The Courage of the Righteous: The Livorno Jewish Community Honors Cipolli Family

On January 8, the Jewish community of Livorno held a unique ceremony to honor Gina Cipolli, a 96-year-old woman who risked her life to save three Jewish families during the Nazi-Fascist persecution. The families were welcomed and protected in farmhouses in the Cascina area of Pisa. Ms. Cipolli received the honor of “Righteous Among the Nations” from Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem. This collective recognition honors the courage of the Cipolli family (Gina, her parents, and grandparents). It was triggered by the activism of Guido Guastalla, one of those saved. He was two years old at the time and is now a publisher and gallery owner. Gina Belforte, 93, whose testimony was crucial to conferring honor, recounted those months of hiding and human solidarity. “The Cipollis were my grandmother’s sharecroppers. They risked their lives to save us, and we continue to be grateful to them,” Guastalla emphasized. “We had to wait longer than expected for the commission’s approval. But now Mrs. Gina will finally get what she deserves. We talked about it; she cares a lot.” Guastalla and Cipolli met for the first time again in 2020. Shortly thereafter, Guastalla started the process.