Having trouble viewing this email? Click here November 14, 2022 – 20 Cheshvan 5783  

La synagogue d’Alexandrie retrouve son ancienne gloire: le 6 novembre, jour néfaste qui nous rappelle l’inondation du 1994, se transforme dans une revanche de la joie après 28 ans. Lors d’une journée de fête à laquelle tous les citoyens ont participé, la synagogue piémontaise, l’une des plus belles d’Italie, partie fondamentale et nécessaire du tissu urbain et de l’histoire de la ville, est finalement redevenue un lieu de rencontre, de culture et de prière après le long et minutieux travail de restauration de ces dernières années.
La valeur de ce projet va bien au-delà du succès qui entraine le renouvèlement de l’ancienne splendeur d’un bien du patrimoine architectonique précieux et indispensable pour la ville, un temple monumentale situé au cœur de l’ancien ghetto. Il s’agit d’une étape historique et stratégique d’une importance qui signifie beaucoup pour toute l’Italie juive. La présence d’un large public et de Dario Disegni, président de la Communauté juive de Turin, souligne l’importance de ce moment.
Le president a accueilli les nombreux visiteurs, parmi lesquels beaucoup font partie de la communauté Juive du Piémont alors que d’autres, originaires d’Alexandrie, sont venus de très loin. Ce geste a montré la fierté des Juifs piémontais pour le résultat attaint.
Ce difficile projet de restauration, en effet, a été entièrement réalisé grâce aux fonds de la récolte fiscale du “8Xmille” (la part de l'impôt sur le revenu que l'État italien répartit, sur la base des choix effectués dans les déclarations fiscales, entre lui-même et les douze confessions religieuses qui ont conclu un accord) que l’État italien n’utilise pas. L’argent nécessaires aux travaux ne provient pas de la partie des fonds qui est destinée aux différentes confessions religieuses. “L’État sert à ça” a commenté sans ambages le préfet d’Alexandrie Francesco Zito, qui a mis à la lumière l’importance de cette étape historique. “La ville-a garanti de son côté Giorgio Abonante, maire d’Alexandrie- fera sa part”.
La célébration, à laquelle ont participé les majeures autorités locales, politiques, religieuses et militaires, a pris une connotation juive, notamment grâce aux interventions du rabbin de Turin Ariel Finzi et du rabbin de Gênes Giuseppe Momigliano, qui ont partagé leur patrimoine de mémoires personnelles et grâce aux chants liturgiques de Shumel et Baruch Lampronti.
D’autres moments intenses et émouvants, ont traversé la salle peuplée au moment où a pris la parole la professeure Paola Vitale, l’une des derniers représentants du monde Juif qui habite encore à Alexandrie, ou au moment de l’architecte Andrea Milanese qui a dédié une entière saison de sa vie professionnelle à la magistrale restauration de la synagogue, en obtenant des résultats presque stupéfiants. Maintenant, la ville possède un vrai trésor à garder et les Juifs italiens ont la responsabilité de maintenir la synagogue un lieu de rencontre vif, où l’on perçoit la présence de la Communauté Juive, comme pendant cette journée sans égaux.
 
Traduction de Onda Carofiglio, révisée par Alida Caccia, étudiantes à l’École Supérieure de Langues Modernes pour les Interprètes et les Traducteurs de l’Université de Trieste, stagiaires dans le bureau du journal de l’Union des communautés juives italiennes – Pagine Ebraiche.

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By Dario Disegni*
 
After an intense and meticulous redevelopment work, started following the flood of 1994 and made possible by the generous allocation granted by the Italian State from the funds of 8×1000, the Synagogue of Alessandria, characterized by its imposing façade of eclectic architecture with neo-Gothic influences, finally reopens. This is a significant event for the city, for Italian Judaism, and for the whole country.
One of the most beautiful Synagogues in Piedmont, it was festively inaugurated in 1871 after the Emancipation by king Charles Albert (king of Sardinia-Piedmont) was granted in 1848. The Synagogue encourages us to remember and think about the history of what was an important Community, present in the city, with various events, since the end of the fifteenth century, and which was tragically decimated in the Shoah, during which 25 of the 245 members inscribed in 1938 perished.
Unfortunately, today the community is comprised of only a few units, although they are deeply rooted in their cultural and religious identity. In such an important day, I would like to briefly retrace some of the essential moments of the history of the Jews of Alessandria.

*President of the Jewish Community of Turin
 
Translated by Annadora Zuanel, revised by Martina Bandini, students at the Secondary School of Modern Languages for Interpreters and Translators of the University of Trieste, interns at the newspaper office of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities – Pagine Ebraiche.

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Freedom without fear. Addressing the audience of the first Forum of Jewish women in Italy last week, the Senator for life Liliana Segre underlines the lesson she learnt during an existence marked by the most unspeakable tragedy. “Life – the Auschwitz survivor explains to the participants – taught me to be free and fearless”. The menaces constraining her to be “the oldest woman in Europe with the security detail” do not intimidate her. It is rather the contrary. Segre takes a stand against those who think to be allowed to channel their hate on her without feeling ashamed, as the no-vax do. “Not later than yesterday I received a strong threat. And it was signed. So, for once, I will sue the person who sent it”. And then, with her usual irony, she adds: “It’s also in very poor taste to wish me death when I’m 92”.
As always, the audience in the room listens in complete silence to her witness of “the great oblivion” that accompanied her for part of her life. For a long time, Segre recalls, she remained silent about her own experience: from being expelled from school because of racist laws to being turned back at the Swiss border, from the arrest and the detention in San Vittore Prison to the deportation from platform 21 to Auschwitz. “It was very hard to face that world from which not only had I been rejected but banished, mocked”. A world that preferred to forget that “great oblivion” of which, however, Segre bore “the marks on her skin”.

Translated by Margherita Francese, revised by Valentina Megera, students at the Secondary School of Modern Languages for Interpreters and Translators of the University of Trieste, interns at the newspaper office of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities – Pagine Ebraiche.

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Antisemitic and racist hatred is an old issue which has never stopped corroding the curves of Italian stadiums. It is a lacerating theme whose consequences spread far beyond the cheering circles and the ninety minutes of a football match. Noemi Di Segni, president of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities, highlighted this problem during an extensive interview granted to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the most important national sports newspaper. This is an in-depth conversation that takes its cue from the latest news episode but touches different open questions of an issue which is extensive and for the majority still unresolved, also due to single clubs’ responsibility.
During the interview Di Segni says: “I experience every kind of chant, whether antisemite or which glorifies other forms of racism, as a stab”. A reaction to this is essential, she then continues. This is “a work that can’t only come from Jewish people: the response to discomfort, to evil, to the sorrow provoked by chants or banners, calls in many different subjects”. Among others “football industry, politics, the judiciary but also schools”.
About this matter Di Segni observes: “Those moments when you start living football, when you start playing it, cheering it, are fundamental. We need to respond to this offensive banalization according to which calling your opponent Jewish is an insult. It is a matter of culture, that regards every family”.
 
Translated by Laura Cattani and revised by Martina Bandini students at the Advanced School for Interpreters and Translators of the University of Trieste, interns at the newspaper office of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities – Pagine Ebraiche.

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Por Roberto Jona

Con respecto a la inauguración del Beit Hakneset de Alejandría (Piemonte, Italia), quiero compartir un acontecimiento que me contó personalmente Peppino Vitale. Cabe empezar diciendo que Vitale era el mayor representante de la pequeña comunidad judía de la región italiana Piemonte, muy famoso y bien recibido sobretodo en la ciudad de Alejandría. En 1938, a consecuencia de la promulgación de las leyes raciales, fue obligado al trabajo forzoso previsto por esa atroz legislación. Para despreciarlo aún más, lo asignaron a la Limpieza Urbana con el encargo de barrer las calles del centro de la ciudad.
Vitale no se desanimó, ni trató de escapar de la vejatoria imposición. Al recibir las indicaciones sobre el lugar y la hora de su trabajo, obedeció las órdenes recibidas y cumplió puntualmente con sus tareas. Como no se le había asignado una “uniforme de trabajo”, decidió por sí mismo cómo vestirse. Por tanto, se presentó al trabajo en frac y sombrero de copa y empezó a barrer una de las calles centrales de Alejandría. Debido a su notoriedad, poco después se reunió una pequeña multitud alrededor de él, avergonzando al funcionario fascista que le había encomendado la tarea. Al día siguiente se levantó la obligación.
 
Roberto Jona
 
Traducido por Diana Drudi, estudiante de la Escuela Superior de Intérpretes y Traductores de la Universidad de Trieste, pasante en la oficina del periódico de la Unión de las Comunidades Judías Italianas – Pagine Ebraiche.

By Basia Monka*

Moshe Haiym Polacco works in hi-tech, holds a managerial position and has an office in the Diamond Exchange District. Like many Israelis, he loves to travel. Whenever possible, he travels with his wife around the world. But unlike many people, his passion and hobby is to lead free tours in Israel for anyone who wants to join him. His first tour in April 2015 was taken by 18 people. Now his Facebook group Metaylim Be Sababa has more than 4,000 members, and “around 1,800 of them, at least once, participated in a trip,” says Polacco. 
He is not a professional tour guide (although he doesn’t exclude the possibility that one day he will be), and he doesn’t run a travel agency. He just invites friends and strangers (who often become his friends later on) to join him in discovering Israel in the most accessible way – via public transportation. He came up with the idea because he wanted to travel around Israel, but as a new citizen (he made aliyah in 2013) he didn’t own a car. 
 
*This article was originally published on The Jerusalem Posto on November 11, 2022

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