Italian Word of the Week MAGIA

By Daniela Gross

“Magia” is the right Italian word to describe the Venice Ghetto. A fascinating “magia” (“magic”) spreads through its narrow streets, along its tall buildings surrounded by water, and in the magnificent interiors of its synagogues. The Venice Ghetto, the first to be instituted in Europe as a forced place of residence for Jews, is about to have its 500th anniversary. To commemorate the event, a group of philanthropists led by the designer Diane von Furstenberg and the real estate investor Joseph Sitt have announced a $12 million restoration project for the Jewish Museum and the synagogues.
In a statement issued by the Venetian Heritage Council, Ms. von Furstenberg said: “As much as this renovation is about preserving the past and the rich history of the Venetian and Jewish communities, today it is also about the future. All of us are responsible for making sure that future generations – 500 years from today – have access to these stories of human culture and progress.” This sense of responsibility towards the new generations is admirable, and not by chance the attention of the philanthropists was caught by this portion of the Italian Jewish patrimony, so immense and precious.
The project is funded by the Venetian Heritage Council and overseen by Renata Codello, the head of the Venice office of the Italian Culture Ministry under the Unesco program for the city. The renovations have yet to begin, but the program will be completed by 2016, the 500th anniversary of the ghetto’s establishment.