View Page: Jewish Ghetto and the Synagogue

	Jewish Ghetto and the Synagogue
	written by kayanna / 10.03.2005

Section Three

3 of 7

Function

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Ghetto

Tempio Maggiore

The synagogue of Rome.

The Tempio Maggiore functions as a main synagogue for Jews in Rome, of which there are about 16,000. To give you an idea of population scale, there are about 37,000 Jews in Seattle. Jews have been in Rome, however, for over 2,000 years. The synagogue follows an Orthodox Italian tradition of Judaism. The chief Rabbi of Italy officiates at the Tempio Maggiore, heading Italy's rabbinical council.

The synagogue functions to give Jews a permanent place of worship, a sense of having a place after so long of being cramped in a small place and not being allowed to practice religion freely. There is nothing cramped or stooped to suggest the Ghetto lifestyle. In addition, it is a monument, its way, to the oppression of the Jews in Rome.

The Portico d'Ottavia and the pieces of wall attached to it are some of the only remnants of the old Ghetto walls. They have been left and preserved, but in a way that does not suggest pride. The Piazza Giudea is now the Piazza Santa Maria del Pianto; the name change echoes the desire to leave behind the Ghetto. The area has relatively little foot traffic, and if it were not adjacent to the Theater of Marcellus, would have the feeling of being tucked away in a corner. The Jews of Rome were getting across the message of moving on from the indignity of former Ghetto life.

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