Cemeteries in Ioannina There are no remains of the oldest cemetery in Ioannina. Records reveal that in 1892, a cemetery in Ioannina was desecrated, but there is no information as to when it went into use. The Zosimaia School now stands at this site. Bet Chaim Cemetery Sarcophagi, Bet Chaim Cemetery Sometime after 1892, another cemetery was opened by the community in the Kalkan area of the city. In 1922, a portion of this property was used to build homes and at that time, the community began to use a field known as Gem for their new cemetery, the Bet Chaim Jewish Cemetery. This land was purchased from Ali Pasha early in the nineteenth century. The remains at the Kalkan site were exhumed and buried at Gem. The field is large and only a part of it is used as a cemetery. Over the gate to the cemetery is the Hebrew inscription: The Almighty Who dwells among us has allowed us to erect a wall around this field so they (the deceased) may repose in the land of the living; for the consecration of the Society of the Righteous (Hevra Hesed) and with the notables of the day. Fallen Gravestones, Bet Chaim Cemetery During the junta of 1967-1974, the military wanted to take the unused property over. The Jewish community protested; since the deed no longer existed, a legal battle followed and the community prevailed. As part of the legal decision, it was stated that should the Ioannina Jewish community cease to exist, the field would be turned over to the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Athens. The cemetery was not well cared for and as a result, it is in a terrible state of disrepair. Recently, the construction of a protective wall around the cemetery was begun and should be completed soon. Then, a thorough cleanup will take place. Only then will we know what is there. Local oral history claims that there are tombstones moved from an older cemetery that may be over 700 years old. If so, the cemetery will be of unusual historical value. As it stands now, the cemetery is one of the few Romaniote Jewish cemeteries in the world and should be documented and preserved. photos: Marcia Ikonomopoulos