Page 31 - FINAL catalogue.cdr

everyday life

language and education

The Sephardim of the Ottoman Empire kept to their Judeo-Spanish
language, a language based on the Castilian dialect, incorporating
Hebrew and borrowed Turkish and Greek words and phrases. On Rhodes,
assimilating the culture of the few, already existing Greek-speaking
Romaniotes, the Sephardim imposed the use of Judeo-Spanish in
everyday life. The vivacity of the language is evident in the similes and
adages of its spoken form, as well as in its written form with its moral
treatises, biblical analyses and poems written using the Hebrew alphabet.
The main factor in perpetuating Judeo-Spanish was the tuition of this
language in the community schools.
Under the millet system every Jewish community had schools which
provided religious education (language, history and basic knowledge of
the Torah, and later on the Talmud). In the middle of the 19th c. there were
three Jewish schools on Rhodes with about 120 pupils; but there were no
schools for girls. As far back as the 17th c. higher religious education
flourished on the island with rabbinical academies (Midrashim and
Yeshivot) like those of the Israel and Menashe families. Anyone who Το Ραββινικό Κολλέγιο της Ρόδου.
wanted a better education could have private lessons with teachers The Rabbinical College of Rhodes.
employed jointly by a number of families.
Early attempts in educational reform were undertaken due to private
initiatives. Early in 1900 the community requested help from the Αlliance
Israèlite Universelle, stressing the need for professional training,
language tuition and women's education. A boy’s school was founded in
1901 with the funds of Baron Rothschild, and girl’s school was opened in
1902. Poor pupils did not pay for their tuition and running costs were
covered mainly by the AIU headquarters. Initially Hebrew, Turkish and
French were taught and non-Jewish pupils enrolled because of the high
standard of learning. In the 1910's two nursery schools also opened on
Rhodes. In 1923 the AIU schools, as all schools on Rhodes, fell under
Italian government control and as a result more emphasis was placed on
the teaching of Italian. In the spring of 1925 the ΑΙU school was renamed
Scuole Israelitiche Italiane.
In 1928, with Italian government sanction and the support of Mario Lago,
governor of the island, the Rabbinical College of Rhodes, renowned
throughout the Middle East and the Balkans, was founded. Those who
wanted to become rabbis, cantors (Hazanim), ritual slaughterers Μαθητές του Ραββινικού Κολλεγίου της Ρόδου με στολή και
(Shohetim) or religious teachers enrolled in it. Unfortunately, the College πηλήκιo, Ρόδος 1937.
was closed down in 1938, with the implementation of fascist and racist Students of the Rabbinical College of Rhodes in uniform,
measures on the Italian territory. Rhodes 1937.

Εβραϊκό Σχολείο Θηλέων, πιθανότατα της A.I.U., Ρόδος, αρχές
20ου αι.
Jewish Girls School, probably of the Alliance Israèlite
Universelle, Rhodes, early 20th c.

Ο διευθυντής του Ραβινικού Κολλεγίου της Ρόδου, Ραβίνος Ρικάρντο
Πατσίφιτσι, με μαθητές της ανώτερης τάξης, Ρόδος 1933/4.
The Director of the Rabbinical College of Rhodes, Rabbi Ricardo Pacifici, with
students of the senior class, Rhodes 1933/4.