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the Jewish Community in Rome

© Eitan Simanor

Historically, Rome is home to one of the oldest Jewish communities of the entire Diaspora. The first Jews to arrive in Rome seem to have been diplomatic envoys sent by Judah Maccabi in the second century BCE, giving rise to an organized Jewish community in continual existence from the Roman period to modern times. Yet the history of Jewish life in Rome is paved with waves of oppression, segregation and persecution both by emperors and popes, later by the fascists and the Nazis.

Today, Rome has a Jewish population of about 15,000. A small and diverse community fully integrated in the Italian society. The area known as the “Jewish ghetto” has become part of the classic tourist circuit in Rome. Large crowds of visitors come to see the Great Synagogue and to enjoy the various “Jewish attractions” (Jewish museum, Jewish bakery, Jewish cafes and restaurants…). The Jews themselves have migrated to other neighborhoods, although a core of them is still residing in the “Jewish ghetto” area. The community has diversified with the arrival of Jewish migrants from Libya, some 50 years ago.

The aim of this photographic project was to draw an informal yet intimate portrait of the community. It would have been rather ambitious to pretend that such rich heritage and intricate human fabric could be fully encapsulated in the framework of this project. Hence, with no attempt to be exhaustive, I have chosen to focus on iconic aspects and individuals who, in my eyes, epitomize the specificities of the community.

Eitan Simanor  Hamagid 6A  Jerusalem 93114  Israel  tel: 972 50 447 2277  email

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