Amos Luzzatto, Italian writer and Jewish community leader, dies at 92
He served as president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities from 1998-2006 as well as president of the Jewish community of Venice.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFSilvio Berlusconi meets Amos Luzzatto in Rome(photo credit: REUTERS)
Longtime Italian Jewish community leader Amos Luzzatto passed away on September 9 at the age of 92.Luzzatto was both a physician and a scholar, and was deeply engaged in Jewish heritage and cultural affairs. He served as president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) from 1998-2006 as well as president of the Jewish community of Venice.During his mandate as president of the UCEI, the European Day of Jewish Culture (ECJC) was established. ECJC's aim is to recognize Jewish heritage as an integral part of the cultural heritage of Europe, to promote tourism and other visits to Jewish heritage sites – and also to promote Jewish pride and sense of identity.In 2001, Luzzatto defined the EDJC as “the first event that really politically unified European Jewry.”"It makes European Jews feel that there is something that united them, and also unites them with Europe," he said. "It becomes a politically important event for Europe. As political representatives of European Jewry, we must make use of this channel to contact the European Union and make the day a political event for Europe. If the majority of visitors are non-Jews, this means that it is a political event for Europe."In 2005, Luzzatto reiterated the role of the EDJC, and the role of Jewish culture and heritage in general, rejecting calls to cancel the day despite heightened concerns about terrorism.“The European Day of Jewish Culture will take place this year in a climate of great international tensions; of serious risks of terrorist attacks, in a climate of fear,” he said."Organizers had asked themselves if it might not be better to call off events," he recalled. "But we decided that this would not be right, because it is just at times like these that culture becomes even more important.”"Culture does not represent a luxury for times of ease and tranquility," Luzzatto said. "On the contrary – it is one of the most important weapons at our disposal to react against violence, bloodshed and destruction."“If we had canceled everything, the terrorists would have won. We cannot allow fear to stop us.”
