In the past, Livorno, a port city on the west coast of Tuscany, was home to seven yeshivas focused on the study of rabbinic literature. “Then, gradually, the Jewish community of Livorno lost its members,” recalled Chief Rabbi of Livorno Umberto Piperno. “The Yeshiva Marini was the last to shut down.” At the time, Rabbi Alfredo Toaff, who led the Jewish Community from 1924 to 1963, commented, ‘Last scene, last act.’ He was right. When books and a community of study disappear, an essential feature of Judaism is lost.” In early July, an initiative inspired by the Yeshiva Marini brought rabbis, scholars, and Jewish scribes to Livorno for three days of lessons and meetings, some of which were open to members of the Jewish community.
Supported by the Matteo Roccas’ family in memory of his father, Fabrizio, the initiative is the first step toward a larger event. “Being with children is part of a rabbi’s work, but a rabbi also needs to continue studying,” said Rav Piperno. “This is why we decided to open a yeshiva once a year. We named it Yeshiva Marini, a place of historical significance in this city. It is the yeshiva where Rabbi Alfredo Toaff studied, and the Jewish local heritage is partly preserved there.
Rabbi Roni Klopstock from the Yeshivat Ha-Kotel in Jerusalem, along with the Chief Rabbis of Turin and Venice, Ariel Finzi and Gadi Piperno; Rabbi Alberto Sermoneta; and Rabbi Piperno himself, participated in the event. The maskilim and scribes Jonathan Di Veroli and David Limentani were joined by scholar Luciano Tagliacozzo.
The program included Biblical lessons, discussions, and community meetings. Livorno’s Eruv, the ritual boundary that allows Jews to carry in public areas on Shabbat, was among the subjects discussed. Rabbi Piperno is working on an eruv that will partly follow the path of the Fosso Reale within the Medici canal system. “We traveled the canal by boat, identified its critical points, and considered possible solutions with Rabbi Klopstock. In some cases, adding a thread or a sign might be enough to solve the problem.”
Di Veroli and Limentani also examined various Torah scrolls and selected one to restore in memory of Rabbi Alfredo Toaff. During the event, the Italian translation of the Talmud Yerushalmi, published by the historic Italian publisher Belforte in Livorno and translated by Luciano Tagliacozzo, was presented. The volume is part of a broader Italian initiative for translating the Talmud Yerushalmi, which is coordinated by figures like Rabbi Piperno, and underwent many revisions to make the text and the translation the most accurate.
The visit to Yeshiva Marini also allowed for a survey of its historical library. The volumes have been cataloged, but digitization is still in progress. Some of the first pages are already available on the website of the National Library of Israel. The goal now is to continue the yeshiva project and, in the future, involve students and members from other Jewish communities.
d.r.