Viareggio Synagogue Reopened After Renovations
On the last day of Hanukkah, the Jewish community of Viareggio “rediscovered” its synagogue. The only Beth Keneseth in the province of Lucca, Tuscany, it had been closed to the public for eight years while undergoing renovations. On the day of the reopening, the Torah scrolls were returned, and the menorah was lit in a well-attended ceremony. The reopening marks the return to life for the small synagogue on Vicolo degli Oleandri after work was completed on the roof, façade, interiors, doors, and windows. “The inauguration reignited the life of the local Jewish community and rekindled a cultural spark that, though dormant, boasts a meaningful tradition,” said Andrea Gottfried, president of the Jewish Community of Pisa, which has territorial jurisdiction. “Now it is up to us to launch initiatives,” he concluded.
Paolo Molco, a local delegate whose family history is intertwined with the synagogue, looks forward to its future while honoring its historical memory. “Reopening this synagogue gives back to our community and the city as a whole. It’s a place with a strong history.” He specifically recalled how the Torah scrolls and ritual objects were saved during the Nazi occupation.
“Despite the danger, two brothers, Augusto and Elbano Cassuto, buried the scrolls and hid the objects in a house. When the Nazis set their headquarters in that same house, the brothers were able to save the scrolls again.” Dialogue with the community is one of Malco’s goals. “I would like schools to visit the synagogue and learn. I would like to invite young people in and share with them our culture, identity, and traditions. Only this way could our synagogue go back to life.”
Viareggio’s Jewish oratory was inaugurated in the mid-1950s. Since then, it has also been a point of reference for people from other regions who vacation in Versilia, a sandy stretch of the Tuscan coast known for its seaside resorts. The Jewish Community of Pisa initiated the renovation project, which was made possible thanks to contributions from the Municipality of Viareggio and the Banca del Monte di Lucca Foundation, as well as support from the UCEI.