On Friday December 6, 2019 Greek Jews from Ioannina, Athens, Larissa Kastoria, Jerusalem and Zur Moshe gathered together at the Athens 2004 Park in Zur Moshe for a special tree-planting ceremony. At the ceremony Matthildi Eskinatzi planted two trees in memory of her late father Daniil and brother Samouil Eskinatzis.
My husband Elias Messinas and I initiated the park in 2004 to commemorate the spirit of cooperation of the Olympic Games that took place in Athens in the same year. Our idea was to create a park as a symbol of hope. The hope we nurtured towards an expanded cooperation between Greece and Israel, our two homelands.
Our initiative took root in Zur Moshe, a moshav established by Greek Jews in the 1930s bridging between our two cultures. It was made possible thanks to communal support and engagement coming from family, friends, community organizations’ and insititutions of Greek Jewry.
Towards the upcoming holiday season, where so many trees will be decorated as Christmas trees in people’s homes, in schools, squares and churches let us remember to also plant trees. Trees provide us with oxygen to sustain life on this planet and their fruit to enjoy it!
In Zur Moshe we have opted to plant olive trees as they are symbols of peace, harmony and coexistence we all yearn for in this region!
To plant your own tree at the park Athens 2004 in Zur Moshe and to dedicate it in honor of, or in memory of your loved ones please reach out to kolhakehila@kolhakehila.org
From Jerusalem with love,
Yvette Nahmia-Messinas