We continue with our ongoing series of profiles of individuals from
lost and hidden Jewish communities whom Shavei Israel has helped. Our second profile features Dr. Jonathan Curci from the Italian Bnei Anousim community.
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Dr.
Jonathan Curci is a modern day renaissance man. Hailing from the south of
Italy, Curci has worked as an international lawyer specializing in the nuances
of intellectual property; as a tour guide bringing Jewish and Christian
visitors from Italy to Israel; and as part of the team for a hi-tech startup in
the field of renewable energy.
Curci's
road back to the people of Israel has been just as winding. His family traces
its Jewish roots date back to the area surrounding the city of Trani which, in
the Middle Ages, was a major center of Jewish learning in Italy with many
synagogues and yeshivas. Jews made up an estimated 80% of the population then,
Curci says, and the oldest synagogue in Europe still in operation is located in
Trani.
Dating
back to the 13th century and used as a church for centuries, the
synagogue was recently restored and returned to the Jewish community (for more
information, see the Shavei Israel December newsletter here).
Unlike
Bnei Anousim (whom historians refer to by the derogatory term
"Marranos") in Spain and Portugal, the hidden Jews of Italy have
retained very few overt customs. They don't light candles on Friday nights or
eat unleavened bread on Passover.
Indeed,
Curci recalls only two real traditions that were kept by the Jews in Trani:
sitting outside during April cleaning their silverware ("It was a very
meticulous period for cleaning," he quips) and not drinking a glass of milk
while eating meat. On the other hand, they had no compunctions about eating
pork and no outward symbols of their Jewish heritage ("we were very integrated,"
Curci says).
Nevertheless,
Curci takes pride in his Bnei Anousim heritage and, growing up. Curci and his
father would regularly visit the synagogue in Rome.
Curci
began learning more about his heritage from an unlikely source: when he was a
teenager, his parents converted to Mormonism where, ironically, they began to
study the Bible for the first time.
Curci
subsequently began studying Hebrew with a local Baptist minister - the only
person who knew even a little of the language, he says - but was "unsatisfied.
I wanted the real Jewish people with real spoken Hebrew."
As a
result, for three summers as a teenager (and one more as a young adult), he
traveled to Israel to learn Hebrew in ulpan; he's now fluent. "As soon as I got
here, I knew I was coming home," Curci says. "It was a very strong feeling that
I can't describe."
A teacher
at his ulpan took Curci under his wings and began teaching him classic Jewish
texts such as the Bible, Midrash and Talmud.
"He'd
teach me everything," Curci says. "I was like his own child." Studying Torah
also appealed to Curci's legal mind. Over the years, Curci has attended classes
at the Aish HaTorah and Bet El yeshivas.
Now 34,
Curci describes himself as trying to live as much as he can according to Jewish
tradition, and hopes to complete a full conversion. That process has taken
longer than expected, he laments. "I'd like to do the conversion in Israel, but
they don't want to supersede the authority of the rabbinical court in Italy,"
leaving Curci in a temporary legal limbo.
Meanwhile,
Curci visits Israel every few months, staying as long as his tourist visa will
permit. In addition to checking in with his business endeavors, he brings
groups from Italy "who want to learn more about the Jewish people and the
ancient and modern land of Israel."
An author,
Curci's most scholarly book has a heady title: "The Protection of Biodiversity
and Traditional Knowledge in International Law of Intellectual Property." It
was published this year by Cambridge University Press. His latest book is more
topical. Due out shortly, it defends the rights of Jews and Israel in the West
Bank "while at the same time promoting a vision of harmonious living between
Jews and Arabs," Curci says. His target audience is his home community back in
Italy, so the volume will be his first in Italian.
Curci's
company, Quantum, uses an Israeli design for solar panels which are assembled
in China and marketed to Europe. Curci is in charge of French sales. He is also
involved with planning a conference in Tel Aviv this fall designed to expose
Israeli work in solar cells and photovoltaics to the international community. "This
is how we can be a true 'light' unto the nations," he jokes.
Curci
first met up with Shavei Israel founder Michael Freund during the re-dedication
of the Scolanova synagogue in Trani, which brought together dozens of local
Jews and Bnei Anousim, many of whom are now seeking to return to their roots -
like Curci.
"I really
appreciate the work" that Shavei Israel is doing, Curci says. It's "very
moving. It helps me feel connected."
Curci can
bolster his connection to Judaism in one other way: linguistically. "The name
Curci derives from the Latin nickname to identify the Jews: 'Curtis Judaeis,'
which translates as 'circumcised Jews,'" he explains. It is also close to the
Hebrew "chatoch" which means "to cut."
In the
coming months, Shavei Israel hopes to expand its programs in southern Italy to
reach out to the Bnei Anousim in the area. This, Curci believes, is essential.
Referring to his name, he notes wryly that Italy's Bnei Anousim have been
"cut off from the Jewish people for far too long".
"It
is time," he says, "to bring our people back."