The Menorah’s current whereabouts has captivated the imagination of many throughout the centuries, and remain a subject of speculation that many seek to unravel. From the Depths of the Tiber to the Vaults of the Vatican The Menorah may well be located in the Vatican. As Archaeologist Paolo Carafa from Rome’s Sapienza University points out, […]
Category Archives: Jewish Rome
01
Sep
Sep
If I asked you what percentage of the world’s population was Jewish, what would you say? Surely no more than 10%, right? Probably not even around 5%? Maybe it would help if you had some kind of statistic to compare it to. Like that Jews account for around 20% of Nobel Prize laureates, for example. […]
06
Jun
Jun
Spend time exploring Rome’s Jewish Ghetto and you’ll soon stumble upon some inscribed brass inscriptions among the dark Roman cobbles. These are Rome’s Stumbling Stones – pietri d’inciampo in Italian or Stolpersteine in German. And the history they preserve is harrowing. Who created the Stolpersteine? The Stolpersteine were devised and created by Berlin artist Gunter Demnig […]
24
Feb
Feb
Joining me on a Rome Jewish Ghetto tour is the most intimate and authentic way to discover the Eternal City’s most treasured district. During the three hours we spend together you become part of our community, meeting and interacting with locals. And because my family and ancestors have been integrated into Rome’s Jewish community for […]
22
Sep
Sep
No trip to Rome would be complete without indulging in the city’s renowned Roman-Jewish cuisine at one of the best kosher restaurants in Rome. Central to the capital’s culinary culture is its innovative creation, ‘la cucina ebraica-romana’ which translates as Jewish-Roman Cuisine. Its dishes bring out the best in Jewish and Middle Eastern flavours and […]
11
Nov
Nov
Steeped in history and rich in culture, the Jewish Ghetto is among Rome’s most atmospheric historical neighbourhoods, but no exploration of the Jewish Ghetto would be complete without visiting the Great Synagogue of Rome. For more than 100 years, the synagogue has stood at the physical and metaphorical centre of Rome’s Jewish community, serving as […]
22
Sep
Sep
Can Jews Go Inside the Sistine Chapel? Today I’m addressing a question my guests ask me all the time: can Jews go inside the Sistine Chapel? Rome boasts an abundance of attractions and cultural curiosities. Running through the Eternal City is a rich vein of Jewish history and patrimony: not just in and around the […]
15
Jan
Jan
The nature of the Jewish Diaspora determines that Hebrew manuscripts are dispersed widely throughout the world. Fortunately, the Vatican – a magnet of global treasures – has accumulated a sizeable collection. For centuries, this collection was hidden, available only to a select group of archivists and scholars granted exclusive access to the Vatican’s vaults. For […]
03
Jan
Jan
Rome’s Jewish history stretches back much further than people think, predating even the time of Julius Caesar over 2,000 years ago. My family, of Orthodox Sephardic origin, have been here for just over a quarter of that time: the last 500 years. Not so long in the grand scheme of Rome’s history, but certainly long […]
19
Dec
Dec
When the Romans breached Jerusalem’s walls in 70 AD, they set upon a spree of slaughter and pillaging, the barbarity of which truly chills the blood. Josephus records the death toll at 1.1 million – a number compounded by the many visitors who had come to celebrate Passover. Jerusalem’s houses were burned, its walls were […]