Heads of the Jewish community here fear an underground revival of anti-Semitism in Italy based on the increase of anti-Jewish incidents in the past few years. “I am seriously worried about these incidents,” said Chief Rabbi Elio Toaff. “The situation is not helped by the political, economic and social unrest in the country today.”
Alfons M. Di Nola, a Jewish professor, has published a book called “Anti-Semitism in Italy,” in which he lists various acts of vandalism and violence over the past ten years, all committed against Jews or synagogues. Rabbi Toaff recently received a letter addressed to “The Head Rabbi of the Jews of Rome,” which read. “For a Zionist such as you there is only lead (a bullet) or the scaffold. You will get it.”
Sympathetic Italians believe these acts represent the work of misguided youths, rather than countrymen with deep-seated anti-Semitic feelings. But Rabbi Toaff and other Jewish leaders say the growing evidence of anti-Semitism is serious enough to cause concern.
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