History of the Jews in Zakynthos
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The Jewish Community of Zakynthos Island is about eight hundred years old. The community was originally Romaniote.[1]
In Rafael Parisi's book "Pieces of the History of Greek Jewry", it is mentioned that in the 12th century there was a migration movement towards the Ionian Islands, especially to the island of Zakynthos - where they founded a synagogue. Another wave of Jewish migration occurred when Crete, then called "Candia", came under Venetian control in 1204.[2][1]
In 1267, during the reign of the House of Anjou in Naples, several hundred Jews from Corfu were counted, who arrived from the territories of the Byzantine Empire and from Apulia in Italy.[1]
After the expulsion from Spain, another wave of Jewish migration arrived, which assimilated into the Romaniote community. In the festive events held by the Jewish community, Italian words were incorporated, evidencing the assimilation of Italian culture and language during the Venetian rule in Zakynthos, which lasted about 300 years.[1]