The Treaty of London (29 March 1864) recognised the Ionian Islands as a greek province. The High Commissioner officially proclaimed the Union of the Islands with Greece on 21 May 1864. Initially, the position of the Jewish community improved significantly. The island’s Jews were granted full political and civil rights, as Greek citizens. They could henceforth take part in community matters, run for election and actively participate in social and political life. These new conditions led to a flowering of the community, culturally and financially. Most families were now pretty affluent and the community boasted a number of schools, as well as a nursing home for the elderly. In 1925 a rabbinical school was founded, while a Talmud Torah school operated until the beginning of the 20th century. Rabbi Abraham Schreiber and the teacher Moissis Chaimis founded a night school for destitute pupils. Despite this good atmosphere, the traditional discord between the Greci and the Pugliesi, though muted, continued to burn underneath, despite the best efforts of Rabbi Schreiber, as well as those of his successor, Rabbi Yaacov Nechama. The two communities even maintained separate benevolent institutions.
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The Rabbi of Corfu, Yaacov Nehama, at an oath taking ceremony of soldiers, 1930’s – 40’s. JMG Photographic Archive.
Bust portrait photograph of Daniel Bessos in Evzonas costume, taken in Corfu in 1916. Indicative of the island’s Jews’ effort to assimilate by stressing their “Greekness”. JMG Collection.
Portrait of Maurice Sadock and his wife Esther Dostis, Corfu, 1885. JMG Collection.
The Leoncini and Solomon families in Paleokastritsa, Corfu, 1935. Assimilated to the local society, they shared a similar lifestyle with their fellow citizens. JMG Collection.
Carolina Avdela and Jacob Matsas, ca. 1918. The photograph was found in the ruins of their house in Corfu after WWII. JMG Photographic Archive
Portrait of cousins Perny Belleli, Mrs. Mizan and Mrs. Matsa (from left to right), Corfu, ca. 1910. JMG Collection.
Broadside, issued by Judah Leib and Benjamin Beinush Salant (1838 - 1899), son of Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Samuel Salant, 1876. Broadside warns the public from obtaining etrogim coming through the Greek island of Corfu, due to suspected horticultural graft and consequent lack of compliance with the kashrut. Instead etrogim grown by Salant in Eretz Israel are promoted as being beyond reproach. Printed by J. Brill, Mainz, Germany. JMG Collection.
The Corfu etrogim trade gradually faded away, due to the repeated defamatory campaigns of this kind and the Jews of the island sustained great financial losses. This lead in turn to increased emigration and was one of the many reasons of the eventual decline of the community.
Broadside, issued by Judah Leib and Benjamin Beinush Salant (1838 - 1899), son of Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Samuel Salant, 1876. Broadside warns the public from obtaining etrogim coming through the Greek island of Corfu, due to suspected horticultural graft and consequent lack of compliance with the kashrut. Instead etrogim grown by Salant in Eretz Israel are promoted as being beyond reproach. Printed by J. Brill, Mainz, Germany. JMG Collection.
The Corfu etrogim trade gradually faded away, due to the repeated defamatory campaigns of this kind and the Jews of the island sustained great financial losses. This lead in turn to increased emigration and was one of the many reasons of the eventual decline of the community.
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