1.Their Oldest Synagogue Is From the Second Temple Era
Jews were already living in Rome before the exile of 70 C.E. In 1961, ruins of a synagogue were uncovered on the outskirts of Ostia Antica, the port city of Imperial Rome, near contemporary Ostia. The oldest synagogue in Europe, it dates to approximately 41-54 C.E. and was in use until the 5th century. It is thought that traders and merchants established a small community there.
Read: 15 Synagogue Facts
2. Great Scholars Lived Among Them
During its long and storied history, the Jewish community of Rome produced many great scholars. Here are two of the most well-known:
- Theudas: In the Second Temple era, the Jews of Rome were led by a wealthy and learned man named Theudas, whose prestige was such that even though the sages of the Holy Land strongly disagreed with his actions (he encouraged his fellow Roman Jews to eat roast lamb on Passover,in a way that the sages felt was too similar to eating an actual sacrifice outside of Jerusalem), they did not take any action against him. In addition to teaching Torah in public, we know that he also collected funds on behalf of the Holy Temple and support for the Torah institutions in Israel.
- “The Aruch”: Rabbi Nathan ben Yechiel of Rome (11th century) is forever remembered among Jews as “the Aruch,” for the book he authored, which translates and explains many of the difficult and unusual words found in the Talmud and Midrash. The dictionary highlights his incredibly broad knowledge of Torah texts and many languages.
3. The Original Roman Jews are Neither Ashkenazi nor Sephardi
The historic Roman Jewish community is part of a small but ancient group of Jews known as Italki (Italian). The prayer rite is known as Nusach Bnei Romi, which has a specific intonation and some differences in the text.
4. They Were Joined by Spanish Exiles
Jews who were expelled from Spain in the 15th century (Sephardim) made their way to various parts of Italy, including Rome. Later, when Jews were expelled from Southern Italy, which was under Spanish rule, they migrated north to Rome as well. They founded their own synagogues but merged socially with the Roman community.
5. Roman Jews Were Forced Into a Ghetto for 300 Years
In 1555, the Papal bull ‘Cum nimis absurdum’ led to the establishment of a walled-in ghetto in a rundown part of the city, on the banks of the Tevere river. The river often overflowed, flooding the crowded ghetto and causing hardship and disease. The ghetto gates, one of which stood near the ancient Portico D’ottavia, kept the Jews in at night. The ghetto came to an end when Roman Jews were emancipated in 1870 during the Risorgimento, the movement that led to the unification of Italy and the end of Papal rule.
6. They Witnessed the Burning of the Talmud
The Pope ordered the confiscation of all copies of the Talmud in 1553. The books were then burned in Campo de' Fiori, across from the spot that would soon become the ghetto, on Rosh Hashanah of that year. A plaque installed in 2011 commemorates this tragic event.
Read: 21 Talmud Facts
7. Today, Many Libyan Jews Live in Rome
Jews settled in Libya in the 3rd century BCE. Many left after a series of pogroms in the 1940s and again in 1967, after the Six-Day War. The rest were expelled by Ghadaffi in 1970, their assets and belongings confiscated. Many came to Rome, bringing with them their ancient traditions and flavorsome dishes. Libyan Jews have their own synagogues following the Sephardi-Maghrebi tradition, and have become an integral and vibrant part of the local community.
8. They Had 5 Synagogues Under One Roof
Jews were not allowed to have more than one synagogue in the ghetto, so they made do by carving five small synagogues (each observing different rites) out of one tall building. A local square, Piazza delle Cinque Scole (“Plaza of Five Synagogues”), which covers part of the former ghetto, commemorates the building. After the Jews were emancipated, they built one large synagogue in the former ghetto, the Great Synagogue, which follows the Roman rite. The building includes a synagogue downstairs that follows the Sephardic ritual.
9. Roman Jews Have Unique Foods
The Jews of Rome’s ghetto were confined to low-paying work, such as peddling rags, and could not afford fine foods. They learned to create dishes out of “poverty foods,” which are now appreciated throughout the country. Examples include carciofi alla giudia (fried artichokes), coppiette (cured beef), and pizza ebraica (“Jewish pizza,” a sweet pastry with nuts and candied fruit).
Recipe: How to Make Pizza Ebraica
10. Giudaico-Romanesco Is the Roman-Jewish Dialect
The Judeo-Roman dialect of Italian developed over the centuries. While the base of the language is the Romanesco dialect of Italian spoken in Rome, it grew to incorporate many Hebrew words and expressions.
11. How to Say ‘Jew’ in Giudaico-Romanesco
Roman Jews pronounce the letter ayin as /ng/. For example, instead of Shema they say “Shemange” (the elongation of consonants being a residual of the old Romanesco dialect). In the same way Ivrim (which means “Jews”) turned into Inghiverimme (pronounced ing-hi-ve-rim-meh).
12. Most Roman Jews Don’t Live in the Ghetto
The Jews of Rome live in various neighborhoods across the city. Many Roman Jews live in the Marconi and Monteverde areas, as well as Parioli and the neighborhood of Piazza Bologna and Viale Libia, where many Libyan Jews settled. In addition to the Great Synagogue in the ghetto, there are smaller synagogues throughout the city.
13. They Gather for Shofar on Elul 1
Hearing the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Chodesh Elul is a ritual that extends to the whole community. While not unique to them, the custom is very dear to the hearts of Roman Jews. It is customary for the entire family to come to hear the sound of the shofar in the synagogue on that day. Men, women, and children stand solemnly as the shofar is sounded. Afterward, they partake in a communal meal.
14. They Connect Tisha B’Av to Chanukah
Like many other Jews around the world, the Jews of Rome read Eicha on the night of the fast of Tisha B'Av, in the dark, holding long candles. Following a unique Italki custom, these candles are then used on Chanukah as the shamash candle, which lights the other flames on the menorah. This shows that even in the height of mourning, we pray and look forward to the future Redemption.
Read: 18 Tisha B’Av Facts
15. They Used to Bury their Dead in Catacombs
In antiquity, Jews buried their loved ones in underground systems of shelves and cubicles called catacombs, the remains of which can be found in caves outside Jerusalem. There were once six Jewish catacombs in what was then the outskirts of Rome. Only one is now open to visitors, by appointment. The Jewish catacombs are easily identifiable by the timeless Jewish symbols carved or painted on the walls: menorah, etrog and lulav, shofar, and more.
Read: 13 Jewish Symbols
16. Many Were Killed in the Holocaust
Jews were subject to racial laws beginning in 1938, under Mussolini. In 1943, about 2,000 Jews were deported from Rome; half of them were rounded up on the 16th of October, a day commemorated annually by the community. Very few returned from the concentration camps. Some Jewish children were hidden in convents, and entire families were able to hide within the city or in surrounding towns, but in some cases, they were turned in by others for a reward.
17. They Are Security Conscious
On Shemini Atzeret, 1982, parents brought their children to the Great Synagogue for the local tradition of Birkat HaYeladim, when the rabbi blesses the children on that day. As they were preparing to leave after the service, PLO terrorists attacked with hand grenades and a machine gun, killing a two-year-old child and wounding 37 others. Ever since, security at Jewish institutions in Italy has been tight.
18. There Are Around 15,000 Jews in Rome Today
Roman Jews number around 15,000. Most Jews are members of the official Jewish community, headquartered in the Great Synagogue, and many send their children to the community day school in the ghetto.
19. Chabad Came to Rome in 1976
Rome has had a permanent Chabad presence since 1976, when Rabbi Yitzchak and Sarah Hazan were sent there by the Rebbe, of righteous memory. The couple established weekly Talmud Torah meetings for children, as well as classes and gatherings for adults, which led to many more activities within the community. In 1989 the Hazans founded a pre-school, Gan Chaya, named after the Rebbe’s wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, which serves families who live far from the community day school and would otherwise send their children to non-Jewish schools.
Over the last two decades, additional Chabad couples have settled in various areas of the city, serving and assisting the locals and the many international students and tourists who visit Rome.
Search: Find Chabad Near Me
20. There Is a Small Ashkenazi Community
Following the Holocaust, a small community of survivors from Hungary and Poland found their way to Rome, where they founded a synagogue. In addition to his Chabad work, Rabbi Hazan serves as rabbi of the Ashkenazi community.
21. Many Jewish Refugees Passed Through Rome
Starting in the 1970's, many Jews leaving the USSR and Iran came to Rome and stayed in suburbs such as Ladispoli and Ostia while they waited to get visas to the United States, Canada or Australia. Guided by the Rebbe’s office in New York, and working closely with the JDC (“Joint”) and HIAS, Chabad in Rome set up special programs and services for these Jews, most notably arranging circumcisions for Jewish men of all ages who had not been able to be circumcised in the Soviet Union. Torah classes, social activities, lifecycle events, holiday meals, social services support and more were also arranged, many with the help of additional Chabad couples who settled in Ladispoli for periods of time to support the refugees, working closely with Rabbi Hazan from Rome.
22. They Celebrate Chanukah in a Central Square
One of the most popular community events organized by Chabad is the public Menorah lighting in Piazza Barberini, a central square in Rome. The event draws hundreds of locals, community leaders and dignitaries. While Roman Jews were not initially accustomed to open displays of Jewish pride, they quickly warmed up to the idea and participate annually with joy.
23. Rome Is Rich With (Tragic) Jewish History
Visitors to Rome have plenty of opportunities to learn about the history of the Jews in Rome, while also enjoying kosher restaurants with authentic Italian and Jewish-Roman dishes, and other attractions, such as the Great Synagogue and its museum. One of the historical sites worth visiting is the Carcere Mamertino, the ancient Roman jail where prominent figures were held before execution. A plaque in the jail mentions Shimon Bar Giora, the leader of one of the Judean revolts against the Romans, who was captured following the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and held there before being thrown to his death.
Read: The Fall of Jerusalem
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