Next: Conversation on Conversion
A Symposium of Penn Fellows moderated by Jonathan Karp and WNYC's Brian Lehrer will explore the historic realities of conversion practices and their current social and political implications.
Proselitism, historical adaptation, identity and citizenship are among the issues that will be discussed on April 10 between 4 and 7 pm at the Center for Jewish History. Read
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The Italian Jewish World
Explore Italian Jewish studies and culture in Italy, Israel, and the Americas. The weekly and monthly features of CPL include: Printed Matter, Books, and Academia. To know more about Primo Levi and his work visit Centro Internazionale di Studi Primo Levi in Turin. Find out more on our homepage.
Centro Primo Levi Thanks:
The Viterbi Family Foundation, and the Cahnman Foundation. Travel for our programs is provided by Alitalia USA.
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March 19 | Italian Purim at Scola Nova NY
Upper West site temple Ohev Shalom hosts Scola Nova New York and Rav Umberto Piperno for a special celebration of Purim, Italian style. Download your smart-phone Megillat Ester, books, commentaries, recipes and children games! Read 9:30 pm Ohev Shalom 270 West 84th Street, 2nd floor (Subway 1 @ 86th Street) Arvith Reading of the Megillah Traditional Italian songs Chiacchiere and frappe di Haman |
Purim and Kippur: So Close, So Far
By Rabbi David Gianfranco Di Segni, Morasha.it
The feast of Purim commemorates an event which took place 2500 years ago in Persia, during the reign of Assuero. The Book of Esther tells us that Haman, the king's wicked counselor, wanted to exterminate the Jewish people - men, women and children. Through the intercession of Queen Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman who had married the king without revealing her Jewish origins, and her uncle Mordechai, the leader of the Jewish community, the Jews were saved and the counselor and his cohorts were punished. In memory of this marginal escape from danger, the feast of Purim was established - the word itself being derived from the Hebrew term for "fate" or "lots". The perfidious Haman apparently chose a date for the massacre by casting lots. Given the 'earthly' features of the feast of Purim and the emphasis on concealed meaning, it is even more interesting to consider the analogy proposed by the masters of the Kabbalah and adopted by the Chassidic rabbis. They allowed that the feast of Purim was strictly tied to Kippur, or the day of fasting and atonement. Kippur, which means "expiation", is called kippur�m in the Bible, the plural form of Kippur. It is fascinating to note however, that kippurim is similar to ke-purim, which in Hebrew means "like Purim". Read
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Purim and its Relatives in Tripoli
By H. E. Goldberg, Sephardi Horizons
The story of Esther, related biblical narratives, and their interpreters, speak with diverse voices with respect to the issue of tensions and ties between Jews and non-Jews.
Correspondingly, the ways in which these stories have been interpreted and mobilized for social ends, have shifted according to circumstances. This diversity of expression will be explored by reference to several popular religious and dramatic forms that developed among the Jews in Tripoli, Libya, in recent centuries. The data available on these developments are not extensive, but are detailed enough to stimulate discussion and encourage further research on the ways in which Purimlinked motifs became part of the interpretation of ongoing events. The case of Purim, furthermore, should enrich our overall appreciation of the dynamics by which biblical texts animated (and continue to animate) life in Jewish communities. Read
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Once Upon a Time, There Was Bagitto
By Adam Smulevich, Pagine Ebraiche
When the journalist Enrico Levi, writing in Livorno around the turn of the 19th century, received notices from the Jewish community, he threw them in the garbage without so much as a glance. "They call it picturesque, but the "Bagitto" dialect is disgusting to the ear," he commented disdainfully. Long under-appreciated and often a subject for comic imitations, the vernacular of Livorno's Jewish population has never found an admiring audience among intellectuals. A lowly language even in its origins - from "bajo", the Spanish "bajito" means "little, unworthy thing" - Bagitto developed as a mixed tongue in the 18th century coastal city of Livorno. More a network of expressions and sayings than a proper grammar - in which Italian words are combined with Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew and Arabic terms - Bagitto is a linguistic fusion as lively as it is impenetrable. Many Bagitto words have circulated in the greater culture for centuries. For example, if you go to a pastry shop in downtown Livorno and you ask to try one of the city's specialties, most likely the attendant will recommend "roschette". These delicate and fragrant sweet or plain round breads whose name is derived from the Bagitto dialect - are just one of many indications of Bagitto's legacy, Pardo Fornaciari explains. Read |
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