37 —
Purely Commentary
By Philip Slomovitz
ROME, Italy — Now this photograph can
be reproduced as a mark of Jewry's triumph
over all the elements of destruction in the
last 2,000 years. This is the notorious wall in
the Arch of Titus that shows the march of
"Titus ha-Rasha"—"the cruel Titus" with
the holy vestments he had taken from the
Temple in Jerusalem to Rome. The seven-
branched Menorah, the Holy Ark of the Law,
the silver trumpets and the golden table were
in the procession.
The Titus Arch was intended to show the
destruction not only of the Temple but also of
the Jewish people.
Therefore, during all the centuries that
had passed since the cruel acts of Titus, no
Jew would pass under or through the Arch.
Jews were oppressed, they were downcast,
they were in constant danger from oppres-
sors, but they would not acknowledge defeat.
Then came the historic moment: Israel's
rebirth. Thereupon, • the Jews of Rome and
those who may have been here as visitors at
the , time; staged a great demonstration on
that historic day in May of 1948. Jews could
now laugh at Titus and his tyrannical acts.
We passed under that Arch, and we were
a part of the historic triumph over, an attempt
to destroy us.
Today, an additional mark of repudiation
of the former anti-Semitism and the Titusian
implications is the fact that one of the streets
named in Rome in honor of the world's dis-
tinguished scientist is called "Chaim Weiz-
mann Avenue."
Roman Jewry has even been living proof
Of our people's indestructibility. The French
Jewish historian, Bernard Lazare, thus de-
scribed the power to survive of this small
community of Jews:
"The tiny Jewish Colony has seen the
Roman Republic and the Empire fall; it has
wept at Caesar's death; it has seen the Bar-
The Jewries of Italy and Great
• Britain . . . Israel's Indestructibility
•
in Evidence Everywhere . . . Ad-
denda to Reports on Israel
barians come; it has seen everything change
and the Church build itself. And at the begin-
ning of the century it is still there, having
merely, in the course of 2,000 years, crossed
the Tiber."
There was a time When the Rabbi of
Rome had to report to the authorities, on the
first day of each year, to plead for his peo-
ple's "privilege" to remain in Rome. That
practice was abandoned more than 150 years
ago. But in spite of the closing of all gates
to the ghetto of Rome from sundown to sun-
rise; in defiance of derisions, Jews carried on
and survived all indignities.
Italian Jewry is not as secure today. Inter-
marriage takes its toll. There is much assimi-
lation. Is it possible that a people that was
stronger spiritually than the Rorrian Empire
now finds its mission fulfilled,.with the State
of Israel reborn? Italian Jews differ on the
subject. Many believe that as long as the syn-
agogues survive, Jewry will survive.
Indestructible Jewry
FLORENCE, Italy — The beautiful syna-
gogue in this charming city was desecrated
by the Nazis. The municipality helped to, re-
build it. "It is the most beautiful synagogue
in Europe," the Shames, Nathan Levi,
claimed for it.
We wondered about the future of Firenze
Jewry. Our guide, Miriam Maestro, daughter
of Dr. Leono Maestro, an eminent ophthal-
mologist here, product of an intermarriage,
was skeptical. The Shames was optimistic.
Then the Shames admitted that there are
fewer than five Jewish marriages performed
yearly in this city's fine synagogue. We began
to share Miriam's skepticism.
But the Jews survive and there is no rea-
son to doubt that they will continue to sur-
vive. Their synagogue was used as a garage
by the Nazis, but it is once again a holy place.
It struggles with small numbers, but it serves
Jewry that is indestructible.
Shalom and Israel
VENICE — Here, too, there is an impres-
sive synagogue — the only one of five that
continues to function. Here, the Shames ex-
pressed greater pessimism over the future of
Jewry. There are too few young Jews to be
mated, intermarriage predominates, minya-
nim decline.
One man here claimed there were 3,000
Jews here. Another believed there were 6,000
Jews in Venice. The Shames knew better: he
said there were only 1,000 Jews in Venice.
He fears the future. If not for Israel . . .
One of the Venice. synagogues in the
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