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August 3rd, 2015 - Av 18th, 5775
Horrible Things Can Result By Guido Vitale* “Sometimes we taught our students to belittle and suspect others. One who doesn't agree with us is criminal, not merely mistaken. Any opportunity to credit a public leader with good intention was rejected in order to credit him with alienation, with hostility, with malice - not a suspicion of evil, but a certainty! From this way of thinking, horrible things can result”. (Rav Aharon Lichenstein, Yeshivat Har Etzion, November 1995) *Guido Vitale is the editor-in-chief of Pagine Ebraiche.   SUMMER BOOKS Portico d’Ottavia By Daniela Gross Two years ago, the historian Anna Foa wrote a fascinating book titled “Portico D’Ottavia 13”. In her research, she traced the history of this ancient building in the ghetto of Rome. She tells of its residents during the winter 1943 when 1000 Jews where deported. The publisher Laterza has just released a childrens' version of this work, written by Carola Susani and illustrated by Matteo Berton. It is a brilliant and sensitive way to talk about the Shoah with children.   Portico d’Ottavia By Anna Foa Editori Laterza 62 pp.		NEWS Italian Prime Minister Visits Israel By Daniel Reichel “The existence of the State of Israel is not a gracious concession of the international community following the Shoah. The existence of Israel predates by centuries any international agreement. Plus, the State of Israel exists in spite of the Holocaust.” In his recent speech to the Knesset, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi reaffirmed the friendship between Italy and Israel and said that the Jewish State will always have an ally in Rome.   Read more NEWS Religious Pluralism, the Challenge of the Ministry of Education  By Pagine Ebraiche Staff Journalist, working in the newsroom of the Union of the Jewish Communities of Italy (UCEI), expert in school and education issues, coordinator of DafDaf, the Jewish magazine for kids, Ada Treves is one of the nine members of the new Commission for religious pluralism in public schools. An important recognition of the work of the information department, that in the last years has produces innovative and authoritative instruments. Read more EVENTS - Italian Athletes at the Maccabi Games in Berlin By Adam Smulevich An Italian delegation of 70 athletes is taking part in the 14th European Maccabi Games in Berlin. From soccer to water polo, from tennis to the half marathon, Italian athletes (who mostly come from the Jewish Community of Rome) are obtaining good results and hoping to win some medals in a couple of disciplines. "The results are important, but up to a certain point. The most relevant thing is having fun and increasing the sense of sharing and living up to the universal values of Maccabi. I'm sure that they will never forget this experience which is so unique and so special,” president of Maccabi Italia Vittorio Pavoncello told Pagine Ebraiche. Read more media Pagine Ebraiche: Milan in the Spotlight By Rachel Silvera The Italian Minister of Education, University and Research Stefania Giannini visited Israel accompanied by the president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities Renzo Gattegna. Moreover, the Ministry of Education has created a new committee for religious pluralism in public schools, which counts among its members Ada Treves, journalist at Pagine Ebraiche and editor of Dafdaf, the Jewish newspaper for children. Read more Português Justicia por Eliezer Di Martino* En sus últimos discursos a los Israelitas, Moisés toca un tema central en Deuteronomio, la justicia: "En aquel tiempo mandé a vuestros jueces diciendo: 'Oíd la causa de vuestros hermanos y juzgad con justicia (Tzedek) entre un hombre y su hermano o el forastero que Está con él. No Hagáis Distinción de personas en el juicio; oiréis tanto al pequeño como al grande. No Tengáis temor de nadie, porque el juicio es de Dios. Pero la causa que os sea Difícil la traeréis a Mí, y yo la oiré". (Deuteronómio 1, 16-17) Tzdek, justicia es una palabra llave en todo el último libro del Pentateuco, famosa por el versículo: "La justicia, Sólo la justicia Seguirás, para que vivas y tengas en Posesión la tierra que HaShem tu Dios te da". (Deuteronomio16: 20).   *O rabino Eliezer di Martino é o rabino-chefe de Trieste. Leia mais Simple Rhetorical Truths By Yaacov Mascetti* I'm writing these lines after a very difficult and intense few days here in Israel. On the whole it's been a rough summer. While Obama and Kerry signed the treaty with Iran, and while Netanyahu ignited his same old Berlusconi-like campaign to pump up the consciences of the Israeli citizens, taking about the world being "a much more dangerous place from today on," my personal friends, both real and virtual on Facebook and Twitter, have gone into a rabbit-hole of anachronistic elaborations, comparing Obama to Chamberlain and Hamenei to Hitler. Pictures have been edited and rhetorical posts have been put on the social media, making an impression on many. So since we are in the mood for anachronistic associations between the distant past and our very sickening present, this piece wishes to propose my own, very angry association. And I'm going to go Biblical on you guys this time, because that's the language we as Jews, religious or not, speak. This is our heritage right? *Yaakov Mascetti holds a Ph.D. and teaches at the Department of Comparative Literature, Bar Ilan University. Read more
Follow us on    This newsletter is published under difficult conditions. The editors of this newsletter are Italian journalists whose native language is Italian. They are willing to offer their energy and their skills to give international readers the opportunity of learning more about the Italian Jewish world, its values, its culture and its traditions. In spite of all our efforts to avoid this, readers may find an occasional language mistake. We count on your understanding and on your help and advice to correct these mistakes and improve our publication. Pagine Ebraiche International Edition is published by the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI). UCEI publications encourage an understanding of the Jewish world and the debate within it. The articles and opinions published by Pagine Ebraiche International Edition, unless expressly stated otherwise, cannot be interpreted as the official position of UCEI, but only as the self-expression of the people who sign them, offering their comments to UCEI publications. Readers who are interested in making their own contribution should email us at desk@ucei.it  You received this newsletter because you authorized UCEI to contact you. If you would like to remove your email address from our list, or if you would like to subscribe using a new email address, please send a blank email to  desk@ucei.it stating "unsubscribe" or "subscribe" in the subject field. © 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, Amanda Benjamin, Monica Bizzio, Angelica Edna Calò Livne, Eliezer Di Martino, Alain Elkann, Dori Fleekop, Daniela Fubini, Benedetta Guetta, Sarah Kaminski, Daniel Leisawitz, Annette Leckart, Gadi Luzzatto Voghera, Yaakov Mascetti, Francesca Matalon, Jonathan Misrachi, Anna Momigliano, Giovanni Montenero, Elèna Mortara, Sabina Muccigrosso, Lisa Palmieri Billig, Jazmine Pignatello, Shirley Piperno, Giandomenico Pozzi, Daniel Reichel, Colby Robbins,  Danielle Rockman, Lindsay Shedlin, Michael Sierra, Rachel Silvera, Adam Smulevich, Simone Somekh, Rossella Tercatin, Ada Treves, Lauren Waldman, Sahar Zivan. Questo notiziario è realizzato in condizioni di particolare difficoltà. I redattori di questo notiziario sono giornalisti italiani di madrelingua italiana. Mettono a disposizione le loro energie e le loro competenze per raccontare in lingua inglese l'ebraismo italiano, i suoi valori, la sua cultura e i suoi valori. Nonostante il nostro impegno il lettore potrebbe trovare errori e imperfezioni nell'utilizzo del linguaggio che faremo del nostro meglio per evitare. Contiamo sulla vostra comprensione e soprattutto sul vostro aiuto e sul vostro consiglio per correggere gli errori e migliorare. Pagine Ebraiche International Edition è una pubblicazione edita dall'Unione delle Comunità Ebraiche Italiane. L'UCEI sviluppa mezzi di comunicazione che incoraggiano la conoscenza e il confronto delle realtà ebraiche. Gli articoli e i commenti pubblicati, a meno che non sia espressamente indicato il contrario, non possono essere intesi come una presa di posizione ufficiale, ma solo come la autonoma espressione delle persone che li firmano e che si sono rese gratuitamente disponibili. Gli utenti che fossero interessati a offrire un proprio contributo possono rivolgersi all'indirizzo  desk@ucei.it Avete ricevuto questo messaggio perché avete trasmesso a Ucei l'autorizzazione a comunicare con voi. Se non desiderate ricevere ulteriori comunicazioni o se volete comunicare un nuovo indirizzo email, scrivete a: desk@ucei.it indicando nell'oggetto del messaggio "cancella" o "modifica". © 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, Amanda Benjamin, Monica Bizzio, Angelica Edna Calò Livne, Eliezer Di Martino, Alain Elkann, Dori Fleekop, Daniela Fubini, Benedetta Guetta, Sarah Kaminski, Daniel Leisawitz, Annette Leckart, Gadi Luzzatto Voghera, Yaakov Mascetti, Francesca Matalon, Jonathan Misrachi, Anna Momigliano, Giovanni Montenero, Elèna Mortara, Sabina Muccigrosso, Lisa Palmieri Billig, Jazmine Pignatello, Shirley Piperno, Giandomenico Pozzi, Daniel Reichel, Colby Robbins,  Danielle Rockman, Lindsay Shedlin, Michael Sierra, Rachel Silvera, Adam Smulevich, Simone Somekh, Rossella Tercatin, Ada Treves, Lauren Waldman, Sahar Zivan.