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December 19, 2003
Italian-style Chanukah in Israel
Two synagogues, 40 holy arks and many artifacts were taken from
Italy.
BATSHEVA POMERANTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
The warm glow of the Chanukah candles commemorates the rededication
of the Second Temple after it was defiled by the Greeks in second
century BCE. Almost 2,000 years later, the rededication of a beautiful
Italian synagogue took place in Jerusalem. Located in the city's
centre, it is adjacent to the Museum of Italian Jewish Art, which
has, among its Judaica, a fine collection of Chanukah lamps.
Polina Levy Eskenazi, educational director of the museum, explains
that the Italian Jewish community is among the most ancient communities,
dating back to the Second Temple, with similar customs to ancient
Israel.
"Neither Ashkenazi or Sephardi, the Italianna Jews have their
own customs and prayers," she said.
The Italian synagogue is used on the Sabbath, holidays and for family
celebrations by Jerusalem's Italianna community. Its items of furniture
and the beautifully embroidered textiles for the Torah ark and scrolls
transport one to a different era.
During the Chanukah festival, a large brass Chanukah lamp from the
museum is placed in the synagogue for the kindling ceremony. The
lamp, which has twisted branches and petal-shaped holders for the
glass vials containing the oil, was donated by members of the small
town of Casale Monferrato and slightly resembles the original menorah.
The annual lighting of this Chanukah lamp is a rare example of putting
a museum piece to use.
The synagogue itself is from Conegliano Veneto, a village near Venice,
which closed its doors after the First World War, when only seven
Jews remained in the community. In 1918, Rabbi Aaron Deutsch, a
chaplain of the Austro-Hungarian army (which had captured Conegliano),
was looking for a place to hold Yom Kippur services and heard about
the synagogue. He obtained the keys, crossed the portals through
dust and cobwebs, and stood amazed at the splendor of the place.
Word spread and Jewish soldiers flocked to these services, making
a fitting finale for the glorious synagogue.
About 30 years later, the Italian Jews in Israel, wishing to continue
their tradition and to rescue items of Judaica remaining after the
Holocaust, negotiated with the Italian authorities. As a result,
the Conegliano synagogue was dismantled, packed up and sent to Jerusalem
in 1951. At the dedication and first prayer service in 1952, an
elderly Jew could hardly hold back his tears – it was Rabbi
Dishon, formerly known as Rabbi Deutsch.
Altogether, the Italian community in Israel was able to bring from
Italy 40 holy arks, many artifacts and two synagogues. The other
synagogue is housed in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
Chanukah lamps, although similar in their general features, differ
in style and the materials used, influenced by the folk art, architecture
and even the military history of the community.
A fascinating lamp from the museum, currently on loan to the presidential
residence of President Moshe Katzav, is a brass lamp made from the
helmet of a soldier serving in the Austro-Hungarian army. The pointed
back is engraved with the symbol of the eagle and has the initials
MT and FI for rulers Maria Theresa and Frederick I, dating the lamp
to the 18th century.
Another original Italian chanukiyah is a 16th-century brass lamp
from Florence. Influenced by Renaissance architecture, it resembles
a 14th-century castle, with turrets and a high lookout tower.
One unique silver lamp, owned by an Italian family but made in Poland,
has small, removable urns for oil and a clock embedded in the centre,
probably as a reminder of when to light the chanukiyah. The lamp
has two tall vessels, shaped like street lanterns, for the shammash
(the service light used to kindle the others), which were probably
used during the year as Shabbat candlesticks.
A jewel in the centre of Jerusalem, the Museum of Italian Jewish
Art is well worth a visit. In fact, such are its efforts at preserving
and promoting Italian culture and art that its director, Nava Kessler,
was recently awarded a knighthood.
The Web site of the Museum of Italian Art can be found at www.jija.org
and the synagogue and the museum are located at 27 Hillel St.,
Jerusalem.
Batsheva Pomerantz is a writer with Israel Press Service.
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