עברית
Discovering Jewish Roots in Italy: A Community's Journey
From ancient bridges to festive gifts of imported snacks, the Jewish community in Genoa, Italy, shares its unique story. Deborah Hazan talks about bridging cultures and reviving Jewish life in this historic city.
Nervi, Genoa, ItalyWhat does Italy mean to you?<\/strong><\/p> "For us, Italy is a beautiful, ancient, and somewhat old-fashioned land, with many lost Jews. Some people view Italy as the Rome of old, but in our daily lives, we don't really think about that, and the sad history isn't felt here."<\/p> Is there a special reason you live here?<\/strong><\/p> "My husband and I are originally from Argentina, and three years ago we came to Italy on a mission. Actually, when my husband was twenty, he was sent from a yeshiva in Israel to Italy with a group of friends to study here and strengthen the local yeshiva. He picked up Italian fairly quickly, despite the confusion between it and Spanish due to their similarities. Many Italian words sound like their Spanish counterparts but mean something entirely different, so you might think you've understood a conversation, but in reality, you haven't. My husband managed with the language and even taught children in the Milan community for three years. He returned to Argentina at twenty-five, where we got married and settled down. Over the years, he kept in touch with the Milan community, and they asked us several times to come on a mission to Italy. But when our children were young, we didn't want to move to a place without suitable educational institutions. Thirty years later, when our youngest daughter was fifteen, an old student of my husband's, now a school principal in Milan, invited us again to come to Italy, and this time, we agreed."<\/p> "In Milan, we worked as teachers, and my husband also traveled twice a week to Genoa, known as Geneva of Italy, to work with the small local community. We spent our Shabbatot in Geneva, loading the car with Shabbat needs every Friday after I finished teaching, and drove there to be with the Jews of the city. However, the workload became too much, and it was hard to adjust to teaching after we had been directors in Argentina. Thank Hashem, six months ago, we moved to Geneva to focus on the Jewish community there. The community is small, mainly consisting of elderly Holocaust survivors who hid their Jewishness for many years, their families, who often don't know of their Jewish roots, and Israeli students attending local universities. The community is slowly experiencing a spiritual revival, and there's much exciting work to do. We try to find and meet more Jews, introduce them to their heritage, and establish a central place for all Jews in the city."<\/p> What educational institutions are available, and where do your children study?<\/strong><\/p> "There are no Jewish educational institutions in Geneva, not even kindergartens. Sadly, the Jewish population is very small, and there are many interfaith marriages, which we have to deal with. <\/p> "Milan is the closest city with Jewish educational options. It has three institutions: two for observant families and one for the general Jewish community, each with kindergartens, schools, and high schools. Boys usually attend yeshivas outside of Italy in their teenage years. <\/p> "My children are grown; some live in Israel, and three are married, thank Hashem. My youngest daughter attends high school in Milan and stays during the week with a Jewish family we know. Although Milan is two hours from Geneva and traveling each week is not easy, it's our best option. She comes home for Shabbat except during the winter when Fridays are shorter, so she only visits twice a month. She's in her senior year, taking exams as she would in Israel. I believe it's the only school worldwide that has arranged for students to take updated tests from Israel on the same dates as their peers there. B'ezrat Hashem, we hope she'll study in a seminary in Israel next year."<\/p> What's your weekly routine like?<\/strong><\/p> "I hold regular classes for women at home. The topics vary with the time of year, focusing on holiday laws before the holidays, and at other times, I teach about *kashrut*, *halachot* of Shabbat, *hafrashat challah*, and other daily observances. I have a fixed day for organizing activities, but beyond that, I don't have a strict schedule. Even if I plan a day for baking or shopping, if a local Jew calls and wants to visit, we cancel our plans to be there for them. This happens often. Just last Thursday, while I was about to start cooking for Shabbat, a Jewish man called asking to come over. He arrived, put on *tefillin*, talked to my husband and stayed for a few hours. I got a bit behind with Shabbat prep, but that's why we're here—to make them feel as comfortable as possible."<\/p> "Sometimes we visit local Jews at their homes. Recently, an elderly resident asked my husband to meet at his office. My husband went, helped him put on *tefillin*, and the man emotionally recounted how the last time he said *Shema Yisrael* was during the Holocaust, hiding in the mountains, terrified of the Nazis who entered his town that night, whispering *Shema Yisrael* in fear through the night. It was a touching encounter."<\/p> "In between, I manage the house, go shopping, and cook. Grocery shopping here requires time and thought. In Geneva, I can buy only certain dry goods, like pasta and rice, fruits, vegetables, and fish. Everything else—meat, poultry, dairy, wine, and grape juice—I find with proper certification only in Milan, and at times, we even travel to Nice, France, to restock. Once every one or two months, I go to Nice, which offers a wider range of kosher products than Milan. The drive to Nice is long and in winter, it can be risky: heavy rains don't soak into the ground, ancient bridge pieces collapse, mountain landslides block the highway. It happened a month ago, and last year, a bridge collapsed, injuring and killing many. Residents complain, yet the old roads aren't maintained properly."<\/p> How do you celebrate Shabbat?<\/strong><\/p> "Generally, I begin shopping on Tuesday. I can't buy everything in one store: fresh fish here, fruits at another place, flour and oil for *challah* baking at a nearby supermarket, and disposables elsewhere. Often, some kosher items are missing, leading to more searching at other stores, extending my shopping into Wednesday. On Thursday, I focus on cooking and baking. I bake the *challah* on Thursday, immediately freezing them, and on Friday, just before Shabbat, I place them on the hot plate. There's certainly no option of buying ready-made kosher food, so I cook everything myself. I clean the house on Thursday and Friday. And no, I don't have a housekeeper—help here is very expensive."<\/p> "I never know how many guests will join us for Shabbat; it ranges from four to twelve, including regulars who come every week, others from the synagogue, and sometimes tourists. So, I always prepare a few extra dishes. By the way, we use only boiled grape juice and wine to avoid the risk of *yayin nesech* should a guest with unverified Jewish status join us, which happens unfortunately not infrequently. Due to the Holocaust, many Jews hid their identities, and now their descendants have no proof of their Jewishness. On Shabbat, all guests—expected and unexpected—gather at our home. Meals are held in a pleasant atmosphere. My husband shares divrei Torah, leads Shabbat songs with the guests, and everyone enjoys conversations."<\/p> What's the weather like now?<\/strong><\/p> "It's winter here currently. Generally, winters in Geneva are colder than in Israel, but there's usually no snow. Temperatures hover around 1-2 degrees Celsius."<\/p> What's the political situation like there?<\/strong><\/p> "I'm not well-versed in local politics and can't vote because we're not Italian citizens. Elections were held two years ago, and we weren't involved. Now there's an elected president and prime minister, with the general situation being quite calm."<\/p> Do you experience any antisemitism?<\/strong><\/p> "Like all of Europe recently, there's been a rise in antisemitism. As world tensions with Iran and Trump increase, there's more talk about Jews, both for and against them. Yet, the situation here is fairly good, and Italy is considered less antisemitic than other European countries.<\/p> "In our neighborhood, my husband walks in the street with a hat and *kippah*. Some worry and tell him it's dangerous, but we don't feel it is. Quite the opposite—people often approach him, curious about what he's wearing. Upon learning he's Jewish, they ask for blessings, claiming they love Jews. Thank Hashem, although there are anti-Semites here too, we haven't encountered them, and Hashem is watching over us."<\/p> How do you prepare for Tu Bishvat?<\/strong><\/p> "On Tu Bishvat, we have a communal fruit gathering at the synagogue with the local rabbi, blessing fruits together. If there are imported fruits from Israel in the store, we'll buy them; if not, we'll manage with regular fruits. There are plenty of unfamiliar, exotic fruits here that I find quite strange. Our guests sometimes request them, but I'm not sure of their taste or how to prepare them—cooked or raw—and what blessing to say for them, so I prefer familiar, traditional fruits."<\/p> "For Purim this year, we're already looking for a large hall to rent. Last year, we celebrated with a big, joyful ceremony at the synagogue, reading the *Megillah* in front of everyone and having a festive meal. Some guests, including children, dressed up. My daughter, for example, dressed as a gumball machine, creatively using bristol boards and pom-poms for her costume. It wasn't as vibrant and lively as Purim in Israel, where costumes and ideas are more elaborate, and there's no street atmosphere of Purim here. If people see someone in costume, they often think it's for the carnival, G-d forbid, held around the same week. We ended by giving personal *Mishloach Manot* to each local Jew. They didn't even know about this mitzvah, thanked us for the 'gift', and were thrilled to find a pack of Bamba from Israel inside, which friends managed to bring us for Purim. Though Milan has kosher snacks and candies, it doesn't compare to a genuine pack of Osem Bamba. The community's kids especially enjoyed it."<\/p> Have you visited Israel, and when? What impressions did you have?<\/strong><\/p> "Thank Hashem, we visited Israel this year, and soon we plan another two-week trip. We couldn't leave during the holiday rush, preferring our vacation later. In Israel, I visit our children, witness our blessings firsthand, and calm my longing. Between visits, we travel to the graves of *tzadikim* and the Kotel, absorbing some spirituality to carry us through the year. We don't usually go on casual tours, as Italy provides abundant scenery. We come to Israel for its holiness, and each visit fills us with strength to continue. My husband can easily attend a synagogue for daily prayers—all three services—do you know what a delight that is? To be in a religious environment where everyone around us is Jewish, with such a different, spiritual atmosphere—it's an incredible, uplifting feeling."<\/p> Anything you'd like from Israel that's unavailable there?<\/strong><\/p> "There's almost nothing in Geneva. Milan has kosher food but lacks unique items. Maybe it's trivial, but when in Israel, I buy soup almonds, soup mix, jelly, pudding, chocolates, candies, and cheese. The flight takes about three and a half hours, so dairy products don't spoil on the way back to Italy."<\/p> A unique story that could only happen to you:<\/strong><\/p> "Upon our arrival and beginning to connect with city Jews, we heard about a local Israeli singer who became quite successful and popular here, amassing a following of fans. We wanted to meet him, but everyone said, 'Him? He'd never be interested in Judaism.' But we waited patiently, and during one community event, when we met him, we invited him for a Shabbat meal at our house. He accepted, enjoying the Israeli dishes I prepared just for him: *matbucha*, hummus, eggplants, and many salads beloved by Israelis. He was impressed by the atmosphere and warmth, and we gradually formed a connection. He still doesn't agree to put on *tefillin*, but he's open to other things. For our Chanukah celebration at 'Palazzo Ducale' (Palazzo Ducale), he agreed to attend. After the public menorah lighting, he performed with his choir in front of the audience, bringing much enjoyment and emotion to the Jewish visitors. "<\/p> "We'll never forget how last year we arrived from Milan two days before Pesach, armed with dozens of *shmurah matzahs* to distribute to local Jews. With the time crunch and all the preparations for the public Seder, it seemed impossible to deliver to every home in the community. We were at a loss, but Hashem provided a miraculous solution: suddenly, that Jewish singer called us, offering to help with Pesach preparations. When he heard about our *matzah* dilemma, he didn't hesitate to volunteer himself and his scooter to distribute the *matzahs*. Within hours, he rode through every street in the city, ensuring that all Jewish locals had *shmurah matzahs* for the Seder night. Imagine the powerful impression made by the famous singer appearing at Jewish homes with the *matzahs*."<\/p><\/p>
Nervi, Genoa - 20 minutes from Deborah Hazan's home<\/p>
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Nervi, Genoa, Italy<\/p>
Purim gift packages ready on the couch<\/p>
The synagogue of the Jewish community in Geneva<\/p>
The decorated menorah for the public ceremony<\/p>The ornate menorah for the public ceremony
