Author Archives: marcomisano

Rome’s Jewish community still harbours considerable respect for Pope John Paul II. No pontiff before him had done more to bridge the divide between the Catholic Church and the Jews, which had split Rome’s population for centuries. Nor had any Pope before him extended the Church’s olive branch of friendship by stepping into Rome’s Great […]

Rabi Yehudah ha-Nasi (Judah ‘the Prince’) was a fascinating figure. While remembered chiefly for his role in editing and redacting the Mishah, he also helped broker peace between the Jews of occupied Judea and their Roman overlords in the aftermath of the Bar Kokhba Revolt. According to the Talmud, Yehudah was highly respected among the […]

The nature of the Jewish Diaspora determines that Hebrew manuscripts are dispersed widely throughout the world. Fortunately, the Vatican – a magnet of global treasures – has accumulated  a sizeable collection. For centuries, this collection was hidden, available only to a select group of archivists and scholars granted exclusive access to the Vatican’s vaults. For […]

Rome’s Jewish history stretches back much further than people think, predating even the time of Julius Caesar over 2,000 years ago. My family, of Orthodox Sephardic origin, have been here for  just over a quarter of that time: the last 500 years. Not so long in the grand scheme of Rome’s history, but certainly long […]

When the Romans breached Jerusalem’s walls in 70 AD, they set upon a spree of slaughter and pillaging, the barbarity of which truly chills the blood.  Josephus records the death toll at 1.1 million – a number compounded by the many visitors who had come to celebrate Passover. Jerusalem’s houses were burned, its walls were […]

The Allied bombing of Rome on July 19 marked a crucial turning point in Italy’s involvement in the Second World War. With the razing of the capital, popular support waned among the Italian people. Benito Mussolini, his reputation in tatters, was arrested and replaced as leader by king Victor Emmanuel III. The new Italian government […]

No Roman holiday would be complete without indulging in the city’s renowned cuisine. And central to the capital’s culinary culture is its innovative creation: ‘la cucina ebraica-romana.’ Literally translating as ‘Jewish-Roman Cuisine’, its dishes bring out the best in Jewish and Middle Eastern flavours and Italian passion for fresh produce and simplicity. But because Jewish-Roman […]