Lions in Zion
I just read this fascinating article about an episode of religious unity in Israel generated by the visit of a group of Sikhs to the various faith communities in the Holy Land. Yes, Sikhs. Pretty cool, huh?
Jerusalem Post | Breaking News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World
Dear Jonathan,
I hope all is well with you. I'd meant to write a few days ago; here is a letter I've been sending around regarding Friday's Holocaust Memorial Day.
Best regards,
David
----------------------------------------
Dear Friends,
Today you may know is the Day of Memory, in remembrance of the Holocaust of European Jews which took place 60 years ago. I'm sorry that I didn't have the chance to send you the invitation earlier (but it any case it would have been impossible for you to arrive with the blizzard), but last night I saw a beautiful presentation at the ARCI, Martiri di Turro in Milan, with Holocaust survivors recounting their experiences, singers who sang soul-moving songs and actors who read from Elie Wiesel among others.
About 7500 Italian Jews were killed in the Holocaust. An immense patrimony was in large part lost, especially in small centers like Casale Monferrato, in whose stupendous 16th century Baroque synagogue I once spent the High Holidays... with the three remaining resident Jewish families (30 people). Jews have lived on the Italian peninsula since ancient times, and although they endured massacres as did their brethren elsewhere in Europe, they did manage to live in peace in many areas. From the end of the 1700s to WWII there were no massacres (as far as I know), and I think overall that there never was a large antisemitic movement in Italy as there was elsewhere in Europe, especially after the opening of the ghettos in 1848. Jews were well-integrated before that in some places, and a large number were university professors, among other professions. Only in 1938, with Italy's copycat passing of the racial laws (according to a Milanese survivor who spoke last night) did antisemitism begin to permeate Italian society. Unfortuntely, even if most of us have now left the scene, that hate/ignorance remains, that unjust stereotype remains in the heads of many who have never met a Jew. Sure, stereotypes can be funny at times, but it is these little things which are then taken seriously by people, which result then in 'exits from the scene' of Armenians (horrible that they do not have a day of their own), Kosovans/Albanians and so on and so on.
Today the falling snow does not give me peace as it usually does. Passing on this letter I hope will.
David