina holds no doubts. Thanks to the inscription in Greek, which gives credit to Theodoros Archisynagogos who undertook its construction, thanks to donations by the community.

The Synagogue was in use until the 7^th century, and, when in the 10^th century the population moved to Paleochora to be protected from the attacking pirates, the Jewish community moved there too. An inscription was found indicating the existence of a Synagogue, but no evidence remains today.

Why is it crucial to safeguard the mosaic of the Synagogue of Aegina?

First, in terms of the history of the Jewish community of Greece, the community in Aegina was a Romaniote community – a community which was established in antiquity, long before Sephardic Jews fled Spain in 1492. The community was most probably engaged in fabrics.

Second, for the Aegina lovers who come to the island from near and far, the island offers an openness to diversity and welcoming of the foreigner. Greeks and non-Greeks feel at home, as local shop-owners have picked up enough languages to greet visitors in their own language. Aegina preserves the most basic Greek value of hospitality – filoxenia – making everyone feel at home.

I am not an historian. But, having lived permanently on the island for 5 years, and having spent summers on the island since childhood, I have gained a perspective on the people of Aegina. It seems to me that, although the island is isolated by the sea, it retains an open-mind and a welcoming of the ‘other’ – since antiquity.

Preserving the mosaic floor of the synagogue in Aegina only serves to safeguard this special trait: the multi-dimensional and multi-cultural history of Aegina. It showcases a cultural and religious tapestry of diversity, a cosmopolitan society, a quality which is cherished by locals and foreigners living on the island today.

Along with Elias Messinas, a Yale-educated architect who completed his Ph.D. at the Athens Polytechnic on the History and Architecture of the Synagogues of Greece, we are embarking on a very special project: to raise public awareness and increase visibility of the remains of the Synagogue of Aegina. Also, to raise the necessary funds to protect and preserve the Synagogue mosaic floor for future generations.

The project has the ‘blessing’ and support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports Ephorate of Antiquities of Pireas and Islands, and is in the process of seeking support from the Jewish Community of Greece, local businesses, organizations and the residents of Aegina. The project aims to involve the local community as antiquities, whether pagan, Christian or Jewish, belong to the local community, which in turn will be positively affected by tourism and the income it injects to the local economy.

The project will include maintenance and repair work to the mosaic, based on the Ephorate’s experts’ guidelines, and the design of a light cover roof, to protect the mosaic from decay, caused by sea wind, rain, and falling leaves. In addition, an explanatory board will present the history of the Jewish presence on the island, and new seating will enable visitors to spend more time at the site.

A launching event and exhibition will be held in Aegina in the first half of August 2019.

In the meantime, please feel free to contact me for more details on the project by sending me an email titled Aegina Synagogue at yvettenahmia.messinas@gmail.com

Please join me in supporting the project by making a donation here:

http://ecoweekconference.org/registration/register.php?pay=1

From Jerusalem with love,

Yvette Nahmia-Messinas

With the contribution of Dr. Elias Messinas