Dr. Richard A. Freund z”L Dr. Richard A. Freund (z”l) was not only a distinguished scholar and internationally respected archaeologist — for the Jewish community of Rhodes, he was something much more personal: a true friend. He understood, deeply and sincerely, the importance of preserving the island’s Jewish history, and he devoted himself to bringing its stories back to life. As Professor of Jewish History and Director of the Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies at

Seahorse fountain La Kay Ancha in the heart of the historic Juderia (Jewish Quarter) of Rhodes Visiting the island of Rhodes has always given me a sense of longing. There’s something in the air, especially in the early hours before the sun rises, when a cool breeze moves through these empty, quiet streets. The place feels suspended in time, it seems. It’s hard to explain, but there’s a lingering absence that cannot be replaced, as I take a deep breath and begin my morning wal

A previous issue of la Djente featured a review of my nonno Alfredo’s wartime diary, “We Are Here! We Are Alive!” (thank you Gloria Asher for the glowing review!). The diary sheds light on a network of unassuming heroes who saved my grandfather’s family from the Shoah. Yet this diary represents only a fragment of a much larger unpublished memoir, spanning Alfredo Sarano’s childhood in Izmir to his final years in Bene Berak. The bulk of that memoir unfolds in Rhodes to wh

The Ladino-speaking Jewish community of Rhodes was once a world of vibrant color and intimate tradition. Moving between pre-war La Juderia and the present, The Girl in the Oil Painting follows a mother’s fragmented memories and a son who slowly uncovers the trauma she never spoke aloud. Through family kitchens rich with familiar aromas, sea light over Mandraki Harbor, Shabbat songs, and recipes passed down like treasures, the book brings back to life a community whose world w

Benoun Torah Crown from the Kehila Grande of Rhodes For decades, artifacts and photographs related to the Jewish community of Rhodes have been carefully collected as part of a personal and communal mission to preserve its rich history for future generations. And despite the tragic deportation and murder of nearly all its Jews to Auschwitz, it is our role as their descendants to honor and remember their life stories, thus preserving the community’s legacy now and forever. Tha