GREEK JEWISH
FESTIVAL

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Kehila Kedosha Janina (the Holy Community of Janina) is the only Romaniote synagogue in the Western Hemisphere. Romaniote Jews are a unique community of Greek-speaking Jews whose history in Greece dates back over 2,300 years to the time of Alexander the Great. The Romaniotes are historically distinct from the Sephardim, who settled in Greece after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.

Kehila Kedosha Janina is a NYC designated landmark, and continues to hold services every Saturday morning as well as for all Jewish holidays. In addition, it houses a museum about Greek Jewry that is open to the public every Sunday, as well as by appointment. The museum serves as a repository for both Romaniote and Sephardic history, especially on the Lower East Side, and hosts many educational events including lectures, book signings, movie screenings, and concerts.

We are a small but tight-knit community, and we continually open our doors to visitors to provide both a spiritual home as well as a place to learn about Greek Jewish history. The Greek Jewish Festival is our latest effort to not only preserve our unique culture, but to also celebrate and develop new ways of expressing what it means to be a Romaniote or Sephardic Jew. We welcome all people to come celebrate and share in this journey with us.