diorama: Ceremonial Donation of Clothes to Torah Scholars and School Children in Salonika, 17th Century

Following the expulsion from Spain, Salonika became an important Jewish community in the Ottoman Empire. The Spanish Jewish exiles developed a thriving textile industry and turned the city into a textile manufacturing center, which also provided services for the Ottoman army. Apart from their industrial and commercial pursuits, the Jews in Salonika flourished in Biblical scholarship and hebrew printing. In the days of Shabbetai Zevi, the city became an important base for his followers, many of whom converted to Islam along with him.