Etz Hayyim Synagogue

Etz Hayyim Synagogue, בית הכנסת עץ חיים, is striking for two reasons: it is rooted in Chania’s Romaniote Jewish history, yet today it is maintained by a largely non-Jewish community. The building began life as a church and was converted into a synagogue in the 17th century. It later fell into ruin after the deportation and drowning of the Jewish community of Chania in July 1944, making it—per the island’s record—the only surviving remnant of that community. In the late 1990s, the synagogue was restored, including its mikveh, and it gradually re-entered public life as a place of memory and dialogue. In March 2006, it drew an unannounced visit from Queen Sofía of Spain and King Constantine II of Greece. The synagogue was also directly targeted in January 2010: fires set on 5 and 16 January destroyed 2,500 rare books and manuscripts on the second night.

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