Rediscovering Jewish roots in Calabria

Thanks to a generous grant from the Vuolo-Bernstein Family Foundation, the Italian Jewish Cultural Center of Calabria (IjCCC) will begin activities in January, 2007.

The IjCCC is the brainchild of Rabbi Barbara Aiello, the first Progressive (Reform) and first woman rabbi in Italy who will organize series of cultural experiences designed to help Italians learn about and connect with their Jewish roots. The rabbi will work in tandem with the Vuolo-Bernstein Family Foundation, an interfaith Italian-Jewish family group dedicated to helping those Italians with Jewish roots to make a positive connection with their heritage.

Based on research conducted by Calabrian expert, Professor Vincenzo Villella and others, historians understand that prior to the Inquisition in the late 1400’s and early 1500’s, more than one half of the entire population of Calabria, (the “foot” of the Italian “boot”) was Jewish. In hundreds small towns and villages throughout the region there exists evidence of a strong historical Jewish presence. The IjCCC and the Vuolo-Bernstein Family Foundation hope to revive this important part of Italian culture and history.

The Cultural Center will focus its activities in “Timpone,” the recognized Jewish Quarter of Nicastro (now a part the modern day city of Lamezia Terme), where remnants of the original synagogue and mikveh (ritual bath) have been discovered and where Mayor Gianni Speranza officiated at a dedication ceremony which acknowledged a Jewish presence in Timpone dating from the 1200’s.

In a recent interview Rabbi Barbara, whose father’s family traces its Jewish roots to a small mountain “paese,” Serrastretta, is excited and enthusiastic about the cultural center. She said, “We Jews of Calabria were once a vibrant part of the cultural life of the deep south of Italy. It is our hope that the Cultural Center will help restore Jewish tradition and pride to Calabria.”

The first year of the five year IjCCC project includes several important activities, among them, classes in the Hebrew language and Jewish culture as well as celebrations of Jewish festivals, the first of which will be a celebration of the festival of Tu B’Shevat, “the birthday of the trees,” which falls in early February.

Rabbi Barbara says, “In January we will begin with a basic Hebrew language class, using translated materials made available to us through the National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP) in New York. In February we plan to involve the entire community in a Tu B’Shevat environment project. And throughout the year we will work together to explore Jewish traditions and create a bond with the community itself.”

For more information on the IjCCC: www.rabbibarbara.com