During the last 25 years, locals and scholars have begun to uncover what was lost (expelled, really) more than 500 years ago. One of the most extraordinary discoveries was a mikveh, a Jewish ritual bathhouse, excavated one bucket of mud at a time by Amalia Daniele di Bagni and the association Siracusa III Millennio. Pictured…
Tag: jewish baths
Sicily’s Jewish Past
By nature of its position in the middle of the Mediterranean, Sicily has always been a multicultural land. Before the Spanish Inquisition (Yes, the Spanish ruled Sicily during this dark period (roughly 1478-1834).), Jews, according to scholar and author Jacqueline Alio, made up almost 7 percent of Sicily’s population. Palermo was home to a large…