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Romaniote Memories: A Jewish Journey from Ioannina, Greece to Manhattan: Photographs by Vincent Giordano

Shofars from Ioannina

These distinctive shofars come from Ioannina. They were donated to Kehila Kedosha Janina from the estate of Rabbi Bechoraki Matsil. The blowing of the shofar – a ram’s horn – dates to Biblical times.…

Contents of this path:
4. Landmark Plaque Designation
5. Stained Glass
  Stained-glass window on door leading into sanctuary from vestibule. Stained glass was included in the original 1920s synagogue design. The façade windows were restored or replaced during the restoration of 2003.
  Stained-glass window on door leading into sanctuary from vestibule. Stained glass was included in the original 1920s synagogue design. The façade windows were restored or replaced during the…
  more
6. Interior
7. Women’s gallery
  As in all traditional (Orthodox) synagogues, there are separate seating areas for men and women. In most New York immigrant synagogues this means that men are seated on the main sanctuary floor and women are seated upstairs in galleries, that cover two or three sides of the building interior. At KKJ the gallery, shown here in a view looking south, also serves as the congregation’s museum.
  As in all traditional (Orthodox) synagogues, there are separate seating areas for men and women. In most New York immigrant synagogues this means that men are seated on the main sanctuary floor and…
  more
8. Chairs and menorah in front of Aron ha Kodesh
  Chairs and menorah in front of Aron ha Kodesh, Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue. While the presence of this new metal seven-branched menorah as a light stand is meant to recall the Temple in Jerusalem, it is the ner tamid (eternal light) in front the Ark that is the actual symbol of the ever-burning menorah of the Tabernacle and Temple, first made by the artist Bezalel and described in the Book of Exodus.
  Chairs and menorah in front of Aron ha Kodesh, Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue. While the presence of this new metal seven-branched menorah as a light stand is meant to recall the Temple in Jerusalem,…
  more
9. South side of prayer hall
  South side of prayer hall showing entrance and benches. At KKJ, male congregants sit in these benches and face the Ark, or they sit on benches along the side walls of the synagogue. The large metal plaque on the right is the contemporary way of remembering the death anniversaries of part of congregation members.
  South side of prayer hall showing entrance and benches. At KKJ, male congregants sit in these benches and face the Ark, or they sit on benches along the side walls of the synagogue. The large metal…
  more
10. View of the Ehal (Ark)
11. Silver rimmonim (finials) These silver rimmonim (finials) decorate Torah scrolls in the Ark. They were made in Ioannina, but the silversmith was probably not Jewish. Rimmonim and other decorations of the Torah scrolls are customary as a way of fulfilling Hiddur Mitzah; the glorification of the commandment. The first such finals in the Middle Ages were probably decorated with pomegranates (rimmonim), hence the name. Small bells are attached so that there is music when the Torah scrolls are carried in procession.
12. Memorial lamp
  Memorial lamps of different kinds lit to mark the anniversary of the death of a congregant have been used at least since the Middle Ages. This distinctive lamp is like others from Ioannina and still sued at KKJ, names the deceased and the date of the adar (anniversary of death) with the request that the deceased be remembered by prayers on that date. The lamp also resembles those used in Greek Orthodox Churches. Those, however, have cross rather than the Magen David (Star of David). Originally these lamps burned oil, but now they are electrified.
  Memorial lamps of different kinds lit to mark the anniversary of the death of a congregant have been used at least since the Middle Ages. This distinctive lamp is like others from Ioannina and still…
  more
14. Torah scroll
  In Romaniote synagogues and in many other North African and Middle Eastern congregation scrolls of the Torah (the Five Books of Moses) are kept in hard cases called tiks, usually of wood covered with metal or leather. When opened, this tik reveals decoration of the Ten Commandments. This is one of the three Torah scrolls at Kehila Kedosha Janina that can from Ioannina. The scroll that was brought for the dedication of the synagogue in 1927 is in the large silver case. In the 1980s four scrolls in tiks were stolen and only two were recovered. One was replaced by the creation of a new scroll sponsored by the synagogue brotherhood. One tik is left empty to remember the scrolls that were lost.
  In Romaniote synagogues and in many other North African and Middle Eastern congregation scrolls of the Torah (the Five Books of Moses) are kept in hard cases called tiks, usually of wood covered with…
  more
15. Shofars from Ioannina
  These distinctive shofars come from Ioannina. They were donated to Kehila Kedosha Janina from the estate of Rabbi Bechoraki Matsil. The blowing of the shofar – a ram’s horn – dates to Biblical times. It was used as a bugle in battle and blown to indicate the times of services (like the running of church bells) in the time of the Jerusalem Temple. Today, the shofar is blown multiple times on Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year – and at the close of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). Because of its distinctive history and associations, the shofar is often depicted in Jewish art as a symbol of God’s Covenant with Abraham and with the Jewish people.
  These distinctive shofars come from Ioannina. They were donated to Kehila Kedosha Janina from the estate of Rabbi Bechoraki Matsil. The blowing of the shofar – a ram’s horn – dates to Biblical times.…
  more

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Shofars from Ioannina
These distinctive shofars come from Ioannina. They were donated to Kehila Kedosha Janina from the estate of Rabbi Bechoraki Matsil. The blowing of the shofar – a ram’s horn – dates to Biblical times. It was used as a bugle in battle and blown to indicate the times of services (like the running of church bells) in the time of the Jerusalem Temple. Today, the shofar is blown multiple times on Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year – and at the close of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). Because of its distinctive history and associations, the shofar is often depicted in Jewish art as a symbol of God’s Covenant with Abraham and with the Jewish people.
Shofar Blowing
The shofar is an instrument made of horn of antelope, gazelle, goat, or ram.
The Torah simply identifies Rosh Ha-Shanah as the first day of the seventh month (Tishri), which should be observed with “loud blasts” (Lev. 23:23-25). This description is the source for sounding the shofar. For Rosh Hashanah, a ram’s horn is considered best because of its association with Genesis 22 (the Akedah or Binding of Isaac), which is read on the holiday as a reminder of the covenant between God and Abraham.

In the Bible, the shofar is mentioned as being sounded in religious, military, and ceremonial contexts, but today is associated exclusively with the Jewish High Holidays. In Jewish art, the shofar is understood as a uniquely Jewish symbol, and signifies God’s covenant with the Jews, and God’s revelation on Mount Sinai and the gift of the Torah.

In 2006, because Rosh Hashanah fell on the Sabbath, there was no shofar service on the first day, as would normally occur. Therefore, the shofar services, what many see has the climax of the Rosh Hashanah observance, occurred on Sunday, the second day of the holiday. There are two distinct shofar services during the day. The first is immediately after the Torah service, and the second comes later during the repetition of the Musaf Amidah. Congregants stand when the shofar is blown.

In Ioannina, this was a momentous event, since according to Hazan Haim Ischakis (as told to Vincent Giordano), this service had not occurred in the Ioannina synagogue for more than 30 years. The daily service began at 8:15 am and lasted about 5 hours. Vincent wrote: “Men were called to read the Torah in the same fashion as on the Sabbath. The crowd was very large…we estimated about 120 people”. Then, before the shofar service, Hazan Ischakis prepared the congregation by giving a history about why this was important and what it all meant. According to Vincent “This was, he said, because many of the Romaniotes have not practiced for so long. For them to be involved and to understand, he wanted them to be informed...Ischakis [who had led all the services for several days] was tired and blowing the Shofars was an effort. He used four different horns, each for their sound, as a musician would.” Two shofars were his own and two belonged to the synagogue which he had found them in the basement and cleaned for use.

The structure of the Shofar service is derived from Numbers 10:1-10 when long (tekiah) and short (teruah) shofar blasts are described. This was later expanded by the early rabbis with the addition sound of three broken notes (Shevarim).

Vincent Giordano wrote, “After the service, sweets were served in the courtyard, under the Sukkah. Everyone gathered…this was the last day of the reunion celebration. Everyone said their goodbyes, snapped photos and then left for home, wherever that might be.”

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