We had the opportunity to visit the 91传媒 area of Rome. An Italian Jew, Sarah was our tour guide for two synagogues: the Great Synagogue of Rome and a smaller synagogue sometimes used by the Italian 91传媒 community and sometimes used by the Libyan 91传媒 community. Often shared by both.
Sarah explained that because of various cultural influences, you can find touches of different 91传媒 traditions throughout the synagogues. One example was not finding a mezuzah on their synagogue. She shared Roman 91传媒 tradition is to stringently believe the synagogue is holy and gives enough protection, thus not needing a holy object to touch as one enters and leaves. She explained that even if the synagogue is used for other functions, the tradition is no mezuzah for Roman 91传媒 synagogues.
I still found myself wanting to touch a mezuzah as I left the synagogue, especially as she explained how antisemitism continues to plague Italy. The security was evident and cars cannot drive down the visibly 91传媒 area. While in Rome, we also heard our own congregants鈥� stories. Those in bomb shelters in Israel, seeking safety and contemplating how they will get home. Their journeys have been arduous and filled with courage. Jews also praying for Godly protection. Protection for their families and the entire 91传媒 people. And through each story told, our congregants have ended their messages with, Am Yisrael Chai.
Mezuzah or not, we are viscerally bound to each other. Our tour guide explained that her son鈥檚 bar mitzvah was mere days after October 7th. He trembled as he put on his tefillin, scared about what might happen next鈥攑erhaps, to him. But then Sarah explained, her son hasn鈥檛 stopped putting on tefillin since. Often our faith is driven by fear. But her story is a reminder, that we push past fear and instead, grasp tradition. We grasp life. We always have and we always will.
Just as we say when we touch the mezuzah and as we saw on the threshold of the Great Synagogue in Rome, 鈥淏lessed are you in your coming and blessed are you in your going.鈥� Whether we are in Italy, Israel or Los Angeles, connected to each other, may we continue to experience blessings of peace wherever we go. Fear is not our primary drive. Rather, may we be blessed to grasp life, over and over again.
Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Nicole Guzik is senior rabbi at Sinai Temple. She can be reached at her Facebook page at or on Instagram . For more writings, visit Rabbi Guzik鈥檚 from Sinai Temple鈥檚 website.
