CULTURE – A day of open doors dedicated to family

Family is the main theme of the 25th edition of the European Days of Jewish Culture. Scheduled in Italy for Sunday, September 15, with Turin serving as the lead city, the event will involve 27 countries across Europe, A total of 106 locations from north to south of the Peninsula will host initiatives and events. In synagogues and community centers family stories will be shared, along with book presentations, exhibitions, projects, guided tours, concerts, and theatrical performances.
In Turin, there will be a reading of Primo Levi’s texts on the theme of family, and discussions will cover topics such as “families in the digital transition” and “inclusive families.” In Rome, three exhibitions are in preparation, including one on “120 years of marriages at the Tempio Maggiore.” Milan will reflect on questions like “Do we still belong to the family of nations?” while Naples will explore the contributions of the Ascarelli family, notable in various fields including football.
On that day, the Jewish cultural itineraries in Emilia-Romagna will also be presented: this project, initiated by the Treccani Encyclopedia in collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Region, involves cities participating in the event. In Turin, another much-awaited presentation will be the book Viaggio nell’Italia ebraica: Le meraviglie di una cultura millenaria (A journey through Jewish Italy: the wonders of a millenary culture), curated by the Touring Club Italiano in collaboration with the Foundation for Jewish Cultural Heritage in Italy (FBCEI),
Family is today “the most essential nucleus to pay attention to, a space that must generate security, certainty, and affection, to find strength and resources to share in other areas of daily life,” emphasized UCEI President Noemi Di Segni in a statement. Thus, family is seen as “a fundamental foundation for democratic coexistence, amidst struggles and crises, with a belief in the essential nature and richness of these relationships.”
In addition to various programs, the European Day of Jewish Culture website offers a discussion on the Jewish perspective of the concept of family. “Unlike many other peoples who have prioritized the strength of their emperors, heroes, and warriors, the center of the Jewish world has always been the family,” wrote Rabbi Roberto Della Rocca among others. “One cannot become a community without first learning to become a family.”