Sunday is European Day of Jewish Culture

Sunday 6 September: in the morning at the synagogue in Via Guastalla and in the afternoon at the Franco Parenti Theatre. Milan’s European Day of Jewish Culture returns with a packed and, particularly in these times, highly significant programme. The Day involves many European countries, with each edition centred on a specific shared theme. This 27th edition will focus on love, which in Jewish culture finds its primary foundation in the ‘Shema Yisrael’. There will be discussions on love in the Bible and the Book of Ruth; an exhibition by the artist Barbara Nahmad, a lecturer at Brera, entitled ‘Eden: infinite love’ will be on display at the Parenti Theatre; and the Jewish studies scholar Sara Ferrari will speak about the poet Yehuda Amichai. Love is celebrated in one of the most beautiful erotic poems in the literature of all peoples, the Song of Songs: it has often been interpreted as a celebration of the love between God and the Jewish people, but beyond this mystical interpretation, the text literally extols the passion between two young lovers.

The Song of Songs forms part of the Hebrew biblical canon, but, as Rabbi Akiva wrote: “The whole world is not worth the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel, for all the writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies”. A recital is planned featuring Madelyn Renée, who, during her career, has also worked with Pavarotti at Madison Square Garden. Finally, there will be a musical directed by Andrée Ruth Shammah, premiered under the title “Per l’amor del cielo”, adapted from Anat Gov’s “Oh Dio Mio” and the Song of Songs. As an unscheduled event, Giovan Battista Brunori, the RAI correspondent for the Middle East, will also be a guest in Guastalla in the morning.