Monastir Synagogue, Jewish synagogue in central Thessaloniki, Greece.
Monastir Synagogue is an Art Deco building with two stories and geometric patterns located on Syggrou Street. The structure features traditional Jewish architectural elements that define its appearance.
The synagogue was built in 1927 after Jewish families relocated from Monastir to Thessaloniki following the Balkan Wars and World War I. Their donations funded the construction of this building.
The congregation is named Kal de los Monastirlis in Judaeo-Spanish, after Monastir (today Bitola in North Macedonia), the origin of the families who founded it. Services follow the Orthodox rite and are held every Friday night and Saturday morning for Shabbat, on Jewish holidays, and especially during the Days of Awe from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur.
The synagogue is at Syggrou 35, and Shabbat prayers are held Friday evening and Saturday morning, with services also on Jewish holidays and the Days of Awe. The Jewish Community of Thessaloniki's offices and rabbinate are at a separate synagogue on Tsimiski Street downtown, near the Jewish Museum. Check current opening arrangements with the community before planning a visit.
During World War II, the Red Cross used the building as a storage facility, which protected it from destruction by Nazi forces. This unusual wartime role allowed it to survive when many other Jewish sites in the city did not.
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