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| Self-Hating |
 by Guido Vitale*An Italian journalist belonging to Catholic right-wing circles has published a book denouncing self-hating Jews. Self-hatred, he believes, is expressed when arguments and justifications - in this case of the Jews - are not supported energetically enough, and when others’ views are over-emphasized. The result resembles a blacklist which includes many prominent Jewish intellectuals, artists and journalists. The issue of exaggerated self-critique obviously exists, and hysterical or excessive criticisms of Israeli governments should be firmly rejected. However, it is essential to maintain a healthy balance and to respect freedom of expression and creativity. Those who want to isolate dissenters cannot be true friends of the Jewish world, and have not understood what Jews represent or why their existence is so important. This sad book presages a chilling world, which allows no space for constructive debate or culture, but only uniform obedience. A world where being Jewish is not worthwhile, and where Jews themselves - after having been transformed into single-minded foot soldiers - no longer have a reason to exist and have no meaningful future. *Guido Vitale is the editor-in-chief of Pagine Ebraiche. |
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| Italian Word of the Week: DIALOGO |
| by Daniela
Gross In Italian the word “dialogo”, as you easily can guess, means “dialogue”. However, to really understand what it means for the Italian Jewry you should add the word “interreligioso – interfaith”. The dialogue among the religions is a good practice at every latitude, but in Italy it implies to deal with the Church and with the catholic majority, not an easy job in a country where thOSE relations have been so troubled and often very painful for centuries. A new season in the interfaith dialogue was opened, more than fifty years ago, by Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council, whose declaration “Nostra Aetate” (in Latin “our age”), the document approved in regard to the relations with non-Christian religions, marked an authentic turning point. Twenty years later Pope John Paul II gives a new boost to the “dialogo”. He was the first pope to visit Auschwitz, in 1979, and on April 13th, 1986 he visited the Great Synagogue in Rome: The first official papal visit ever made to a synagogue, a symbolic and important event. John Paul II was received by Rabbi Elio Toaff, the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Rome and during the ceremony noted the Christianity’s unique bond with Judaism, pronouncing the famous sentence “You are our beloved brothers ... you are our elder brothers". In 1993 he established formal diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the State of Israel, acknowledging its centrality to Jewish life. |
This newsletter is published under difficult conditions. The editors of this newsletter are Italian journalists whose native language is Italian. They are willing to offer their energy and their skills to give international readers the opportunity of learning more about the Italian Jewish world, its values, its culture and its traditions.
In spite of all our efforts to avoid this, readers may find an occasional language mistake. We count on your understanding and on your help and advice to correct these mistakes and improve our publication.
Pagine Ebraiche International Edition is published by the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI). UCEI publications encourage an understanding of the Jewish world and the debate within it. The articles and opinions published by Pagine Ebraiche International Edition, unless expressly stated otherwise, cannot be interpreted as the official position of UCEI, but only as the self-expression of the people who sign them, offering their comments to UCEI publications. Readers who are interested in making their own contribution should email us at desk@ucei.it
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© UCEI - All rights reserved - The articles may only be reproduced after obtaining the written permission of the editor-in-chief. Pagine Ebraiche - Reg Rome Court 199/2009 – Editor in Chief: Guido Vitale - Managing Editor: Daniela Gross.
Special thanks to: Francesco Moises Bassano, Susanna Barki, Monica Bizzio, Benedetta Guetta, Daniel Leisawitz, Gadi Luzzatto Voghera, Yaakov Mascetti, Francesca Matalon, Giovanni Montenero, Elèna Mortara, Shirley Piperno, Giandomenico Pozzi, Daniel Reichel, Adam Smulevich, Simone Somekh, Rossella Tercatin, Ada Treves.
Questo notiziario è realizzato in condizioni di particolare difficoltà. I redattori di questo notiziario sono giornalisti italiani di madrelingua italiana. Mettono a disposizione le loro energie e le loro competenze per raccontare in lingua inglese l'ebraismo italiano, i suoi valori, la sua cultura e i suoi valori. Nonostante il nostro impegno il lettore potrebbe trovare errori e imperfezioni nell'utilizzo del linguaggio che faremo del nostro meglio per evitare. Contiamo sulla vostra comprensione e soprattutto sul vostro aiuto e sul vostro consiglio per correggere gli errori e migliorare.
Pagine Ebraiche International Edition è una pubblicazione edita dall'Unione delle Comunità Ebraiche Italiane. L'UCEI sviluppa mezzi di comunicazione che incoraggiano la conoscenza e il confronto delle realtà ebraiche. Gli articoli e i commenti pubblicati, a meno che non sia espressamente indicato il contrario, non possono essere intesi come una presa di posizione ufficiale, ma solo come la autonoma espressione delle persone che li firmano e che si sono rese gratuitamente disponibili. Gli utenti che fossero interessati a offrire un proprio contributo possono rivolgersi all'indirizzo desk@ucei.it
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© UCEI - Tutti i diritti riservati - I testi possono essere riprodotti solo dopo aver ottenuto l'autorizzazione scritta della Direzione. Pagine Ebraiche International Edition - notiziario dell'ebraismo italiano - Reg. Tribunale di Roma 199/2009 - direttore responsabile: Guido Vitale - Coordinamento: Daniela Gross.
Realizzato con il contributo di: Francesco Moises Bassano, Susanna Barki, Monica Bizzio, Benedetta Guetta, Daniel Leisawitz, Gadi Luzzatto Voghera, Yaakov Mascetti, Francesca Matalon, Giovanni Montenero, Elèna Mortara, Shirley Piperno, Giandomenico Pozzi, Daniel Reichel, Adam Smulevich, Simone Somekh, Rossella Tercatin, Ada Treves.