“History repeats itself because, as human beings, we discard the truths of others and accept only our own, often at the expense of others.” Prologue
As I watched the DaVinci Code on television recently, I was once again reminded of how novels, especially historical or alternative history fiction can highlight bits of history. For instance, I was able to see through this movie, the period during which Constantinople had proclaimed Christianity as the national religion in Italy. Actually, it merely graphically presented what I had already studied in Jews in Italy: A Perspective of Jewish Communities in Italy by Adolph Caso.
Have you ever taken an online course? Interested? I thoroughly enjoyed it-text, great historical and appropriate pictures and online discussion by the Dante University presenters!
I’ve chosen items of most interest to me personally to highlight in this review since Caso’s text, while brief, is such an intensive history of the lives that Jews have made in Italy, that it is impossible to adequately cover the material! Contributions of the Jews to the world are, quite obviously, immense, in every field of endeavor.
From about 161 BC, Rome extended hospitality and religious tolerance to the Jewish people, quite unique, for in other places they were enslaved! Rome has been hosting a Jewish community, while also being the center of Christianity. Indeed, in the absence of a state of Israel-from 70 to 1947 AD, the Jewish communities of Rome became the State of Israel.
Caso’s research provides the perspective of Rome’s situation as they tried to control their captured lands, especially with the emergence of Jesus, with his claim as the Messiah, which brought about acts of rebellion. Later, Peter, Christ’s follower, gave physical structure to the Catholic Church. But, bound by the tenets of their Jewish religion, which were neither forgot nor denied, Judaism being the basis of Christianity has survived as a religion alongside Christianity itself.
While the Romans had destroyed Jerusalem and its temple around 70 AD, the Jews were able to build a synagogue around 100 AD, the first built outside of Israel. It became the new center of the Jewish world in Rome. Such prominence meant that the Romans were more than willing to have the visible and active lifestyle of the Jews…as free citizens
Then, civil strife began to rear its ugly head over political and religious issues. While persecutions of the Christians remained rampant, the political scene culminated in Constantine becoming Emperor and Christianity becoming the state religion
While all of these things were happening to them-wherever they were, the emerging Christians continued to be inspired by certain Jews and boldly draw from Judaism–its literature, its liturgy, its customs, and its regulations. “At a time when all seemed so hopeless, with abuses cast on them wherever they were, ironically, they must have also witnessed the re-working of Judaism into Christianity.”
Even as further wars and battles were fought, the end result was that Jews have been able to stay in Italy. Indeed, it was to Italy that Jews fled while seeking asylum from Germany’s Hitler so many years later…and it was the Pope himself who became personally involved in working to provide safety to them. Despite the Fascist nation, the Catholic Church ran something like an underground railroad. Pope Pius Xi shared:
“Mark well that in the Catholic Mass, Abraham is our Patriarch and forefather. Anti-Semitism is incompatible with the lofty thought which that fact expresses. It is a movement with which we Christians can have nothing to do.”
In Italy, and in the other parts of Europe where Italians were stationed, more than seventy-five percent of local Jews got saved; the reverse was true elsewhere. This result spoke volumes on behalf of the hearts of most Italians. Few countries have achieved such nobility.
When words of another can reach deep into our minds and force us to face the atrocities that has occurred when one people arbitrarily chooses to hate and abuse another, we must all realize that it takes each of us, working together, to forge ways by which we can improve. Adolfo Caso’s Perspective has shown that one nation has done it. May we all review this text and use it for the future!
*Online Internet Course Available at Dante University presented by Adolph Caso, Author, Publisher and President, Dante University Foundation
Jews in Italy:
A Perspective of Jewish
Communities in Italy
By Adolfo Caso
Dante University
116 page Text/Video*