Italian School, a reconquered treasure

Built in 1575, the Italian Synagogue is one of the five synagogues in the ancient Venice Ghetto. It is a symbol of Jewish-Venetian identity, recognizable from the outside by its five windows reminiscent of the German Great Synagogue, and by the Baroque dome that towers over the apse. It is also a heritage of the entire city. This is the spirit that triggered the process of restoring the Synagogue to a “new life,” thanks to a contribution from the organization Save Venice, which became part of the ongoing restoration work in the complex of the Jewish Museum.

An official ceremony will celebrate the event in the afternoon, with the participation of representatives from both local and national institutions. Meanwhile, to frame the importance of this commitment in an international dimension, a press conference saw the involvement of Dario Calimani, President of the Jewish Community, who illustrated the development strategies dedicated to the Ghetto; Marcella Ansaldi, Director of the Jewish Museum, who represented the history and specificities of the Italian Synagogue; Melissa Conn from Save Venice, who introduced the organization’s projects and their long-standing support to the Community; David Landau, who addressed the fundraising challenge; and Alessandro Pedron, the project director.

“We are here today to celebrate the restoration of the Italian Synagogue and to sincerely thank Save Venice. We are particularly moved by the return, today, of an important first batch of the imposing restoration work that has been ongoing for three years in the Venice Ghetto: a museum and synagogue area of about 2000 square meters,” expressed Calimani, reflecting on the achieved results. He then reminded that the Italian Jews built the Synagogue to maintain their traditions and rituals, which distinguished them from the German Jews who had sought refuge in Venice, fleeing the ongoing persecutions in Central Europe. The German Jews had built the German Great Synagogue and the Canton Synagogue. It was a situation of both “refuge and segregation,” as well as “separation and protection.” The Italian Synagogue has been a center of life, religiousness, and study “for over three and a half centuries.” Calimani doesn’t hide his emotions, stating, “We regain possession of a synagogue, splendid in its sobriety, which we have never abandoned, just as we have never abandoned any part of our religious, cultural, and life heritage of which we are proud heirs. Our ancestors prayed and studied here. We are a community that confronts the large numbers of the past. The 5 or 6 thousand Jews of the 17th century have now reduced to a community of about 400 people. The cultural and artistic heritage of four congregations (German, Italian, Levantine, Spanish-Portuguese) now falls upon the few that we are. However, we have never given up, and we do not intend to renounce preserving, living, and transmitting life and culture.”

“Humble in action and with firm faith, let every pious person who comes to these thresholds remember, even when turning their feet elsewhere, to keep their thoughts turned to God.” This inscription from the 19th-century greets visitors at the small entrance of the Synagogue, serving as a reminder to remain focused on God. It opens up to a noble and austere environment. As highlighted today, it is notable for the simple austerity of its benches, the remarkable Holy Ark adorned with elegant wooden friezes culminating in a heavy pediment, and the beautiful 18th-century pulpit that protrudes from a polygonal apse. It is a treasure that now unveils itself to all.

Source: Moked.it / Pagine Ebraiche