EC EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER PROGRAMS: Day in Chania

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Day in Chania

Today the gang spent half the day in Chania to shop in the open air market and local stores, visit a synagogue, and have Greek class in a cafe overlooking the harbor!

The open air market was a unique experience as we got to purchase locally grown produce and interact with the vendors. Also, Alekos and I found fake Yeezy's so it was a good time overall.

Skinned and refrigerated rabbit meat...yum!

Streets of Chania

Next, we visited the only remaining Jewish synagogue in Crete, Etz Hayyim, which is 33 on the list of World's 100 most endangered sites. This beautiful synagogue dates back to the 15th century and was originally a Catholic church built by the Venetians into what was then the Jewish quarter of Chania. In the mid 17th century, after the Ottoman conquest of Crete, this ruined church was acquired by Chania's Jewish community who then repaired and made structural changes to the building. A key player in the reconstruction of Etz Hayyim was Nikos Stavroulakis. He is both responsible for the rebuilding of the synagogue and preserving it for a place of prayer, recollection, and reconciliation.

By tradition, men and women pray separately in synagogues, with men in the main sanctuary and the women sitting in separate galleries called Ezrath Nashim. At Etz Hayyim, until the 1940s, women sat in galleries overlooking the sanctuary. Today, however, all community members sit together during prayers in the main sanctuary. This is partly due to the destruction of the main gallery by the German bombing of Chania in 1941.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the last attack the synagogue endured. In 2010, two related arson attacks, which were committed within a ten day period, significantly damaged the two former women's galleries. After major damage was caused by the arson attacks, Etz Hayyim was restored with the help and donations from its international supporters.

I think it is so empowering that despite centuries of pain and struggle against them, the small Jewish community of Chania was able to stand strong and preserve this beautiful synagogue for a place of prayer and tranquility.

Entrance to the Synagogue

Conversion room with a bath

Main sanctuary

Chania Harbor

Signing off,

Tess :)

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EC Eastern Security Studies Program

In the summer of 2011, as the "Arab Spring" was unfolding and the "Eurozone Crisis" was entering its second year, the Emmanuel College Eastern Mediterranean Security Studies Program was established in Crete, as a way to make the location the classroom. Beyond the grand theoretical, historical and political understanding that can be achieved through reading and classroom discussion and exchange, a more immediate, intimate and truer appreciation of the complexities can only achieved by experiencing the cultures, languages of personal interaction.

Since 2012 students have been able to combine an intensive curricular study, with the experience of immersion and living in a local setting. The geopolitical and geoeconomic forces that have acted in the region for centuries, can be identified in the classroom, but they can only be understood by being there. This year's EC EMSS Program will add a fourth week of study, experience and exploration and will also travel to the islands of Rhodes, and Cyprus. In Rhodes we will be partnering with the Prefecture of Southern Aegean and the Aegean University, while in Cyprus we will be hosted by the University of Nicosia.