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December 28, 2015 - Tevet 16, 5776
Teaching Israel By Guido Vitale* "Teaching Israel to American kids is not easy. Engendering love and criticism simultaneously is tricky in any subject. That might be why more and more parents are seeking out Jewish education that does not wade into the murky waters of Zionism. But these kids live in the world. They are and will continue to be confronted with their association with Israel whether parents like it or not. As educators, we can run away from it and let someone else indoctrinate them, or we can do what we are hired to do: teach with complexity and compassion. Anything else would be disrespectful to the intellect and analytical skills of the incredibly smart kids we teach. They can handle it if we can. It’s time to break the silence on Israel education in this country." (Misha Shulman, director of New York’s School for Creative Judaism) *Guido Vitale is the editor-in-chief of Pagine Ebraiche.   Oddities By Daniela Gross This year, for the first time after half a century, Christians and Muslims celebrated their Nativity on the same night, between the 24th and 25th of December. Monika Bulaj, great photographer and anthropologist, reminded us of this rare coincidence some days ago on the daily La Repubblica. “This year Muhammad is born on the same day Jesus is. It will be the second Mawlud in 2015, the first having occurred between the second and the third of January: The Muslims’ liturgical year goes faster than the Christian one. Coincidence. Anyway – today it seems strange to remember – throughout the centuries, these religions have mirrored each other with melodies and customs, borrowing each other's poetries and rituals, as good neighbors borrow some salt.” Apparently, the mayor of Pontoglio, a town west of the province of Brescia, governed by a center-right coalition, was not informed of these coincidences, when he installed a series of signs on the roads leading into town. “Town with a history of Western culture and deep-rooted Christian traditions. Those who do not respect local culture and traditions are asked to leave”, reads one of the signs, as reported on the daily Corriere della Sera. The governing majority clarified that the controversial messages have nothing to do with racism. Maybe it was another coincidence due to this festive season.”		NEWS A Productive Meeting for UCEI Council By Daniel Reichel Future prospects, social commitment, and strengthening security were among the issues that were debated during the meeting of the Council of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) that took place in Rome last week. Several items were on the agenda, starting with the presentation of the budget for 2016. The budget was approved by the Council with an overwhelming majority of yeas (there were just three abstentions and no votes against).   Read more BOOKS Writing for Justice, in the Name of Edgardo    By Rossella Tercatin A recent book sheds new light on the story of Edgardo Mortara, the Jewish 6-year-old who was kidnapped from his family by Papal guards in 1858 and brought up Catholic in the Vatican. Authored by Elèna Mortara, professor of English literature at the Università di Roma Tor Vergata, as well as Edgardo’s family descendant, “Writing for Justice” was published in the past weeks by Dartmouth College Press. The book focuses on the historical figure of Victor Séjour, an expat American Creole from New Orleans living in Paris. Séjour got passionate about Edgardo’s case, which inspired him too write a play whose opening night in the French capital was attended by emperor Napoleon III himself. “Elèna Mortara finds Séjour, the American Creole of French culture and successful writer, the one who was capable of expressing the longing for freedom, for Jews, black people, and perhaps even women,” historian Anna Foa writes in her review published in the January issue of Pagine Ebraiche. Read more FOOD Jewish-Roman Cuisine Airs on TV By Pagine Ebraiche Staff A six-episode show devoted to the cucina giudaico-romanesca (Jewish-Roman cuisine) is going to air on Italian TV culinary channel Gambero Rosso starting next month. Introducing the dishes to the public will be chef Laura Ravaioli. Announcing the show to Pagine Ebraiche was a member of the Jewish Community board Giorgia Calò, who has been serving as councilor for culture for five months. Calò emphasized how the project represents a symbol of how the Jewish community should engage with the general public. Read more Português A bênção por Eliezer Di Martino* A morte de Yaakob não é apenas a história central da porção desta semana da Torá, mas também serve como uma conclusão adequada para Sefer Bereshit. O primeiro capítulo da história judaica foi escrito pelos patriarcas e pelas matriarcas e a transição para o próximo capítulo da nossa história gloriosa – contida nas narrativas de Sefer Shemot – começa quando Yaakob sai do palco bíblico. Yaakob, claramente consciente da importância crucial do momento, reúne todos os seus filhos em torno ao seu leito de morte, para dar-lhes uma bênção final e objectivos para o futuro (cap. 49). Curiosamente, antes desta reunião dramática Yaakob abençoa os dois filhos de Yossef, Efraim e Menashe, e eleva-os ao status de igualdade com os seus tios. Além disso, Yaakob diz a Yossef  que as bênçãos de seus filhos vão servir de modelo para as futuras gerações: "por vós Israel abençoará, dizendo: ‘Que Deus te faça como Efraim e Menashe’" (48:20).   *O rabino Eliezer di Martino é o rabino-chefe de Trieste. Leia mais Peace of Mind By Benedetto Carucci Viterbi* When Joseph meets his father after many years apart, while Yaakov had believed him dead, he hugs him, kisses him, and weeps. Yaakov does not: according to the Midrash, he was intent on reciting the Shemah. Rav Wolbe sees in this behavior the achievement of menuchat hanefesh, peace of mind, the capacity of not being upset by what happens around us, even before extremely emotional events. *Benedetto Carucci Viterbi is a rabbi. The article was translated by Rossella Tercatin. 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, Arlindo José Nicau Castanho, 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, Arlindo José Nicau Castanho, 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.