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| From Dreams to Reality |
 by Guido Vitale*In the past few days in Rome, within the walls of the Vatican, we witnessed an important moment of prayer for peace in the Middle East. Now, with the kidnapping of three Israeli boys, we have a good opportunity to move from words to actions. Those who desire peace, in Rome and around the world, should now come forward and offer their assistance so that our young men can return home safe and sound. *Guido Vitale is the editor-in-chief of Pagine Ebraiche. |
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| Italian Word of the Week: ZUCCHETTO |
| by Daniela
Gross The word “zucchetto” is the diminutive of “gourd, pumpkin”, in Italian “zucca”, term that figuratively and playfully can indicate the head. The “zucchetto” is the small round skullcap worn by Roman Catholic ecclesiastic: even if you’ve never heard about it, probably you noticed it during the recent visit of Pope Francis in Israel. It is so similar to the Jewish kippah that sometimes they look almost identical, but their significance and their usage are completely different. The Catholic “zucchetto” (used also by higher Anglican clergy) was adopted in the Early Middle Ages and had a mere practical origin. Its purpose was to cover the tonsure of the clerics, who had short haircuts and shaved the crown of the head, and to protect them from the terrible cold in the unheated churches and monasteries. With the time that cap acquired the role of identifying ecclesiastical rank by the color of the zucchetto. Only the pope is entitled to wear the white, while the red indicate cardinals and the amaranth patriarchs, archbishops and bishops. The lower clergy can use only the black cap, though it has fallen out of use. So, unlike in the Jewish world the “zucchetto” is not a religious custom and doesn’t indicate a specific attitude toward the Divinity. But to complicate matters, in Italy “zucchetto” and kippah are almost identical. Some experts say that the skullcap of the clergy has always a small stem on the top (just like the small gourd…) and it’s always lined. But so are many Italian kippot, especially those used during the High Holidays. And to make things even more confusing, Italian Jews often refer to the kippah as “zucchetto”: it’s more polite to avoid a Hebrew word with people that couldn’t understand it, don’t you agree? |
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© UCEI - All rights reserved - The articles may only be reproduced after obtaining the written permission of the editor-in-chief. Pagine Ebraiche - Reg Rome Court 199/2009 – Editor in Chief: Guido Vitale - Managing Editor: Daniela Gross.
Special thanks to: Francesco Moises Bassano, Susanna Barki, Monica Bizzio, Benedetta Guetta, Daniel Leisawitz, Gadi Luzzatto Voghera, Yaakov Mascetti, Francesca Matalon, Giovanni Montenero, Elèna Mortara, Lisa Palmieri Billig, Shirley Piperno, Giandomenico Pozzi, Daniel Reichel, Adam Smulevich, Simone Somekh, Rossella Tercatin, Ada Treves.
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© UCEI - Tutti i diritti riservati - I testi possono essere riprodotti solo dopo aver ottenuto l'autorizzazione scritta della Direzione. Pagine Ebraiche International Edition - notiziario dell'ebraismo italiano - Reg. Tribunale di Roma 199/2009 - direttore responsabile: Guido Vitale - Coordinamento: Daniela Gross.
Realizzato con il contributo di: Francesco Moises Bassano, Susanna Barki, Monica Bizzio, Benedetta Guetta, Eugene Korn, Daniel Leisawitz, Gadi Luzzatto Voghera, Yaakov Mascetti, Francesca Matalon, Giovanni Montenero, Elèna Mortara, Lisa Palmieri Billig, Shirley Piperno, Giandomenico Pozzi, Daniel Reichel, Adam Smulevich, Simone Somekh, Rossella Tercatin, Ada Treves.