Global Community: The Sacks-Herenstein Center’s Trip to Italy

The Sacks-Herenstein Center’s mission trip to Italy during winter break gave Yeshiva University students a chance to connect to Jewish history, the Roman-Jewish community and to their staff and peers through heartfelt discussion. These connections not only strengthened the community of students present but also Yeshiva University’s connection to Roman Jewry.  

The students and faculty began the trip by learning the bittersweet history of Roman Jewry. The first stop on the itinerary was the Great Synagogue Museum, where a tour guide led the group to a display of Italian Torah coverings throughout the centuries. Each cover was hand-stitched by women of the community; they were brightly colored, draped in ruffles and accented with detailed brocade. When reflecting on seeing the Italian Torah, Eli Novick (YC ‘26) said, “The Italian Torah was a perfect metaphor for Italian Jews: we have different languages, traditions, and history. But at our core, our Torah and our values are the same.” A standout was an 8-foot-by-4-foot pale blue silk parochet crowned with delicate silver thread. The parochet was an astonishing tangible representation of centuries of Jewish pride. 

The following day, the scholars and faculty toured the Colosseum. While it was incredible to see one of the seven wonders of the world, it was sharply contrasted by the Jewish suffering experienced at the hands of the Romans. One of the tour guides shared that each seven-ton travertine block that comprises the Colosseum was lifted by a crane powered by Jewish slaves. Not only were Jews tortured physically, but they were punished spiritually. In 1553, the Colosseum held a mass burning of the Talmud. 

However, today, Roman Jews do not conceal their torrid history; they wear it with pride as a sign of Jewish resilience, much like their ancestors. In fact, most conversations with the locals opened with “Did you know Jews have been in Rome for 2,200 years?” After learning about Roman Jewish history, the Leadership and Rohr Writing Scholars resonated with the pain Roman Jews experienced, while also rejoicing in their renewal. The rejoicing was felt most sharply when Aharon Cohen (SSSB ‘28) made a siyumat the Arch of Titus, breathing Torah into a place that historically has marked the desecration of the Beit Hamikdash.  

Another way Yeshiva University and Italian Jewry connected was through volunteering. The group’s first volunteering opportunity was at the Jewish Retirement Home for Seniors. Since the YU students spoke minimal Italian and wore masks to protect the elderly, everyone was apprehensive as to how impactful the visit would be. 

In a moment of genius, Rabbi Mordechai Schiffman, Director of Leadership Scholars at the Sacks-Herenstein Center, began singing Am Yisrael Chai. The whole room, including the elderly and nurses, broke out into smiles, singing and clapping along. The singing was so touching that a former kibbutznikit, Karla, followed the YU students on their tour to sing “Shalom Aleichem” on a Tuesday. 

“Singing Jewish songs, talking with the residents and then building a garden together made me realize how meaningful it can be to bring a piece of Jewish life into someone else’s world,” Judah Frohlich (YC ‘28) told The Commentator. “It wasn’t formal or forced, it was real, shared and genuinely uplifting for all of us.”

Later in the week, the cohorts spent the day at Scuole Ebraiche di Roma, the only remaining Jewish school in Rome. The day began by splintering off into small groups to teach Torah to 13th graders — an extra grade required by the Italian school system. When reflecting on her experience, Eliana Waghalter (SCW ‘28) said, “It was so impactful to teach Torah to students living in a place where we were mere visitors. The connections we made were meaningful and opened my eyes to the lives lived by Jews in Rome.” Since YU students and the 13th graders were close in age, the discussion quickly shifted into talking about how they plan to explain their Jewish identity and love of Israel to their future university classmates. The YU and high school students bonded over the challenges of being a Jewish and Zionist college student in the current global climate.

After concluding their discussion with the high schoolers, the YU students reassembled into new groups to teach the middle schoolers. Because of the language barrier, groups attempted to bond through silliness. Through learning Torah, slapstick humor, throwing Hershey Kisses and playing games, the YU students managed to befriend a gaggle of 13-year-olds. The group learned the valuable lesson that connection can be based on emotion and action, not only conversation. 

A memorable moment from the trip was the prime opportunity for heartfelt discussion. With some carefully crafted ChatGPT prompts, students and faculty were assigned a new seat partner for every long bus ride. Students had intellectual discussions about how to build Jewish day school curricula, women’s roles in Judaism, and individual students shared stories about their families living in Rome. Overall, they maintained lightness with loads of Jewish geography, swapping family photos and inside jokes. 

Rachel Amar (SCW ‘26) noted, “It was such a simple, almost innocent way of sparking conversations with people I never would have naturally encountered.” Students also got to know faculty beyond academics by discussing careers, Judaism or whatever else crossed their minds. While spending so much time trying to connect with Roman Jews, YU students concurrently connected with faculty and each other. 

When summarizing this mission trip, why focus on community building instead of food or architecture? One student from Scuole Ebraiche di Roma summarized it perfectly. When talking about the positive aspects of arguments, the high school student shared: when you hand someone something physical, you lose out, but when you share something intangible, like an idea, you both get to hold onto it. The Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership’s mission trip was a success, not only because of the physical aspects, but also because of the intangible benefits that sprang from new connections. 

Photo Credit:  Zehava Shatzkes 

Photo Caption: Approaching the Colosseum