Thirty-two European countries will participate in this year’s European Day of Jewish Culture scheduled for 6 September—a Sunday.   The event theme is “Jewish journeys”.  Rome, Italy will be the leading city for this 21^st celebration of Jewish Culture.  The activities are coordinated by the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture (AEPJ), the European Council of Jewish Communities, B'nai B'rith Europe and the Network of Jewish Quarters in Spain.

In Italy over 90 Italian cities and towns and 16 regions will participate.  Due to the pandemic this year most of the events will be virtual itineraries I synagogues, museums and Jewish neighborhoods including performances and lectures.

Jewish presence in Italy goes back quite far.  The Jewish presence on the Tiber is in fact already attested in the 2nd before the Common Era, long before the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem (70 CE) which originated the exile of the people of Israel known as the Diaspora. The first historically documented contacts date back to 161 BCE, the year in which the ambassadors sent by Judas Maccabee to the Senate stipulated a treaty of friendship and alliance between Rome and the Jewish people in revolt against the Seleucids.

To check the activities in the country you are interested in go to: https://www.jewisheritage.org/web/edjc/2020 and click on the drop down box where it says countries.

Jan Meisels Allen

Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee