The Blogs: Rabbi Michael Molho of Thessaloniki

At times, this blog will highlight important parts of the history of the Jewish community of Thessaloniki. In this first post, we will pay homage to Rabbi Michael Molho.

Rabbi Michael Molho (Thessaloniki, 1890-Buenos Aires, 1964) was a prominent rabbi and scholar of Jewish Thessaloniki and was very interested in its ancient Jewish cemetery. He was an eye-witness to its destruction by the Germans and their collaborators during the Second World War and described the events in his seminar work “In Memoriam: Hommage Aux Victimes Juives Des Nazis en Grèce.”

Cover of Molho’s book In Memoriam. (Photo by author)

In December 1942, three months before the deportations of the Jews of Thessaloniki by the Germans began, the destruction of the ancient 500,000-grave Jewish cemetery in Thessaloniki commenced. In the Jewish religion, tombs can never be unearthed and this old necropolis contained tombs dating for approximately five centuries, testifying to the long presence and contribution of the Jews in the city. Under German command, municipal workers hastily demolished the site. The vast grounds were registered to the Greek state, and the Aristotle University campus was built over them.

The yellow star Rabbi Molho was forced to wear in the ghetto of Thessaloniki. (Photo by author)

In 1943, together with his family, he fled the German deportations of Thessaloniki, helped by the Iliopoulos family.

The dedication of Rabbi Molho to the Iliopoulos family, at the first page of his book. (Photo by author)

Rabbi Molho emigrated with his family to Argentina in 1950 where he became the spiritual leader of the Shalom Congregation. He passed away there at the age of 73. At a recent visit to Buenos Aires, I had the great pleasure to meet with Betina, his only granddaughter.

Another of his important works is “Traditions and Customs of the Sephardic Jews of Salonica” (“Usos y costumbres de los sefardies de Salonica”) (1950).