Contributed by: Nava Billet | Last Date of Travel: May/June 2009

Buongiorno!

I thought people might be interested to hear about Shavuot in Rome.

I stayed in a small suite next to one Synagogue, Bet Shmuel, on Via Garfagniana  (pronounced Gar-Fan-Nyana). It is a small shul, with congregants mostly of Libyan descent; they came to Italy after 1967. There is one man from Jerba (a small island off the coast of Tunisia with an interesting Jewish history) and he is louder than all the Libyans put together. None of the women come at night but they do come to shul during the day.

The first night we ate a meal at a family named Naccache. They own a kosher bed and breakfast which I recommend you visit! They’re a very sweet and friendly family with children about my age. We communicated in English and Hebrew. They are very funny… I told them that I know how to make chraimi- a Libyan dish that I once ate in Great Neck– and they fell in love with me! (The next day after shul they invited us for dinner again.) They heard I was a rabbi’s daughter and I was given the task of giving a dvar Torah…

For lunch on Shavuot we ate at a family named Guetta. They had their whole “chamula” (extended family–maybe Arabic–they did not describe themselves as a chamula it is a word I picked up in Israel, used by Morrocans) over. They had a lovely ground floor dining area in an apartment building. It looked as I’d imagine an ancient Roman courtyard would look. There was a large area with sculpted heads spitting water into sinks coming out of the wall and a small lap pool adjacent to the courtyard. It had a large open dining area which led into the kitchen.  The husband is Italian and the wife is Israeli– another pattern I noticed– A lot of the Italian Jews in Rome find a spouse in Israel, then they either come back to Italy or move to Herzelia.

The major dish eaten by Libyans on Shavuot is a traditional dish called Bazin. It consists of some sort of boiled dough, a thickish onion/tomato sauce with potatoes and meat. (People compete to make the best Bazin.) Apparently the dough is supposed to represent Mount Sinai… then I heard another explanation based on the Hebrew spelling, that it is a gematria of Rashei Tevot (acronym, in Hebrew)– the letters represent

Bet = 2 Tablets

Zayin = 7 weeks from Passover to Shavuot

Yud = 10 commandments

Nun = 50 days from pesach to Shavuot

I’ll skip now to Shabbat day. I attended a synagogue near the main bus/train station–Estacion Termini, called Oratorio Di Castro; it houses an Italian minyan in the main sanctuary and a small Ashkenaz Nusach Sfard minyan in the basement. I tried out the Italian minyan. It was a little hard to follow (especially from the balcony–and there was quite a bit of talking). They had a bar and bat mitzvah in shul, which made the service quite long. The sanctuary was beautiful (I had time to notice many details): colorful and vibrant. Stained glass windows showed Torah scrolls that match the ones stored in the Aron Kodesh (Holy Ark). The Torah scrolls, externally had an “Ashkesfard” look. But when they were opened it was in the Ashkenaz style. The floor was painted and the ceiling had several different geometric patterns with menorahs interspersed in the design.

We ate at a family named Arbib. They had many guests and are known in the community for their hachnassat orchim (hospitality) and by no means fell short of their reputation. They are a beautiful family that clearly loves life and people.

General thoughts: I was surprised and impressed by how many people speak Hebrew. I was able to communicate more with adults in Hebrew than in English. The children/ my generation have a working English and Hebrew language versatility.

Overall, great impression of people. Weather was pleasant. I like Libyan Jews. My Italian had improved a little over my trip but had a setback on Shabbat  because I spent time with the elders of Bet Shmuel most of the afternoon (while my friends napped); I never knew if they were speaking Arabic or Italian. I studied excerpts from Proverbs and Ruth with them and it was quite enjoyable (they eventually switched to Hebrew so that I’d be able to follow).

Ciao for now,

Nava

March 23rd – March 30th in Canazei, Italy

Join young professionals from around the world for a week of fun and skiing in one of the most exotic ski locations in the world: Canazei, Italy. The group will be staying at the FOUR STAR My One Hotel Canazei, a year-round Kosher Ski Resort.

The cost of €975 includes:

• Transfers to and from the resort
• Luxurious 4 Star hotel, with Swimming Pool for a week
• Full Kosher board — Kosher breakfasts, dinners, and packed lunches for the ski slopes.
• Ski equipment rental
• Ski Passes
• Group Night Activities
• Airport & Security Tax

• Roundtrip flights from Tel Aviv to Verona, Italy can be purchased as a part of the package for an additional $485
• If you are not flying from Israel, you can fly into Verona and meet the bus coming from Israel at the airport.

The trip is being run by the Israeli organization Nafka Mina.

To reserve your spot on this trip, please email Yair @ ski@nafkamina.org or call +972-54-7564636 (Israel number).

CookEuro has recently sent out a schedule for the following week long Kosher Cooking vacations in 3 beautiful regions of Italy and France:

• Emilia Romagna, Italy: May 9-16, 2011
• Tuscany, Italy: August 29-September 5; September 5-12, 2011
• Provence, France: October 31-November 7, 2011

The instructors in the region of Tuscany are Cristina Blasi and Gabriella Mari, the owners of the prestigious cooking school in Florence, Scuola di Arte Culinaria ‘Cordon Bleu’. In Emilia Romagna the instructor is Silvia Maccari, olive oil expert, author of a book of family recipes and owner of Camilla in Cucina. Jean-Claude Aubertin, a winner of the Moudet Cadet and Poele D’Or competitions and a member of Academie Culinaire de France and Les Diciples D’Escoffier, is the instructor in Provence.

All programs, under regional kosher supervision, are for a one week period, with five cooking classes, hands-on, in English. The cost for each program is $3,500 per person, shared room. A private room, if available, is an additional $550. Here’s the catch … the price is all inclusive, except airfare, from/to Bologna (Emilia Romagna), Florence (Tuscany), or Avignon (Provence). Not a cheap undertaking, but sounds really exciting.

Contributed by: Elina Rokhkind | Last Date of Travel: October 2009

Kosher Info:

There are three sources of kosher food in Florence, all of them located in close proximity to the synagogue.

The first is the dairy vegetarian Ristorante Ruth. Since it’s the only sit-down place, you get to meet here all kosher tourists visiting Florence at the time. The menu is not too extensive and rather eclectic, as is the restaurant’s décor. The food itself is decent, but not overly sophisticated; the house wine is pretty good. You can order here fish, pasta and vegetable dishes, as well as soups, pizza, and deserts. The restaurant’s owner, Simcha, is a very friendly and interesting man, who personally serves and gets to know his customers.

Then, there is a small store – Kosher Market, which sells packaged goods and wine, as well as a selection of imported frozen products, so they can prepare pizza or schwarma for you on the spot. They can also serve tea and instant coffee, and there are a few tables to sit while grabbing a bite. The frozen food is not great and overpriced, compared to the US. On the bright side, they sell some local cheeses and deli meats, which are delicious, and a good value too. Order a sandwich to take with you for the day of touring, and pair it with some delectable fresh Italian produce; then come back in the evening for a sit-down meal in the restaurant – this is a good plan in the kosher-limited Florence.

The third place – Chabbad of Florence – was always locked when we passed by, so you probably need to make the arrangements in advance.

Tourist Info:

We fell for the charm of Florence in an instant. This amazingly beautiful city surrounded by picturesque Tuscany hills exudes harmony and has a healthy dose of everything. Being the cradle of Renaissance, Florence is loaded with historical sites and grand art, yet the tourist crowds are manageable. For a modern cosmopolitan city with vibrant economic and cultural life, Florence is moderately-paced as Florentines prefer enjoying Dolce Vita to hectic lifestyles. The historical center is quite compact, which allows exploring it entirely on foot.

The heart of Florence is the Piazza del Duomo, where the famous Gothic Cathedral (known as Duomo) with its beautiful multi-colored facade is located. The Cathedral’s enormous red dome, renowned for being the first free-standing dome of its size since antiquity, is seen from everywhere around the city. Next to the Duomo is the Campanile (bell tower), which you can climb (all 414 steps of it) for the breathtaking views of the city and surrounding countryside. The architectural trio of the Piazza is completed with the Baptistery – the oldest Florentine building from the 11th century.

The powerful Medici family that ruled Florence during the Renaissance times was instrumental in beautifying the city, and lots of magnificent art pieces used to stand under the open sky. Nowadays, however, most of them are sheltered inside the numerous museums, and their place in the streets is taken by skillfully made copies. One couple we met during our travels was convinced they saw David’s Michelangelo a while ago in front of the Palazzo Vecchio (the old Town Hall). This was indeed the historical place of the famous symbol of Renaissance, but since 19th century David’s home is under the specially designed dome in the Accademia art gallery.

As it was said, the art is abundant and museums and palaces are plentiful in Florence – schedule carefully what you wish to visit. During our trip we managed to see the above mentioned Accademia (where aside from David you can find several more sculptures of Michelangelo), Palazzo Medici-Riccardi (early Medici residence, most famous for its frescoed private chapel), the immense and luxurious Palazzo Pitti (later Medici residence, complete with beautiful gardens and more art), and the free Palazzo Davanzati (a restored medieval house where you can glimpse into the life well before food-processors and modern bathrooms, and be surprised how ingenious people had been). And of course the Uffizzi – one of the most prominent Europe’s galleries – is an art-lover’s absolute must! Indeed, this surprisingly manageable museum housing the best Renaissance art in addition to classical sculptures, have the highest concentration of masterpieces per square foot we’ve ever encountered. In order not to stand in line for hours, it is highly recommended to use their advance reservation system.

Aside from enjoying its art and architecture, Florence is just a picture-perfect place to stroll. Admire the big castle-like Palazzo Vecchio, and imagine the tumultuous past unfolding on the Piazza della Signoria in front of it. Take a buggy ride on the cobblestones of the city center, or ride a carousel in the dusk on Piazza della Repubblica accompanied by the lively tunes of street musicians. Drop by the San Lorenzo market with its rows of bargain-priced leather goods, and get amazed by the abundance and variety of produce, and design of food shops at the nearby Mercato Centrale. Cross the romantic Ponte Vecchio– the oldest Florentine bridge spared by the Nazi during their retreat, and take a walk down the Oltrarno neighborhood’s winding streets among ancient buildings and artisan shops. Take a mini-hike to Piazzale Michelangelo for some amazing city views from the top of the hill. Finally, peep inside the big-name boutiques in this fashion-conscious city, and have a look at other interesting shopping options like a 600-year-old perfumery.

Although, we did not have time for it, we read the trips to the nearby Tuscan hill towns, such as San Gimignano, are really lovely. Other day trip options from Florence are to the interesting cities of Pisa, Siena or Lucca.

Jewish Info:

The imposing Great Synagogue of Florence with its green dome distinctive on the Florentine skyline of red-tiled roofs, was built in Moorish style in the end of 19th century. The grand and beautiful building is, unfortunately, mostly empty as minyan gathers for morning services only 3 times a week. The synagogue houses a small museum, and organizes guided tours of its inside, providing some background on the Jewish history in Florence.

Unless you hire a private guide knowledgeable about the Florentine Jewish history and sites significant to it, there is nothing explicitly Jewish to see in Florence. The Ghetto, formerly located on the place of the present Piazza della Repubblica, was completely destroyed in 19th century. Giovanna Bossi specializes in Jewish Florence tours, but we ended up not using her services, which I partially regret. Please refer to Jewish Italy website for relevant contact info.

Contributed by Elina Rokhkind | Last Date of Travel: October 2009

Kosher Info: All Jewish life in Venice is clustered inside the former Ghetto area of two compact squares – Campo di Ghetto Nuovo and Campo di Ghetto Vecchio. Here you can find two meat kosher restaurants: Gam-Gam, which is owned and operated by Chabad, and Le Balthazar with the adjacent new kosher hotel Giardino del Ghetto (same ownership) under the supervision of Chief Rabbi of Venice.

It was packed in Gam-Gam on Thursday night, so reservations are recommended. The food was tasty and the service efficient, but the menu was mostly Israeli style with just a few Italian selections. On Shabbat Gam-Gam hosts communal meals (free, but donations are appreciated). They told us that in the summer they had up to 700 guests each week eating in shifts! During our October stay it was less crowded, but the restaurant was full nevertheless.

Le Balthazar also offers Shabbat meals, which you have to pre-pay. During our visit they hosted a morning Kiddush for everyone in their quaint backyard garden, so we got a glimpse of Le Balthazar’s cuisine and atmosphere. I must say, we were rather impressed, both the fresh authentic Italian delicacies they served and the lovely décor contributed to an extremely pleasant experience.

There is another small B&B in the Ghetto – Locanda del Ghetto, which only serves catered kosher breakfast for its guests.

There are also two kosher bakeries – one was never open while we were there, and the other had a nice selection of breads and pastries, and sold kosher packaged products and wine. The bakery is apparently owned by non-Jews, since it was open on Shabbat, while displaying two kashrut certificates. Chabad also runs a small makolet, where you can buy some dry goods and dairy, but it does not have set operation hours, so you need to arrange with them to open it.

Another dining option is the dairy cafeteria in the Jewish Museum of Venice, open during the museum hours. We tried it and were pleasantly surprised, as it offered simple but yummy Italian dishes and heimishe service. Finally, we discovered a gelateria Il Gelatone within a 5-minute walk outside of the Ghetto: all flavors marked with a K are kosher, but cookie holders are not permitted – ask for a paper cup.

Travel Info: Considered an ultimate romantic city with its web of narrow streets and myriads of canals, cozy squares, dreamy bridges and unique architecture, Venice would indeed be so if not for the masses of tourists. But even with the Manhattan-like crowds, the place is worth touring.

Many day-trippers never get to explore Venice beyond the St. Mark’s Square and a gondola ride. In fact, the city has a number of interesting museums and palaces one can visit, but the best part is just to roam through Venice, discover some back streets which no tourists reach, get lost in the narrow lanes and be amazed by the past grandeur and the ongoing struggle with the water to keep the history from decay. The Venetian phenomenon of acqua alta (“high waters”) caused primarily by the exceptionally high tides in the Adriatic Sea and magnified by the Venice’s continuous sinking into the lagoon, brings about periodical flooding of the area and challenges the upkeep of the suffering buildings.

Take a vaporetto (waterbus) ride along the Grand Canal – the once magnificent facades are somewhat dilapidated, but still charming. During the “high waters”, which foremost hit the overwhelmed by tourists San Marco area – the city’s lowest point, people navigate on raised platforms, and traffic can be slow.

By all means, take some guided tour once in Venice to learn more about the rich and interesting history of the Venetian Republic. Both the Doge’s Palace “Secret Itineraries” tour (where they bring you to otherwise inaccessible floors of the palace) and the Clock Tower tour we took were very engaging and are highly recommended. The Doge’s Palace and the Clock Tower are both located on the famed Piazza San Marco together with the Basilica San Marco, the Campanille (bell tower) and several museums. Cafes with outside seating on the Piazza feature baroque and jazz music bands, and at night the square becomes a scene of “dueling orchestras”, when bands from different cafes take turns in showing off their virtuosity.

If you have a chance, visit other islands in the Venetian lagoon. Murano Island, famous for its glassmaking shops, is an interesting option, where you can catch a glass-blowing demo and purchase discounted (compared to Venice) glass pieces.

Jewish Info: The Ghetto area is the center of the Jewish life in Venice. Venetian Ghetto is the oldest in Europe – in 1516 it was decreed that Jews are to live in the small area in sestiere Cannaregio where the old foundries (geti in Italian) were located. Due to the guttural pronunciation of the German Jews who first settled in the geti area, the word “ghetto” appeared. Initially the Jews were given the Ghetto Nuovo, but later the Ghetto was enlarged to include Ghetto Vechio (the names of New and Old refer here to the new and old foundries, not sites of Jewish settlements). The Ghetto was closed at night, and the surrounding canals were patrolled by Christian guards. The Ghetto was abolished with the Napoleon’s conquest in 1797.
Several thousands Jews lived in this pretty confined area of two squares. Unusually high buildings with subdivided floors are the result of the cramped living conditions.

The synagogues in Ghetto Nuovo are located on the top floors of the buildings. Five beautiful 16th century synagogues (called Scole) are well-preserved and can be seen on a guided tour through the Jewish Museum of Venice. Two synagogues are open for services (the Levantine Scola in the winter, the Spanish Scola in the summer), with other synagogues functioning during the holidays.
Aside from the synagogues and the Jewish Museum, there are two Holocaust memorials, Beit-Chabad and their small yeshiva, and a bunch of Judaica stores in the Ghetto. For additional details check the Jewishitaly.org website.

Contributed by Elina Rokhkind | Last Date of Travel: October 2009

Kosher Info:

Thankfully, Rome offers a decent choice of options for the kosher traveler. In addition to the centrally located former ghetto neighborhood with about a dozen eateries ranging from the quick bites to fancy restaurants, there are a few other residential neighborhoods with the Jewish infrastructure.

In the Ghetto all restaurants are located in the close proximity to the Great Synagogue and to each other. There are four pricier sit-down restaurants: two dairy (Nonna Betta and Yotvata) and two meat (La Taverna del Ghetto and Ba’Ghetto), which are frequented by locals and tourists alike. It seems that visiting the Ghetto neighborhood and tasting the authentic Jewish Roman cuisine is considered an interesting and worthwhile experience even for a non-Jewish sightseer. We ate at Nonna Betta and Ba’Ghetto – both were really nice and offered a wide menu of Roman specialties. Ba’Ghetto seemed to be most popular.  Make sure to sample the local signature dish – artichokes alla Judaea. Almost all restaurants in the area have outside sitting, and in the cold weather fancier restaurants place large gas heaters near the tables, which makes for a very cozy and romantic dining.

The area also have 2 bakeries and a meat store (didn’t check them out), a dairy fast-food Beteavon (fresh panini and sandwiches with a heimishe feel), Fast Kosher (McDonalds-type fast-food, didn’t try it), Chagat (another meat fast-food, but more Israeli-type with choices like falafel), and Kosher Bistrot (fleishig café with a bit more sophisticated selection which also serves hot beverages and alcohol, and sells a number of imported and Italian packaged groceries; beware – prices are higher when you sit outside than at the bar inside). Pretty much every establishment including hole-in-the-wall joints served wine – and a good one! – so enjoy this inseparable part of an Italy vacation. Try ordering house wines (vino de casa) with your restaurant meal and you won’t regret it! Also, some really yummy kosher deli options exist in Italy, which we haven’t tried before – make sure to taste their carne seca.

Piazza Bologna, Marconi and Monteverde are other neighborhoods where Jews reside, with Piazza Bologna being the most populated. It boasts a few kosher hotels and B&Bs, 3 synagogues and several kosher stores and eateries. We only ate at the pizza/bakery place Pane al Pane (pretty good), which sells pizza by weight, and the variety of toppings makes you wish to try them all. 

From the restaurants located elsewhere we also tried C’e Pasta e Pasta (not far from Trastevere train station) – a takeout-type place with a few seats, selling delicious pasta products and appetizers (the cheese-filled crepes we ate there were simply divine). And I can’t recommend enough another dairy café and bakery called Dolce Kosher. (We happened to live nearby during our stay in Rome, otherwise it’s a shlep from the center.) Everything we tried there was absolutely amazing, and they have a mouthwatering selection of deserts! I couldn’t believe the parve pastries were actually parve. The place was abounding with the knowing locals, although we were there at 11 am on a weekday…

All Roman kosher establishments are under Beth Din of Rome, meat by default is not glatt (however, several restaurants offer glatt selections), some of the dairy places are Chalav Yisrael. For more detail on kosher options and Jewish life the Jewishitaly.org proved to be very instrumental. Also, Shamash.org kosher database provides details and reviews on the restaurants. 

Tourist Info:

Rome is filled with places to visit and things to do, so I can comment only on whatever we ended up doing during our 3.5 day visit. We explored the Ghetto neighborhood and visited the Main Synagogue and the Jewish Museum located in the same building (more info in the next section). We walked a lot in the historic center visiting most of the tourist landmarks: lively Campo dei Fiori with farmers market in the morning and live music in the evening, Pantheon, Piazza Navona with its impressive Bernini fountains, Piazza Colonna with a huge column, the legendary Trevi Fountain, and the ever-crowded Piazza di Spagna. We also had a walk through a vibrant Trastevere neighborhood, visited magnificent Piazza del Popollo, and promenaded along Via del Corso. Walking miles and miles in Rome you realize that the city itself is the biggest museum under the open sky with its abundance of architectural marvels, beautiful statues and plentiful fountains. Ancient ruins that pop up at you from everywhere is the most amazing thing. In the midst of the modern city you suddenly stumble upon some interesting excavations, or an enormous Egyptian obelisk, or the remains of an ancient wall. Structures are built upon the older foundations making the city a multi-layer history showcase. We were looking for the Pompey theater ruins marked on the map, but seen nowhere, until we found out that the remaining wall of the theater is the actual back wall of the present-day buildings on that street – bars, restaurants, hotels.

We also visited the Michelangelo-designed Capitoline Square and were astounded to see the poster of Gilad Shalit on the City Hall. The enormous Victor Emmanuel monument complex nearby the Capitoline Hill offers great panoramic views of Rome. 

 We explored Ancient Rome monuments with a private guide from the Jewish tour company. There are 2 companies – Rome for Jews and  Jewish Roma that offer several tours of Rome with the Jewish twist. We went with the 1^st company, and were quite satisfied, but their guides are Americans; Jewish Roma, I believe, has Italian guides. Our 3-hour tour included some introduction to the Ghetto and its history (on the way to the ancient sites), overview of the Forum and the story of the Jewish history in the Ancient Rome, a close-up of the Arch of Titus, tours of the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum. Since private guides are not inexpensive, it makes more sense to hire them if you are traveling with a small group. 

We visited Vatican with the tour by the Vatican Museums – it lasted 2 hours and covered the highlights. The Museums are enormous – plan ahead if you want to see something specific. Also, it is going to be less crowed if you visit it in the afternoon. Some people, who did not want to enter the Sistine Chapel, complained that they could not bypass it once they got close, since it’s a one-way path. In fact, there is a door on the top of the stairs which leads back through the main corridor – it may be marked as no entry, but there is a way out – try talking to the security guards if you are stuck, some of them are helpful. It’s about a 15-minute walk back through the museum and another 10 to the St. Peter’s Square to take a look at the famous semicircle of massive columns and the gigantic Basilica. 

We also wanted to see Galleria Borghese – an interesting collection of art and sculpture housed in a 17^th-century cardinal villa. The museum requires advance reservation, as they only allow a certain amount of visitors every 2 hours. So if you are late – that’s what happened to us – you forfeit your visit since there are usually no extra tickets. Our only consolation was that the villa is located in the large and beautiful park – Borghese Gardens, which is a pleasure to walk or bike through (bike rentals available). 

It is vital to have a good map in Rome, since even with the map we kept getting lost. The locals are extremely friendly and go out of their way to help even when they don’t speak a word in English. A good bus route map is also helpful since metro coverage is limited. Romans get around mostly by motorini (mopeds) – the swarms of them are an inextricable part of the local character. 

Jewish Info:

 Rome’s Jewish community numbers about 15 000, it has 14 synagogues (all of them Orthodox), and an established Jewish infrastructure with schools, mikvahs, periodicals and communal organizations. An outsider, judging by the cover, would not be able to tell who is Jewish – not many kipahs and distinguishably Jewish dress is seen even in the Jewish places.

 Rome is home to one of the most ancient Jewish communities in Diaspora – first Jews settled here during the 2^nd century BCE. Neither Ashkenazi nor Sephardi, they are called Bnei Roma (or Italiki Jews), and they have their own nusach and minhagim. Obviously, a lot of other Jews (mostly Sephardim) joined the Roman community throughout the centuries. During the Ghetto times Jews were allowed to have only one synagogue, so they housed several minyanim in one building. 

The Ghetto existed from 16^th to the late 19^th century, and it enclosed several blocks near the Tiber River. The frequently flooded area, where thousands of Jews crammed was in such a miserable condition by the time of the unification of Italy, that it was completely demolished and rebuild. In place of the old synagogue the Roman Jewish community built a magnificent new structure clearly recognizable on the Roman skyline by its rectangular dome. All artifacts from the old shuls were preserved and are now either in use in the synagogues throughout Rome or on the display in the Jewish Museum of Rome. The Jewish Museum also houses a large collection of Torah covers which Jewish housewives crafted from the second-hand clothing they husbands peddled. The Museum ticket includes a half-hour tour of the Synagogue with the overview of the history of Roman Jewry. There are daily services in the Great Synagogue.

 Also of Jewish interest is Ostia Antica – a large archeological site containing excavations of an ancient synagogue. It is outside of Rome, and accessible by public transportation. (We haven’t visited it, however).

Jews the world over are traveling around to friends, family, or to new locations this Passover. While it is typically impossible to find kosher restaurants or eateries open for Passover, here are a few that I’ve found that will be open this year on Chol Hamoed (intermediary days of Passover):

Prague, Czech Republic

Shalom
Maiselova 18
11000 Prague, Prague 1 – Josefov
+420-226-235-043
http://www.jewishprague.cz/shalom-restaurant.php

Paris, France

Les Ailes
rue Richer 34
75009 Paris
+33-1-477-062-53
http://www.lesailes.fr/

Rome, Italy

Yesh
Via Silvestro Gherardi 51
00146 Rome, Marconi
+39-(0)655-616-97
http://www.yesh.it/

London, UK

Dizengoff
Golders Green Road 118
London, Golders Green
+44 (0)20 8458 7003/8458
http://www.dizengoffkosherrestaurant.co.uk

Contributed by: Sara Marx  |   Last Date of Travel: October 2008

Kosher Info: Via Del Portico d’Ottavia is a street with many kosher options and it is right by the big main synagogue. There are two “upscale” meat restaurants, a dairy place (we didn’t try it), and a couple of falafel/fast food places. We ate at La Taverna Del Ghetto where I had meat ravioli with meat sauce and my husband had goulash with a side of pasta and we were both extremely happy with our choices. The restaurant had a Sukkah, as did a couple of other restaurants on the street. There was a new-looking store called something like Jewish Bistro and it looked like it sold wine and maybe some minimal groceries.

Tourist Info: I cannot recommend enough the Knopf MapGuide that we used in Rome. It was the best $10 we could have spent in preparation for this trip! Highlights include the typical stuff: Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish steps, Piazza Navona, Saint Peter’s Basilica, Colosseum. We really enjoyed the audio guide at the Vatican Museums. Be prepared for a lot of tourists and fees at absolutely everything.

We did a day trip to Ostia Antica, which is a short train ride away from Rome, and is a very cool excavation of ruins from a port city. It was super fun just to walk around and take it all in, and there are ruins of a synagogue, too. There’s not much in the town and the castle fortress has free tours, but only in Italian. 

Jewish Info: We arrived in Rome on chol hamoed Sukkot and a woman who worked at La Taverna Del Ghetto was a good resource as far as where and when to show up for chag services. We went to davenning at the big synagogue erev Shemini Atzeret where there was a decent turn out, and we went on erev Simchat Torah where they had a great turnout and it was a lot of fun. My husband made his way up to the front and got a hakafah. The Italki nusach is definitely different and interesting and we enjoyed learning about it. We stayed at the Costaguti Palace B&B literally a block from the kosher restaurants and 2 blocks from the synagogue and walking distance to all the sites. It was Shabbat/chag friendly, although on the fourth floor.

For those that are interested, there are 3 Chabad centers in Rome: http://www.chabad.org/centers/default_cdo/city/Rome/country/Italy/ea/1/jewish/Chabad-Lubavitch.htm