Editor's Notebook

Community Views

Sometimes It's Hard
Not To Cry

Jewish Italy
Is A Paradox

PHIL JACOBS EDITOR

JEANNIE WEINER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

/

As I sat in the Italy. The ghetto was established missed what they thought was
massive and bea- on the outskirts of Venice the proper melody in the trope.
utiful Moorish in 1541. This is where Jews were When my eyes surreptitiously
Synagogue in Flo- locked in at night, with the diverted from the text to observe
rence, a young exception of doctors who were the beauty of this 1538 sanctu-
man made a pas- needed to treat the nobility. It ary, I saw that my new friend
sionate appeal for is easy to find the ghetto because was vigorously pointing to the
in the Siddur.
funds to secure it is marked on the water- place
At the Oneg, my friend spoke
the survival of bus stop in both Italian and He-
the building. Its brew. Merchants in the area po- of her daughter, son-in-law
and grandchildren who had not
school, which once educated hun- litely directed us to the entrance. come to the services. She worried
We
saw
many
Italian
public-
dreds of children through high
that her daughter did not par-
school, now has only a handful of school children being taken on ticipate in the synagogue. There
children in the elementary grades. tours.
In Venice, I was deeply moved are now only 600 Jews living in
When he was inevitably asked
by
a Sephardic Shabbat service. Venice.
by the American tourist, "Do you
In Trieste, we left the train sta-
I
sat
in the women's section and
have anti-Semitism here," the an-
tion to walk to the old part
swer came quickly: "It's
of town and immediately
like America. There are
saw the brown "informa-
too few of us to trouble
tion" signs pointing to a
with and most Italians
number of sites, including
have no idea what a
the Tempio Israelitico. We
Jew really is."
decided to follow the signs
According to a book
on foot. Within 15 minutes,
by Italian Jews, "Italy
as we walked down a hill,
was one of the coun-
we saw a large, awesome
tries where Jews led a
building with domes and a
relatively tranquil and
huge, stone Star of David.
serene life." Many Ital-
The voice on the intercom
ian Jews seem to be-
insisted we could not enter.
lieve that their history,
"It's impossible, impossi-
for the most part, has
ble."
been positive. Many
Earlier, we had asked a
seem resolved to stay
concierge at a large hotel
the course and try to
near the train station
survive the assimila-
about this tempi°. She had
tion. I found Jewish
heard of it but didn't know
Italy to be a paradox.
exactly where it was or
In Rome, we visited
whether it was a museum.
a large synagogue in a
She was kind and helpful
beautiful location near
and looked in a number of
the Tiber River. The
books, including the tele-
building is patrolled by
phone book, but she was
woneiv,
Italian police all day,
clearly not aware of this
every day. Thirty min-
large edifice only one mile
utes away is Ostia An-
from her.
tica, the large Roman
On the plane home, I re-
ruins where we found The interior of the Moorish Synagogue in Florence.
called a museum which
the remains of a syn-
listed Jews as an "ancient cult."
agogue believed to date to the first shared a book with an elegant I thought of the words of the
woman
who
smelled
of
fresh
century. In fact, the Roman Jew-
guide in Florence who talked
ish community dates itself from bread and spring flowers. With about the ease of assimilation.
my
high-school
Spanish,
I
could
the time of the Maccabees when
"The Jews in Italy are a few
Jewish ambassadors came to communicate clumsily and un- years ahead of the Jews in Amer-
derstand
almost
everything
the
Rome. Some Jews say they are
ica," he said. "Please take care of
neither "Ashkenazic" nor woman said.
the children and guard our Ju-
There
were
as
many
women
"Sephardic," but simply "Roman."
daism so that we Jews do not dis-
there
that
day
as
men,
and
they
The word "ghetto" comes from
knew their stuff. They were an- appear."
Jeannie Weiner is past president
We are trying, but I wonder if
noyed by any of the men who
of the Jewish Community
mispronounced the Hebrew or we are doing enough. ❑
Council of Metro Detroit.

•

/—

6355360 @MCIMAIL . COM .

What
Do You
r Think?"

What is going to be the next

Detroit "Jewish neighborhood"?

To respond: "So, What Do You ThinkT
27676 Franklin Road, Southfield, MI 48034

Last year, we were writing
There's a rabbi
in town I have about a prime minister named
called many Rabin. When Binyamin Ne-
times before tanyahu visited Detroit in the
when rve need- fall, there were doubts he'd un-
ed to feel better. seat the incumbent. We didn't
Better about yet know the name of a man
myself, about named Yigal Amir. We hadn't
life, about the heard of the "Engineer," nor did
we worry about Israelis riding
world.
I wish I could the No. 18 bus. There was a time
write his name in this space. I Saudi Arabia was still consid-
didn't call him to write a column, ered a relatively safe place for
though. I called him for me. our soldiers and black church-
It was the day after Flight 800. es weren't being burned to ash
My friend answered the like logs in a fireplace.
Now, we see film after film of
phone. He sounded so unchar-
acteristically down that I asked the remains of a TWA flight. A
reporter in New York is arrest-
him if he was OK
What he said has haunted me ed for sneaking into the hotel res-
for a week, and I really don't idence housing the grieving
know if it will fade away. families. I read there are more
"We live in a culture of security officers in Atlanta than
athletes.
killing," said the rabbi.
I worry that the "mezuzahs"
He said this before I even
asked him to explain to me how of this world need to be checked.
something so terrible as the pre- Yes, these cases that carry the
vious night's events could hap- Sh'ma and guard our homes
pen. from their doorposts are more
This is a man of such enthu- than just symbols. We should all
siastic Torah insight that his be "cases," if you will, carrying
warmth and radiance is the mo- the greatest "parchment" we can
tivation for many of us. What ob- offer ourselves, our children, our
viously is the act of something parents, our society: souls that
lower than humanity was love and respect the opportuni-
enough to shake him. ty for lives we and others have
Several years ago, I had the been given.
I do not believe that the peo-
honor of attending Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur ser- ple who kill, be they Arab or Jew,
vices with this rabbi. It was the carry that internal "mezuzah."
very first time I'd ever seen a rab- During the past few days,
bi in front of his congregation cry many of us have been sitting on
hysterically in prayer. I sat there the sofas in our family rooms en-
wondering: If this man is crying, joying the Olympics. We've
then I must have incalculable thrilled in seeing other people
tears in front of me. work hard, win medals and ac-
Now after a short conversa- complish their goals. I've even
lion on the phone last week, I un- watched my little girl dance
derstand why this man cries. around the room pretending that
I cannot remember in my life she is a gymnast.
There are, however, many
so much killing. Two weeks ago,
my colleagues from the various who might feel they don't mea-
newspapers we are linked with sure up, that they'll never have
met in a conference call to dis- a chance to win a "medal." Our
cuss our upcoming Rosh "medals" are our mitzvot, our
Hashanah Jewish News cover. children, our friendships, our
We talked of images of unity; we Torah. Being a good example is
talked of images of hope. When more important than a good 100-
it came time for me to give my , meter dash. Getting help for our
opinion. I thought of an old Bea- abuses is a gold-medal award.
tles' song, "A Day In The Life." Seeking the continuance of
There's a line, "I read the news our faith, no matter how we ob-
today, oh boy..." The song ends serve or interpret it, is better
with a crescendo that suggests than a national anthem playing.
a world headed out of control. We don't need the razzmatazz of
I heard a voice come from TV and corporate sponsors to
within me, and I wasn't sure if have respect and make a better
my colleagues would understand world.
Don't forget that.
what I was talking about. Don't
This world won't heal by itself.
know if I really understood it.
Yet, I knew that in my life, I've We, in small measures, have to
heard rabbis recommend to fain- maintain that faith.
Sometimes it comes down to
ilies that in time of trouble, they
get the mezuzahs in their homes changing the "mezuzahs."
I don't doubt that my rabbi
or businesses checked or even
changed. Some rabbis have even friend and leader will cry again
recommended to parents of a this year.
This time I won't have diffi-
sick child that the child's Hebrew
culty
keeping up with him. ❑
name be changed.

