Jewish Athens & Greece:
A Rich Heritage

By including Greek participants in pan-European leadership training initiatives — such as the Buncher Community Leadership Program, Junction, Leatid, Yesod, and more — JDC gives Jewish leaders and professionals the tools to lift up their communities. During these events and trainings, Greek participants network and collaborate with their peers from Jewish Europe and around the world, learning best practices they can apply back home.

JDC also works closely with Jewish lay leaders and professionals from across Greece, strengthening their capacity for governance and strategic planning. This includes consulting and capacity building to bolster their communities’ welfare programs. In recent years, the Jewish community of Athens participated in a JDC resilience-building initiative that included training, mentorship, and community activities. This pilot initiative aimed to strengthen the community’s core competencies and durability, so that they can respond in times of crisis and emergency, and care for each other in times of stability.

The 2011 financial crisis brought the Greek economy to its knees, and many Jews lost their livelihoods. The Jewish community in Athens — the largest in Greece — was particularly hard-hit, and requests for social assistance spiked. At this critical time, JDC stepped in, bolstering the community’s already-existing care networks.

More than a decade later, JDC continues to help Greece’s most vulnerable Jews live dignified lives. This includes our longstanding partnership with the Jewish Community of Athens, which provides more than 400 members with financial, psychosocial, and medical support.

Beyond immediate relief, JDC develops programs that respond to the community’s emerging needs. In 2021, JDC helped the Athens Jewish community launch Warm House — a day center program for Jewish seniors. The first initiative of its kind in Greece, Warm House is a pilot program that aims to combat social isolation amongst Jewish seniors, and provides cultural programming, medical consultations, and meals. For the youngest generation of Greek Jews, JDC professional guidance and consultation have strengthened connections between the local Jewish school and social services, ensuring that no child is left behind.