Italian Jewish Identity and Zionism: From the Emancipation to Postwar Italy (1848–1948)

Abstract

Abstract Throughout the centuries, Italian Jews have been both accepted by and outside of Italian society, and several forces and events have shaped their concept of Jewish identity and their approach toward Zionism, both of which have changed over time. Among these events, the Emancipation, the Racial Legislation Laws of 1938, and the Holocaust all played a crucial role in transforming the way Jews perceived and identified themselves with Judaism. This article aims to show the impact of these forces on Italian Jews after World War II in their perception of their own Jewish identity, as well as Italian identity and Zionism, and particularly the role played by the Jewish Palestinian soldiers in the reconstruction of the Italian Jewish communities and the rebirth of Jewish identity.