A short summary of our trip to Tuscany with Jewish heritage, June 2016 organized by Frida Schatz.

  Written by: Lola Baral

Jewish presence in Tuscany can be traced back to the Early Middle Ages, although it was in the period of Medici rule that Jewish owned banks and moneylenders really began to grow. Artistic and historical testimonies of the Jewish culture and civilization stretch throughout the Tuscan territory in the form of synagogues, ritual places of life and religious and everyday life objects, as well as music, dance and culinary traditions.

The Italian Medici family of Florence was closely linked to the Jews of Florence, who have one of the oldest continuous Jewish communities in Europe. The community in Florence is also one of the largest and one of the most influential Jewish communities in Italy.

Day one there was a three hour walking tour to discover the numerous presence of Jewish history in Florence. We passed some of the most famous landmarks such as Duomo area and Baptistery’s Gates of Paradise with Tanach stories. Piazza della Republica, where the ghetto once stood. We visited the beautiful Moorish Synagogue and the Jewish museum, where we also were invited to a delicious Shabbat dinner.

The following day we visited The Uffizi Gallery – one of the most famous museums of paintings and sculptures in the world. Its collection includes masterpieces by Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. In the Academy Gallery we saw the famous sculptures by Michelangelo: the prisoners, the St. Matthew and the statue of David.

On the third day we visited Pisa and Livorno. The two cities are unique in Jewish history and were established by the Medici families which offered special economic advantages to Jewish people including never forcing them to live in ghettos and freedom to trade and worship.
In Livorno we visited the synagogue built in 1962. The original synagogue was long considered one of the most splendid religious monuments of the European Diaspora. The community decided to build a modern one. The archives and community offices are located next door. We also saw the Jewish Museum and Jewish cemetery.

During our stay in Pisa we visited, together with a specialized Jewish guide, the neoclassical synagogue on Via Palestro and the modern day cemetery near the Piazza del Duomo. The synagogue in Pisa has been the local point of the Jewish community since the late 16th century. The modern day cemetery is the fourth of a series of burial areas, with noteworthy tombstones; some of them show highly skilled workmanship.
Of course we also visited Piazza del Miracoli and saw the leaning tower.

Our next stop was to an exclusive olive oil tasting and lunch in the beautiful typical Tuscan villa Monte Oriolo. We were introduced to the different varieties of olive trees, olive harvest and olive oil production. Our hostess had prepared an outstanding lunch with excellent wine for the group.

We continued to San Gimignano – Tuscany’s Manhattan. The town rises on top of a hill and is clearly visible in the distance with its many towers. Today 13 towers remain of the 72 towers of the 14th century, when every affluent family built a tower to exhibit their economical power.

In Siena we met with our guide specialized in Jewish Heritage. Siena is famous for the cultural contribution of its scholars and rabbis as well as the mix of rites that made up the community here. Although the Jewish population of Siena dwindled with time, there are plenty of Jewish landmarks. We visited the synagogue, which dates back to 1786, with its anonymous façade typical of synagogues built before Emancipation, which gives the visitors insight into worship during the time of the ghetto. We also visited the Jewish cemetery, with tombs from the 16th century.

The tour continues to the beautiful Tuscan city Pitigliano, dubbed as “Piccola Gerusalemme” – Little Jerusalem – for its bustling Jewish life until the mid 19th century, as well as for the shape and color of its hills. Up until Emancipation, the Jewish population in Pitigliano counted for thirty percent of the local population. Still today Pitigliano offers historical evidence of its Jewish past as well as shops offering kosher goods. The synagogue is also the site where the ghetto was finally set up in 1622 by the Medici.
We also had a guided tour to the Jewish cemetery with its unusual tombs and to Palazzo Orsini which owns its name to the Orsini family that protected the Jewish community to flourish.

The last day we spent relaxing at the spa in Val d’Orcia in the enchanted countryside. Enjoying the views of the southern Tuscan and with a farewell dinner, with lots of warm speeches and thanks to Frida for planning a wonderful adventure.