Personal archives of Esdras Moissis related to the history of the Jewish community of Larissa in Greece

Copyright Holder: Israēlitikē Koinotēta Larissa Contains Esdras Moissis’s personal archives, which include various records, correspondence, and publications related to the history of the Jewish community of Larissa. The Larissa Jewish Community dates back to the Roman era and that for at least 1,900 years Jews have continuously lived in the city. A letter [dated 150 C.E.] by a Christian Apostle to the Jews of the city is testimony of this long presence. However, there is the opinion that the Jewish presence in Thessaly, including Larissa, dates to the 5th century B.C.E. The Jews of the area were involved in commerce and industry. Evidence of this long presence was a recent [1973] archeological find close to the central square of the city of a colonnade with the inscription “Alexandros the Educator and Protector.” Under the inscription [in the style of the Second temple Period] was the Jewish symbol of the menorah. According to the archeologist who studied the colonnade, it dates to the 1st century C.E. It can now be found under the archeological care of the city of Larissa. It is not know who “Alexandros the Educator and Protector” was and why his name was engraved on the colonnade. However, everyone acknowledges the symbol of the menorah as a Jewish symbol.