By Adam Smulevich
The Progetto Curricolo Nazionale Studi Ebraici (Project for a National Curriculum in Jewish studies) promoted by the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) has reached its final stages after five years of intense work with the participation …
By Ro Oranim*
In accordance with Papal law, Jewish families were not permitted to raise Catholic children. Once news of his baptism leaked, Edgardo Mortara was taken into custody by the Vatican.
It all started with a well-meaning decision. A …
By Pagine Ebraiche staff
Piero Terracina turned 90. He was born on November 12, 1928 in Rome and survived the Shoah. The present given to him by the Union of Italian Jewish Communities is a Chanukkia, the symbol of the …
By Nicholas Oliveti*
Padua is a mid-sized city located in northeastern Italy, about 25 miles east of Venice. Around the year 1000 the first Jews arrived in Padua. Towards the mid-14th century, many Jews from around Italy, who practiced banking …
By Cimring*
Tortellini in brodo (meat tortellini in broth), tagliatelle al ragù (pasta with meat sauce), lasagne verdi alla bolognese (lasagna with meat sauce and béchamel), zuppa inglese (cake and cream), and mascarpone (particular type of soft cheese often used …
By Jenna Lustbader*
The first extent mention of Jews living in the ancient northern Italian city of Mantua (Mantova) dates to around 1145. Soon after this, Abraham ibn Ezra (1089-1167), one of the most important Jewish biblical commentators and philosophers …
By Ilise Posner*
Could there be an imitation cheese lurking on your shelf? Parmesan cheese, a simple delight for many has an intriguing history. It originated in, you guessed it, the Italian province of Parma and has been prepared for …
by Austin Marques*
The city of Pisa, Italy is one of the centers of European medieval art and home to impressive architectural structures. The Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) is home to four Catholic monuments: the Cathedral, the Baptistry, …
By Aine Filler*
Ferrara, a town in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northeast Italy, is known as being the melting pot for different Jewish cultures. Jews first emigrated to Ferrara hundreds of years ago since the local laws generally tended to …
By Vicky Hallett*
Ready for a quick history lesson? About 1,952 years ago, Rome sacked Jerusalem. Its soldiers carried off the treasures of the temple and thousands of Jews. The money and slave labor were then used to build a …