Two American-born Kanaani sisters, Haya and Neshama, will travel from Brooklyn to Athens for CAT EXPO Greece 2026, as a newly published Europe UA feature by distinguished journalist and novelist Viktor Zonis highlights their extraordinary journey.
(YourDigitalWall Editorial):- New York City, New York Nov 12, 2026 (Issuewire.com) – History is in the making as two exceptionally rare Israeli Kanaani cats prepare to make their first appearance in Greece at CAT EXPO Greece 2026 – WCF World Show, taking place November 28-29, 2026, at the Municipality of Peristeri Exhibition Centre in the Athens metropolitan area.
Organized by Felina Greece, a member of the World Cat Federation (WCF), the international exhibition will welcome Princess Haya and Princess Neshama, two American-born Kanaani sisters traveling from Brooklyn, New York.
They will be accompanied by Animal Chaplain and Rabbi Mikhail Salita, custodian of the rare Israeli Kanaani cat breed and founder of the Royal House of Kanaani and The World Kanaani Organization.
For the first time, Greek visitors will have an opportunity to encounter the Kanaani breed, whose modern origin traces back to Jerusalem in the 1990s.
Felina Greece has officially announced the breed’s upcoming debut, highlighting the arrival of two Kanaani cats from the United States as one of the exhibition’s distinctive attractions.
A Historic First for Greece
Developed in Jerusalem by Holocaust survivor Doris Pollatschek, the Kanaani is among the world’s rarest recognized domestic cat breeds.
The breed received World Cat Federation recognition in 2000 but remains exceptionally rare internationally.
Haya and Neshama, born in Brooklyn to Israeli Kanaani parents, are scheduled to participate in the Junior category.
Their appearance follows the successful international debut of Kanaani cats in Finland in August 2026, where Haya and her mother, Queen Haifa, received excellent evaluations and achieved leading positions in their respective Kanaani categories in the WCF Best Cat 2026 rankings.
The Athens exhibition represents another important milestone in the breed’s international journey, introducing Greek audiences, breeders, and judges to a living part of Israel’s modern feline heritage.
Europe UA Publishes Viktor Zonis Feature: The Road to Athens
The upcoming historic Greek debut has gained additional attention through a newly published feature on Europe UA by Viktor Zonis, a journalist, novelist, author of Solomon: King of a Thousand Songs, and Honorary Member of the National Writers’ Union of Ukraine.
The article, “Mikhail Salita: The Journey to Himself — and the Road to Athens,” explores the spiritual, cultural, and historical dimensions of Rabbi Salita’s efforts to preserve the Kanaani breed.
Zonis, who has known Rabbi Salita for more than a decade, examines how a personal journey of Jewish spirituality and compassion toward animals developed into an international preservation initiative.
The feature connects the legendary golden cat depicted on the fifth step of King Solomon’s throne in Targum Sheni with Jewish teachings about kindness toward animals and the modern history of the Kanaani breed.
It also highlights the legacy of Doris Pollatschek, the Holocaust survivor whose work in Jerusalem established the breed, and the efforts to preserve her contribution to Israeli cultural history.
The article places the upcoming exhibition in Athens within a broader narrative connecting Jerusalem, Brooklyn, Düsseldorf, and Greece.
Read the original Europe UA feature: “Mikhail Salita: The Journey to Himself–and the Road to Athens,” by Viktor Zonis.https://europe.ua/mikhail-salita-journey-road-to-athens/.
Recent Honors Recognize Kanaani Preservation Efforts
Rabbi Salita’s efforts to preserve the rare Israeli Kanaani breed have recently received additional recognition.
On October 29, 2026, he was honored with an official Citation from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, recognizing his contributions to breed preservation and community initiatives.
He was also awarded the Social Impact Award by the London Book of World Records and subsequently inducted into the London Book of World Records Hall of Fame.
These honors follow the recognition of the Royal House of Kanaani by the World Book of Records London for the largest number of documented purebred Kanaani cats — seven.
Together, these milestones reflect growing recognition of the preservation initiative ahead of the breed’s historic Greek debut.
CATEXPOGreece2026: An International Celebration of Cats
Organized by Felina Greece, CAT EXPO Greece 2026 – WCF World Show will bring together rare and established cat breeds, international judges, exhibitors, breeders, and animal enthusiasts.
Alongside the Kanaani, visitors will have opportunities to encounter numerous other feline breeds and learn about responsible breeding, feline care, and animal welfare.
Official Exhibition Information
Event: CAT EXPO Greece 2026-WCF World Show
Dates: Saturday, November 28, and Sunday, November 29, 2026
Venue: Municipality of Peristeri Exhibition Centre
Location: Peristeri, Athens Metropolitan Area, Greece
Public Hours: 10:00 AM-7:30 PM, both days
Organizer: Felina Greece-Association Felina Greece
International Affiliation: World Cat Federation(WCF)
General Admission: 6
Official Event Website and Tickets: https://catexpo.eu/
Organizer Website: https://www.felinagreece.gr/
Event Inquiries: [email protected]
From Jerusalem to Brooklyn–and Now Athens
The journey of Haya and Neshama represents a remarkable chapter in the preservation of an exceptionally rare breed.
From its origins in Jerusalem under Doris Pollats check to its preservation in Brooklyn through the Royal House of Kanaani, the breed now prepares to enter the Greek international exhibition stage for the first time.
Through the Salita Foundation, the Royal House of Kanaani and The World Kanaani Organization seek to preserve documented bloodlines, advance international recognition, and encourage educational and cultural exchange.
For Greek visitors, the upcoming exhibition will offer an unusual opportunity to see two representatives of a breed rarely encountered outside its small international breeding community.
History is in the making. On November 28-29, 2026, the Kanaani’s journey will reach Greece for the first time — and visitors to CAT EXPO Greece 2026 are invited to witness this milestone.
About the Royal House of Kanaani
The Royal House of Kanaani is a Brooklyn-based breed-preservation initiative established under the Salita Foundation. Together with The World Kanaani Organization, it works to preserve, document, and promote international recognition of the rare Israeli Kanaani cat breed.
About Felina Greece
Felina Greece is a Greek nonprofit cat breeders’ association and member of the World Cat Federation, organizing international exhibitions and promoting responsible breeding, feline education, and animal welfare. Official website:https://www.felinagreece.gr/.
This article was originally published by IssueWire. Read the original article here.
