“National Library of Italian Judaism, together for the relaunch”

Accepting a “suggestive proposal” coming from the Technical Scientific Committee of the Bibliographic Centre “Tullia Zevi”, the Union of Italian Jewish Communities and the Jewish Cultural Heritage Foundation in Italy – through their Councils and Boards – resolved to change the name of the Centre itself to “Tullia Zevi National Library of Italian Judaism”. It’s not just a symbolic choice, but a decision that fits into the broad spectrum of commitments already underway. In a joint note, the UCEI president Noemi Di Segni and the president of the Italian Jewish Cultural Heritage Foundation Dario Disegni highlight indeed: “The new and more incisive name is intended to acknowledge the fundamental role that the National Library of Italian Judaism Tullia Zevi is called upon to play, as a national and international wide recognised library institution. An important role during this new phase, started in the past few months with the entrustment to the management of the Jewish Cultural Heritage Foundation in Italy. The goals, set in order to revitalise and enhance the extraordinary heritage of Italian Judaism, consist in strengthening, restoring, digitalizing the Center and developing the research and cultural activities”.
These are topics on which Disegni dwelt during a recent meeting on the history, cataloguing and protection of the Jewish book heritage held in the Centre’s premises.
“The most significant novelty of the past year was the enhancement of the Centre. We committed ourselves to its management and relaunch”, Disegni said. During this period – he continued – many initiatives see the Foundation in the spotlight. From multi-year programmes for cataloguing to the contribution made to the I-tal-Ya Books project. From European projects such as the restoration of the Valdirose cemetery in Gorizia, to the restoration of individual assets belonging to the 21 Local Communities. Projects like the one underway in Livorno which will lead up – “with something very relevant” – to next October’s bicentenary of Elia Benamozegh’s birth.

Translation by Margherita Francese, revised by Laura Cattani, students at the Secondary School of Modern Languages for Interpreters and Translators of the University of Trieste, interns at the newspaper office of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities – Pagine Ebraiche.