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Judiasm has a long history in Italy, a history which predates Christinity. Italy was the first European country where Jews appeared, more than 20 years before the birth of Christ. More Jews were brought as prisioners after te suppression of the Jewish Revolt. Jews were driven from Palestine and were spread throughout the Roman Empire in the Disaspora. After the fall of Rome, Europe splintered into many different political units. Jewish communitites florished in Western Chrisendom, but gradually anti-Semtism developed, especially when the papacy set the crusades in motion. The Papacy reeling under the rising force of the Protestant Reformation was increasingly less willing to accept any form of tolleration. Pope Paul IV issued a Papal Bull requiring that Jews in the Papal States (Rome and central Italy) be confined to ghettos (1555). Restrictions on Italian Jews continued in Italy, especially in the Papal States. The situiation for Jews did not change until the French Revolution and the appearance of French armies under Napoleon in Italy. Napoleon opened the ghettoes. Napolean granted Jews civil and commercial rights. An exception was the Jews in the Papal State and Tuscany. After Napoleon's defeat, however, the civil and commericial rights were once more stripped away and the ghettoes reestablished. Garabaldi and the House of Savoy began the unification of Italy (1848). Under the new Italian Kingdom granted full commercial and civil rights to the Jews. Unification was completed (1861) and Italy was ruled by a constitutional democracy with parlimentary system. It was no longer necessary for Jews to disguise their religion. Freed from the ghetto, unification began a process of assimilation. Roman Jews, freed of papal restrictions, built the Great synagogue overlooking the Tiber (1904).
Jews were first noted in Italy in the times of the Roman Republic. Judah Maccabeus negotiated an alliance with the Roman Republic (2nd century BC). At that time some Jews went to Rome as both ambassadors and merchants bout 200 years before the birth of Christ. More Jews appeared in other areas controlled by the Republic and subsequently the Roman Empire. The Jewish revolt resulted in Roman invasion and wide spread actions aginst the Jews. The Romans destroyed the second temple in Jerusalem (70 AD). Not only did the Romans kill large numbers of Jews, but many others were enslaved. Many Jews were driven from Palestine. This action by the Romans is known as the Disapora. Jews were driven from Palestine and were spread throughout the Roman Empire A contingent of about 10,000 Jewish prisioners were brought to Rome and the Emperor Titus set them to work on the Colosseum. The Roman victory was memorialized in the Arch of Titus. Despite the Roman supression of the Jews in Palestine, and the enslavement of many Jews, substantial Jewsish communities developed in Rome and many other cities of the Empire. Little is known about these communities, except for the Jewish community in Rome itself. Archeologists have found 13 synagogues and a number of cemeteries. In italy there were Jewish communities in southern Italy in addition to a few in the north (Taranto, Ferrarra, and Milan). The Empire had an official pagan religion, but was tolerant to other religions. Manu religions were active within the Empire which recognized Judiasm as an official religion. This was a status not conferred on Christianity which was viewed as a dangerous superstitious cult.
Some Jewish communities were intolerant toward early Christians who were initially a small sect of Judiasm. Paul was an example here. Paul's conversion and ministry changed Christianity. His ministry to the gentiles meant that Christianity expanded in numbers far beyond its Jewish roots. Early Christians were tolerant if dismissive toward other religions. This only changed with Constantine and the conversion of the Empire to Christianity. The Edict of Tessa Lonica of Teodosia recognized Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire (380 AD). With the advent of Christianity as the state religion, tolerance for other religions declined. Pagan religions were supressed, but there was a general toleration of Judiasm. The Eastern and Western Empires after Constantine were more tolerant of Jews than heretical Christians. Jewsish communities flourished in many areas of the Empire. Anti-semitism as we know it today was unknown.
After the fall of Rome, Europe splintered into many different political units. Jewish communitites florished in Western Chrisendom, but gradually anti-Semtism developed, especially when the papacy set the crusades in motion. Significant differences occurred over time and among rulers existed concerning toleration for the Jews. Generally during the early medieval era there was relative toleraion toward Jews in Western Christendom. Charlemagne created a huge empire in Western Europe and provided civil and commercial rights for Jews which allowed them to live in harmony for about two centuries. The Ottoman Empire allowed considerable opportunities for Jews. Schools for Jewish studies were opened in Bari and Otranto. Considerable toleration was notable in some areas, especially Spain. This relatively tolerant era in Western Chritendom began to change with the coming of the second Melinium. The changing attitudes was in part economic. Cities began to grow and artiisan guilds developed some importance in the cities. Guilds acted to limit competition. Jews were barred from belonging to the guuilds and thus enganging in the crafts. Through much of Europe Jews were restricted to money lending and trading in used clothing. The reason that they were allowed to lend money for interest was that the Church prohibited Christians to lend money for interest, calling it usury. It was a mortal sin. This Church prohibition was not repealed until the 15th century and the Monte Di Pietà. Feudal lords in many cases protected the Jews because they needed moneylenders. The other development was that by the second Mellinium the Church and the Papacy was all powerful and increasingly less willing to tolerate any form of toleration. The Crusades brought a horrendous outburst of violence against the Jews throughout Europe (11th century). The Church at the Fourth Lateran Council decided that Jews wold be required to live in separate quarters which came to be called gettoes and wear special insignia for the first time in the Italian states (1215). Jewish men were forced to wear red or yellow hats and a cloth badge on their coats. Jewish women had to wear a yellow veil over their hats. These rules were not enforced for an extended period, but they set a precedent. ThecPapacy founded the Inquisition (1231). Jews wre among the targets. Jews were blamed for the Plague and many Jewsish communities were attacked (14th century). The popes severly suppresed Jewish communities in Rome and the Papal States. Jews were compleled to attend Catholic sevices. Some put wax in their ears to protest. Spain had been an island of toleration, but Ferdinand and Isabella with the success of the Conquista expelled the Jews (1492). Many Spanish Jews fled to northern Italy. The Spanish Inquisition zealosly rooted out those conversos who had not forsaken their religion. Using money seized from the Jews, Ferdinand launched a military campaign that brought him Sicily. The Jews were then expelled from Sicily. Over 37,000 Jews were expelled from Sicily. Many went to Rome and Milan, but Jews also went to Ancona, Venice, and Livorno. The growing Itlalian Jewish population engendered anti-Semitic feeling.
The Papacy reeling under the rising force of the Protestant Reformation was increasingly less willing to accept any form of tolleration. Pope Paul IV issued a Papal Bull requiring that Jews in the Papal States (Rome and central Italy) be confined to ghettos (1555). The Roman ghetto was an unhealthy, swappy area by the Tiber. Each Jewish community was limited to only a single synagogue. Jews were stripped of all commercial and civil rights. They were limited to money lending and the clothing trades. Jews had to wear a contrassegno (identification). These requirements had been adopted earlier, but this time they were much more rigorosly enforced. Roman Jews leaving the ghetto to work during the day had to wear yellow caps and shawls and be back in the ghetto at night. Many Jews fled to the northern Italian states. These regulations were not immediately adopted in northern Italy, but gradually spread there also. Venice established a ghetto (1516). Rome established its ghetto (1555). Many other Italian cities established their own ghettoes. The Church expelled l Jews from the Papal State, except Rome and Ancona (1569). Other Italian suits followed the Papacy's lead, except Livorno. The Ghettoes were badly croded places and as a result often dirty. The creation of the Ghettoes by concentrating Jews in one place and in effect closing them off from the outside world had the affect of creating hot beds for the study of Torah and Talmud. The result was a floweing of Jewish culture.
The situation for the Jews varied substantially in Italy depending on the location. Southern Italy was dominated by the Kindom of the Two Sicilies. The central area was dominated by the Papal States and here the Jews were eventually expelled. The north came to be dominated by Austria. The situation was further complicated by the independence of city states like Venice and Genoa, Venice was a major power in Medieval Italy. Eventually the Kingdom of Savoy in the north emerged as a an important Italian state.
The situiation for Jews did not change until the French Revolution and the appearance of French armies under Napoleon in Italy. Napoleon opened the ghettoes. Napolean granted Jews civil and commercial rights. An exception was the Jews in the Papal State and Tuscany. After Napoleon's defeat, however, the civil and commericial rights were once more stripped away and the ghettoes reestablished.
Restrictions on Italian Jews continued in Italy, especially in the Papal States. One particularly notable action was Papal authirities eentilly kidnapping Jewish childen. An infamous example was that of Edgardo Montara. Garabaldi and the House of Savoy began the unification of Italy (1848). Under the new Italian Kingdom granted full commercial and civil rights to the Jews. Unification was completed (1861) and Italy was ruled by a constitutional democracy with parlimentary system. It was no longer necessary for Jews to disguise their religion. Freed from the ghetto, unification began a process of assimilation. Roman Jews, freed of papal restrictions, prospered. There were several prominant Jewish families in the Italian kingdom. One was the Olivettis. Roman Jews built the Great synagogue overlooking the Tiber (1904).
Mussolini and the Fascists seized power in Italy. The Fascists were not initially ravidly anti-Simetic. Mussollini in fact had Jewish supporters. This Gradually changed. Gradually German influence grew. The Fascists enacted the Falco Laws which abrogated article 8 of the Italian constitution guaranteeing religious freedom. Mussolini coming under increasing NAZI influence issued the Manifesto of Italian Racism and declared the Italians to be part of a "pure race" (1938). The Jews were excluded from the pure Italian race. The Fascists proceeded to expell Jews from all public services, including government posts, the army and public schools. Italian Jews began leaving Italy, but as with Jews fleeing the NAZIS, it was hard to find countries to accept them.
Mussolini was not strongly committed to anti-semitism. Mussolini only imposed the first anti-Jewish regulations in 1938, after prompting from Hitler. Italy had a relatively small Jewish popularion of only about 45,000 people. The Italian people and Catholic clergy, however, managed to hide most of their Jews fron the NAZIs and Fascists. Italian Jews were thus spared the full force of the Holocaust and many managed to survive. The worst time came after Mussolinin
was deposed and Italy surrenderedc to the Allies. The Germans quickly disarmed the Italian Army and occupied the country. They used the opportunity to begin rounding up and transporting Jews to the death camps. The Germans only
managed to deport and kill about 15 percent of Italy's Jews, the lowest ratio in among occupied countries. This is especially surprising given the fact that Italy was an Axis partner. The lack of commitment on the aprt of Mussolini to genocide and the realtively short paeriod of German occupation are factors in the survival of Italian Jews. Considerable controvery surrounds the role of Pope Pious XII. Despite considerable anti-semitism among Catholic clerics, the clergy played a major role in saving Italian Jews. Ilalian priests, nuns, and monks hid Jews in monasteries, convents, schools, and churches. Jewish families were sheltered and fed at great risk to the individuals involved. One historain describes "massive support" on the part of the clergy often without orders from their superiors for the rescue effort.
Unlike many European countries, most Italian Jews survived the War. They were hidden by neigbors, friends, strangers, nd the Church. Few of those deported by the NAZIs survived to return. Jews in Italy weith the defeat of the Fascists were rstored as full citizens. Many Italian Jews emmigrated to Isreael after it was founded (1949). Other Jews remained in Italy to attempt to reconstruct their lives. Here it was easier than in many other countries as most Jews had surviving family members and neighbors. The Catholic Church's attitude toward Jews began to change with Pope John XXIII and Vatican II. The Church absolved Jews of any responsibility for the death of Jesus and renounced the centuries old claim that Jews had been rejected by God.
The two largest Jewish community in Italy are today located in Rome and Milan. Few Jews live in the old Rome ghetto. The ghetto is now throughly gentified. It's narrow streets and cobblestone streets have become a tourist attraction. Rome's 16,000 Jews today mostly live outside the ghetto. Sadly anti-Semitism has not disapperared from Italy. It is no longer fomented by the Church and Papacy. Pope John Paul II became the first pope to visit a synagougue when he visited the Gtat Synagougue in Rome. He also recognized Israel and traveled to the Holy Land where he expressed contrition for Christian persecultion of the Jews (2000). Anti-Semitism today as in other European countries comes from the expanding Islamic population. Palestinian terrorists killed a 2-year old girl and wounded 34 worshipers inside the Great Synagogue (1982). Roman authorities today maintain a 24-hour police presence outside the synagogue.
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