On our last trip to Rome, Steve and I decided to check out the Jewish Synagogue (we felt it might balance out the 100s of Catholic churches we have seen). We found it and found the entrance, but standing on the steps were two guys: a police man (with big gun) and a guy who told Steve that we could not go into the Synagogue without a tour guide and that he was a tour guide.
We thought to ourselves that we just wanted to peak in, not take some organized, long-winded tour, and the guy must be telling the truth because the cop was beside him and everyone was speaking in Italian (except me), so we just left.
But, now I wonder if we could not have just pushed past this guy and gone into the Synagogue? He was blocking the entrance. After we left, we felt like idiots - thinking he was probably not an official guy and the policeman just did not interfere because this is what that guy does. On the other hand, maybe it was all perfectly legit.
Does anyone know?
I know we are different that most people on this, but we hate taking tours. The few times we have had to go on a tour of a place with a guide, I couldn't stand it. This was why we left. (Although if we went on a tour with Tony da Roma, I am sure we would LOVE it.)
I think your anti guide orientation cost you bog time on this one Pauline. Since the attempted or actual bombing of the sunagogue, there has been an unblevabele amount of security. If you are not a member of the congregation, you need to be on a tour. The tour guides are members of the congregation and the tour we took was simply wonderful. As in Venezia, the congregation and the Jewish population is very close. They maintain their own language (probably would be classified as a pidgin I think) called Ladino. It is very hip amonnst young Jews in Roma to be active in the synagogue. It is incredibly beautiful and the practice of Judaism in Italy is so different from that in the US. It has definitely been influenced by the church both for good and not so good (after all the Ghettos were a church sanctioned institution). By all means, go the next time!
words of wisdom to live by from Stephen Sondheim's The Frogs {The chorus is singing a prayer to Dionysus...} Dionysius "A hymm to me, the god of wine..." Xanthius (His slave) "I thought you were the god of drama?" Dionysius "I am the god of wine and the god of drama. A little wine will get you thru a lot of drama"
Posts: 4611 | Location: Casa del Fenicottero Rosa, Silver Spring, MD USA | Registered: 06 August 2002
As Dean mentioned, security is a big issue in all Italian synagogues. You also see armed guards outside the Torino synagogue.
I am not aware of any synagogue in Italy where you can walk in without being part of the congregation or on a tour. Certainly, it is true in Rome, Venice, and Florence as well as smaller places in Casale Monferrato, Pitigliano, and Ferrara.
Usually, you have to sign up for a "tour" and you are escorted through the sanctuary as well through the museum.....On our most recent trip to Ferrara, we were the only persons on the tour, so we had a private tour guide.
In some places, ther e is not a formal tour. In Modena, there is no tour or museum with normal hours. You just ring for the Rabbi and if he is there, you can see the synagogue. So far we have not had any luck.
words of wisdom to live by from Stephen Sondheim's The Frogs {The chorus is singing a prayer to Dionysus...} Dionysius "A hymm to me, the god of wine..." Xanthius (His slave) "I thought you were the god of drama?" Dionysius "I am the god of wine and the god of drama. A little wine will get you thru a lot of drama"
Posts: 4611 | Location: Casa del Fenicottero Rosa, Silver Spring, MD USA | Registered: 06 August 2002
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