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The Colchamiro Family
It all began with the marriage of
Jesoula Colchamiro and Rachel Galanos in 1865 in a small city in northwestern
Greece called Ioannina [Yanina, Janina]. Jesoula, like many other Jews in the
city, was engaged in the textile business. He would buy and sell fabrics and, as
legend has it, was so picky in selecting his merchandise that his family and
friends said that it was as if he was meticulously clearing the house of hametz
before Pessah and reciting the kalchamira prayer. This, “kalchamira”,
would become his nickname and, as so often happened in Ioannina, this nickname
would become the surname of his descendants. Jesoula and Rachel would sire
eleven children [4 sons and 7 daughters], over 80 grandchildren and
great-grandchildren too numerous to count. His descendants would have made him
proud. The present generation of Colchamiro [as the name was transcribed in
America] is composed of teachers, professors, doctors, lawyers, businessmen,
writers, philanthropists, filmmakers, writers, engineers and architects. But,
Jesoula and Rachel would have been most proud that over a century and a half
later, their descendants have not forgotten their roots.
On March 18th, in the
only remaining Romaniote synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, a synagogue
founded in 1927 by Jews from Ioannina, among them Leon Colchamiro, one of the
sons of Jesoula and Rachel, their descendants gathered to celebrate a special
family, a family that in many ways displays the struggles and accomplishments of
our community. Coming from a small city in Greece, not knowing the language,
strangers in a strange land, not highly educated, they would work hard, help
each other, educate their children and, most importantly, pass on the love of
their distinct culture.
The story of the Colchamiro
family, both in Ioannina and here in New York, is told through exhibits and
photos in our Museum.
Photos taken at the opening of the exhibit are
posted here courtesy of Elliot Cochamiro. A video was taken and if you would
wish to purchase a copy, please let us know [all proceeds go to KKJ Museum].
For additional information on the
Colchamiros, click here. |
