The Jewish Ghetto of Roma

I read a brief passage in one of the guides about the area formerly known as the Jewish Ghetto in Rome. The original ghetto stood along the Tiber on Lungotevere di Cenci in a place where the Tiber had no walls or real banks. Water from the Tiber would flow over its edges a couple of times a year and since this part of the city sat below the level of the river, homes, businesses, shops and places of worship would get flooded. The emperor at the time decided this was the best place for the ghetto. Around 1200 AD. The ghetto went through various phases of containment; gated, curfewed, etc. As various kings and popes obtained power the restrictions became greater. Eventually Jews were forced to sell all their landed property, even that in the ghetto and pay rent instead. They were allowed only to live in the ghetto. They were allowed only one building in which to house a synagogue. For many hundreds of years the Jews of Rome were only Roman. (The Jewish population dates back to @120BC.) As Jews from other countries fled persecution (Spain, Portugal) the Jewish population diversified and Roman Jews were joined by Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews. The community of the Ghetto created 5 synagogues within their one religious building.

The Ghetto stood and functioned for hundreds of years. In 1901 Rome, in an effort to apologize for the years of discrimination and persecution, the goverement raized the ghetto and began construction of a great synagogue on part of the land where it once stood. Oddly (to me) no Jews took part in designing the building. It was drafted by Romans and Christians. When it was complete in 1904 the king decreed it a national monument. When you stand in the center of Rome you can see the domes of St. Peter's and the synagogue. This was to be a great mark of pride, and recognition for Jews as part of the Roman community. Interestingly, during WWII, the synagogue was not harmed. An agreement was struck to not bomb and of the national monuments of Rome during the Nazi occupation. The king could not have known in 1904 that he would be saving the synagogue.

Now the first level of the synagogue building is a museum. It contains contributions from Roman families for hundreds of years. Documents, textiles, silver work, shawls, ornaments. There is actually very little about WWII overall which surprised me. I did wander about with a little of the, "Can't a People catch a break?!" feeling. I was bummed by the strict rules against taking photographs. In 1982 there was a terrorist bombing at the entrance during the Sukkot holiday. On the last day of Sukkot families bring their children to the synagogue to eat in the sukka and be blessed by the rebbi. During the bombing children were injured and one killed and ever since then they've tightened security down; no pictures, bag searches, police at the gates.

The ghetto area now is mostly the synagogue and a few kosher eateries. I found another little elbow place and had prosciutto with stewed vegetables and rigatoni pomodoro. I haven't had a meal yet that knocked me over but I also haven't left a table with any regrets or disomfort. Everything has hit the proverbial spot.

Speaking of which. I really think it is time for dinner...