PEOPLE
Picture by Ilya Schor
Shemuel Aboaf, Venetian Rabbi. Born in Hamburg in 1610, he studied at the rabbinical Academy of Venice. Eventually his whole family settled in Venice. He died in 1694. He is the author of ritual queries and responses.
Johanan Alemanno, a humanist at the court of Lorenzo de’ Medici, taught the cabalistic doctrine to Pico della Mirandola. He wrote the treatise “Sefer ha-Tamar” (which can be found in the British Museum), one of the two most important Jewish manuscripts on alchemy, a science that was not very popular among the Jewish people. Nevertheless, alchemy became well known among the Italian Jews of German origin. It is not certain whether the Alemanno who wrote the treatise on alchemy and the master of Pico della Mirandola are the same person.
Salamone Ashkenazi, physician. He lived in the second half of XVI century. The grand duke of Tuscany Francesco de’ Medici used his knowledge of medicine for some diplomatic negotiations with la Porta. (On the mediation with the Ottomans see Zoller, “Una lettera di Salamone ashkenazi al Granduca di Toscana” in “Rivista Israelitica”, VI (1909).
Moshé Basola (1480-1560), a descendant from a family of Basilea, he held the rabbinical chair in Ancona. He mediated with the Turkish Jews who wanted to boycott trades with Italy as a retaliation against Pope Paolo IV’s action against the marrani. He wrote a famous report of his tour of the Holy land.
Robert (Bobi) Bazlen (Trieste 1902 – Milano 1965), he was a singular publishing consultant and, in the sixties, he conceived and inspired the creation of Adelphi. He did not publish any books during his life, but his aphorisms have been published posthumous in two booklets called “Note senza testo”.
Ernst Bernhard, born in Berlin in a Chassidic surrounding, he lived since 1936 in Via Gregoriana (Rome). He was a Jungian psychologist and introduced Jung’s ideas in Italy. Federico Fellini, Giorgio Manganelli, Natalia Ginzburg were his patients. In 1962 he founded the Italian Society of analytic psychology. He died in Rome in 1965. He is buried the roman cemetery, near the Pyramid.
Bernard Berenson (1865-1959), one of the most important art critics of his period, he was born in Lithuania, was an American citizen and lived for many years in Italy where he arrived as a boy thanks to a scholarship. He died in Settignano near Florence in his villa I Tatti, a reference point for artists and intellectuals from all over the world. Among his works, Pittori italiani del Rinascimento, Metodo e attribuzione.
Elia Del Medigo, was born in Candia, in the Island of Crete – which belonged to the venetian republic – in the second half of XV century. His family originated from Germany. He died in his native island in 1492, but he lived in the Italian peninsula for a long time. He studied philosophy and perhaps also medicine, and he had a good knowledge of the Arabic and Greek thought. In 1480 he wrote in Venice “Quaestio utrum mundus sit effectus”, a work with averroist references. He taught in Padova, and among his students there was Pico della Mirandola, for whom Elia wrote two booklets. Years later, in Florence, Elia translated from Hebrew to Latin – for Pico - one of Plato’s works and six issues on logic by Averroe. He did not only collaborate with the Count della Mirandola, but he also taught philosophy in Florence. The long conversations between Elia and Pico become a booklet by Elia and a treatise by Pico. Patricians and cardinals asked Elia some translations too. Perhaps he left Italy for the aftermaths of his arbitration on a philosophical disputation among erudites. He wrote a treatise in which he conciliates Jewish philosophy and religion, “Bechinath ha-Dath” (L’esame della religione). I.S. Reggio, a modern publisher of this treatise, says that “Bechinath ha-Dath” is worth to be compared to “Guida” by Maimonide, although for the author it was only a “small lesson”.
Joseph Shelomo Del Medigo was a student of Galileo Galilei in Padova.
Bernardo Dessau nasce a Offenbach sul Meno nel 1863 muore a Perugia nel 1949. Professore di fisica all'Università di Bologna e di Perugia collaborò con A. Righi; scrisse uno dei primi testi sulla telegrafia senza fili (1907). In italiano e in tedesco apparve "Manuale di Fisica". Fervente sionista, nel 1903 fu delegato italiano al VI Convegno sionista di Basilea.
Emma Goitein Dessau, nata a Karlsruhe nel 1877. Studiò pittura a Londra con un esponente del preraffaellitismo Herbert von Hercomer, si trasferì quindi con il marito B. Dessau a Bologna e poi a Perugia. Qui fu la prima donna a frequentare la scuola libera del nudo (accademia di Belle arti) Influenzata dall'Art Noveau partecipò a mostre internazionali. Importanti sono le sue xilografie.
Leone Ginzburg (1904-1944), professor of Russian literature, collaborated with Giulio Einaudi since the outset of the homonymous publishing house. He was killed in Rome by the fascists.
Meir Katzenellenborgen o Meir di Padova, a Rabbi from the Prussian family of Katzenellenborgen or Katznelbogen, also called with the epithet of Ashkenazi, a family in which there were numerous important Rabbis in many parts of Europe. Meir di Padova was born in Germany in 1482 and died in Padova in 1565, famous for his culture and piety. His son, Samual Judah (1521-1597) was honoured by Joseph Caro and Solomon Lauria.
Richard Krautheimer (1897-1994) Storico dell’arte e dell’architettura. Nato a Fürth, in Baviera, si iscrive a 15 anni all’Università di Monaco per studiare Legge, ma influenzato da Wölflin si converte allo studio della Storia dell’arte. Quando i nazisti prendono il potere si trasferisce a Roma dove resterà per tutta la vita, salvo una parentesi negli Stati Uniti, dove insegna e lavora durante la guerra al Servizio strategico. In Italia si dedica al "Corpus Basilicarum Christianarum Romae" (Città del Vaticano 1937-1970), un lavoro che lo impegnerà per gran parte della vita. In seguito si occuperà di architettura bizantina, di architettura delle sinagoghe, di Lorenzo Ghiberti, della "Roma di Alessandro VII". Nel 1980 pubblica "Roma, ritratto di una città", opera unica tra le innumerevoli dedicate alla città eterna. Nel 1989 escono le sue memorie. Nel suo ultimo anno di vita diventa cittadino onorario di Roma. La morte lo coglie all’alba tra i suoi libri, come gli umanisti di un tempo, a un tavolo della Biblioteca Hertziana. E’ sepolto nel cimitero romano degli Artisti, alla Piramide.
Asher Lemlin (o Lämmlein) suddenly appears in Istria in 1502 announcing himself as the forerunner of the Messiah, and he found numerous followers in the Italian area too. But Lemlin suddenly disappears.
Elihau (o Eliyah) Levita known as Bachur, the most famous among the Jewish grammarian, philosopher, lexicographer and writer. Born in 1472 in Neustadt (near Norimberga), died in Venice in 1549. He began his studies in Germany and finished them in Rome. There he became friend with cardinal Egidio da Viterbo to whom Elihau Levita taught Hebrew for thirteen years while the cardinal taught him Latin and other sciences. Cardinal Egidio suggested him to write books on Hebrew grammar that later some students translated into Latin. He also taught in Padova and Venice. Perhaps he was Martin Luther’s Hebrew teacher during his roman stay in 1511. After losing books and properties in the sack of Rome, Elihau went to Venice where he remained until his death. His main work is “Masoret ha Masoret” (The tradition of tradition or The key of tradition), printed in Venice in 1538 and the following year in Basilea. The book, dedicated to the method of Masoret, shows that the biblical texts had been punctuated after 500 a.D. In addition to other works of biblical concordance, Elihau wrote “Shemot Devarim” (The names of things) and a small “Dictionary Hebrew-German” of all names and objects listed in the Hebrew language.
David Lubin, Polish origins, lived in Italy for a long time. In 1905 King Vittorio Emanuele III supported his International Institute of Agriculture, situated in Rome. The institute is nowadays called with his name and owned by Fao.
Isacco Luzzati (Gorizia 1810- Trieste 1975), physician, member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences of Rovereto, wrote “Trieste e il suo clima”.
Luigi Luzzati, (1841-1927) statesman, jurist and economist. At 24 he founds the Banca Popolare of Milan. Member of the right wing , Minister for the Treasury, Finances and Industry, he will be Prime Minister for one year (from March 1910 until march 1911).
Moshé Chayym Luzzatto (1707-1747), considered as the main figure of the cabalistic trend in Italy. Among his works, “Il cammino verso Dio”, “L’indagatore e il mistico” and “138 sentieri della scienza”.
Samuel David Luzzato, founder of the science of Judaism. He was grammarian, linguist and exegete.
Sally Mayer, born in Worms in 1875, arrived in Italy in 1891 and became Italian citizen in 1920. Died in Tradate in 1953. Industrialist and benefactor, he supported all the Zionist and Jewish institutions in Italy.
Avrahm Menachem, Rabbi and famous commentator, of German origin, belonged to the ancient family Rapa (in German Rabe, horn). He lived in Venice, Verona, Cremona, where he died in 1596. He wrote a short commentary on Pentateuch.
Ismael Israel Mengs (1728-1779), Bohemian enamels painter, emigrated to Sweden and then to Danzica where he became father of the famous Anton Raphael, one of the most popular German artists. He moved with his son to Rome where he will be converted to Catholicism. His Jewish origins are still uncertain, in spite of his father’s name.
Anton Raphael Mengs (1728- 1779), German painter (born in Bohemia), critic and the greatest example of neo-classicism. In Rome he frescoed numerous churches and cardinals’ mansions, and with his father Ismael Israel he turned Catholic. Their Jewish origins are still uncertain, in spite of their name.
Carlo Michelstaedter (Gorizia 1887-1910) Italian writer, he studied in Vienna and Florence. Once he finished his degree dissertation on Plato and Aristotle, he committed suicide. “La persuasione e la retorica” – his thesis, published posthumous in 1912 – echoes the thought of Otto Weininger.
Abraham Minz, famous Rabbi from Padova born in the first half of XVI century. Son of Judah Minz, who wrote treatises on juridical precepts.
Judah Minz, Rabbi from Padoa born in the second half of XV century. Spiritual leader of the paduan community for forty-six years, he was the most authoritative Rabbi of his time. He wrote very important juridical precepts and numerous treatisesi.
Rachele Morpurgo Rabbi and physician, was born in Gradisca in 1681 and died in Ancona in 1740. He wrote works on legislation.
Shimshon Morpurgo, Rabbi and physician, was born in Gradisca in 1681 and died in Ancona in 1740. He wrote works on legislation.
Israel Nathan and his son Joshua Shelomoh , born in the German town of Speier, on the Rhine. In the XV century they received from Sforza the permission to print books in Hebrew and Latin, and they quickly became one of the most prestigious families of printers. When they had to leave the dukedom of Milan, the members of the family parted and continued their business in Casalmaggiore, Pesaro, Brescia, Naples, Rimini, Salonicco, Istanbul, Cairo. They decided to call themselves Soncino to remember their first seat. In Soncino there is a Museum in the house of the printers where this family of German Jews worked for almost a century.
A page printed by Soncino
Olschki Leo Samuele arrived in Italy in the second half of XIX century and in March 1886 founded a bookshop in Verona, at first of antique books. In 1890 it moves to Venice and in 1897 to Florence, where it becomes a publishing house specialised in humanities.
Daniele Olmo (1690- 1757), born in Ferrara, he belonged to the Ulm family. He wrote “Eden Arukh” (The exposed Paradise) a poem which – in the light of talmudic precepts – describes the reward for the just.

Natan Ottolengh, perhaps born in Lodi, he is a Rabbi who lives in the second half of XVI century. In 1604 he became master of the talmudic Academy. Author of a collection of judgementsi.
Giuseppe Ottolenghi, general (1838-1904). Perhaps the most popular member of the Morpurgo family in modern times. Volunteer during the Risorgimento campaigns, he was the first Jew to attain the degree of General in Italy. Minister of War from 1902 to 1903, he was Senator and Commander of the First Army Corps.
Joseph Ottolengo from Ettingen he moved to Cremona where, in XV century, he founded a school.
Adolfo Pick (1825-1894), bohemian origins, pedagogist; he introduced the froebelian principles in Italy.
Isaac Samuel Reggio (1785-1855), rabbi, follower of Moses Mendelssohn and of N. H. Wessely, he left the rigid orthodoxy to devote himself to secular studies. He translated the Pentateuch into Italian and wrote a commentary in Hebrew. In one of is essays he tries to conciliate Torah and reason.
Paolo Ricci, physician, Jewish convert. Born around 1480, probably in Germany or in Austria. His Jewish name is unknown, whereas his convert name derives from the bishop who christened him. He studied with Pomponazzi, and met Erasmo in 1506. He wrote a treatise in which the Christian virtues were confirmed by the cabalistic and talmudic texts. He was the personal physician of the emperor Massimiliano I. In one of his books, perhaps on the emperor’s request, he partially translated the Misnah – or better, he abridged it.
Aviad Sar Shalom, son of Menachem from Basilea, born in Mantova in 1680, died in 1743. Talmudist and cabalist, he introduced in Italy the mysticism of Isaac Luria.
Samson Schiff di Mannheim, from Mannheim, jeweller and silversmith, lived in Trieste from 1852 to 1857.
Ettore Schmitz (Italo Svevo) (Trieste 1861- Treviso 1928). One of the greatest Italian writers of XIX century; he is the author of “La coscienza di Zeno” that Joyce introduced to the French and European criticism. Svevo, one of the first explorers of the unconscious, introduces in Italian literature the thematic of the German culture. His books have been compared to those by Proust, Joyce, Kafka and Musil.
Treves, a family from Treviri. It received from Napoleon the baronial title of de’ Bonfili.
Samuel Wahl, Rabbi of Padova in XVI century. Author of legal treatises.
Edoardo Weiss (1889-1970), born in Trieste, a pioneer of psychoanalysis.
Leone Wollemborg, economist. Born in Padova in 1859, he was Minister of Finance from 1900 until 1903 in the government Zanardelli. He was the author of numerous essays on insurances and co-operative societies..

Israel Zoller (Italo Zolli), Galitian of the Hapsburg Empire, Chief Rabbi of Rome during World War II, he was converted to Catholicism after the war and chose his Christian name to express his gratitude to Eugenio Pacelli, Pope Pio XII.
Picture by Ilya Schor
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