From Patras to Baltimore…

Care to whip up a savory spanakopita (spinach pie)? Or some sweet koulouria (greek butter cookies)? You can find recipes and inspiration at The Jewish Food Society’s touching story of one Jewish-Greek family. Emily and Emmanuel Velelli (descended from Romaniote Jews who lived in Greece for thousands of years) made their home in the small port town of Patras. The pair raised their children in a tiny Jewish community with only 265 members — until WWII, when the bombs began to fall. Read the Velelli family’s story of survival, a tale inextricably entwined with friendship and delicious recipes. Then, consider visiting Greece with Jewish Heritage Travel’s Jewish Gems of the Balkans tour: Bulgaria, Macedonia & Northern Greece.