2024 marked 80 years since the destruction of the Jewish communities of Rhodes and the other Dodecanese islands. The Jews of Greece had experienced both the best and the worst of humanity. While the majority of the Jewish community of Salonika was murdered, the entire community of Zakynthos was saved. The community of Rhodes Island had been decimated.

On Sunday, 15 August, Emanuel Synagogue commemorated this anniversary with a dramatised play reading of 'Torn Apart By War', a heart-rending story of a couple whose lives were shattered by the Holocaust, performed by the talented Joanna Weinberg, Geoff Sirmai, Tony Sloman, and Liz Hovey. Playwright Vic Alhadeff’s poignant work was inspired by his father’s own agonising journey from Rhodes.

This event was proudly presented by Emanuel Synagogue in collaboration with the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney and the Jewish Museum of Rhodes.