Elio Toaff
Elio Toaff (30 April 1915 – 19 April 2015) was the Chief Rabbi of Rome from 1951 to 2002. He served as a rabbi in Venice from 1947, and in 1951 became the Chief Rabbi of Rome.
Early life
Toaff was born in
Wartime
On one occasion, when he was driven out of the Ancona hospital while tendering religious consolation to a Jewish patient, he sought out the local head of the carabinieri who immediately provided him with an escort of four gendarmes that enabled him to return to the patient's bedside. The marshall in question assured Toaff that he could call on him for help if any other problems arose.[1]
In the wake of
From his experiences, Toaff stated that Italians were not anti-Semitic, that the survival of the Jews during the war was due to the assistance other Italians provided them during that period, and that Jews were perfectly integrated into their respective communities.[3]
Postwar period
At the conclusion of the hostilities of World War II, Toaff was appointed chief rabbi of Venice, a position he held until 1951 when he assumed the same role for the Jewish community of Rome. While in Venice he also lectured on Hebrew language and literature at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice. He published his autobiography, Perfidi giudei, fratelli maggiori (Perfidious Jews, Elder Brothers) in 1987.
Toaff resigned as chief rabbi at the age of 86 on 8 October 2001 and was succeeded by Riccardo Di Segni. On the eve of his retirement, Toaff said:
'A rabbi doesn't work only for his community or for the Jews. A rabbi has to talk to every human being who needs him. He belongs to everybody. He is for everybody.'[4]
On 17 May 2012 he was awarded the Prize Culturae within the Italian National Festival of Cultures in Pisa.
Toaff died on 19 April 2015, 11 days before his 100th birthday.[4]
Pope Francis sent a telegram to Dr. Riccardo Di Segni, Toaff's successor as Chief Rabbi of Rome:
To Dr. Riccardo Di Segni, Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Rome:
I would like to express my heartfelt participation in mourning, together with his family, and the entire Jewish community here in the capital of Rome, for the demise of the former longtime Chief Rabbi of Rome, Professor Dr. Elio Toaff, long the distinguished spiritual leader of the Jews of Rome.
The protagonist of Italian civil and Jewish history in recent decades, he knew how to overcome divisions, and both of our communities had a common esteem and appreciation for his moral authority, together with a deep humanity.
I remember with gratitude his generous commitment and sincere willingness to promote dialogue and fraternal relations between Jews and Catholics; during his tenure our communities saw a significant moment in this regard, in his memorable encounter with my esteemed predecessor
Saint Pope John Paul II, at the Chief Synagogue of Rome.I raise prayers to the most high God the Father, full of love and fidelity, to welcome him into his Kingdom of peace.
From the Vatican, April 20, 2015,
Franciscus.[5]
Toaff and his wife had 4 children, 3 sons, Ariel, Daniel, and Godiel,
Jewish-Catholic relations
Upon the death of
On 13 April 1986, Toaff was greeted by, and prayed with,
Rabbi Toaff remained friends with John Paul until the pontiff's death, and attended his
Bibliography
- Perfidi giudei, fratelli maggiori, 1987
- Essere ebreo with Alain Elkann, 1994
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Orazio La Rocca,'L'incontro,' La Repubblica 6 February 2006.
- ^ Eric J. Lyman, 'Rabbi Elio Toaff who ushered in an era of closer ties between Jews and the Vatican dies at 99,' The Jerusalem Post 20 April 2015.
- ^ a b Florette Rechnitz Koffler, Richard Koffler, (eds.), Uncertain Refuge: Italy and the Jews During the Holocaust, University of Illinois Press, 1995 pp.122-126 p.122,
- ^ a b c Eve Thomas,'Elio Toaff: Chief Rabbi of Rome who stood with Pope John Paul II in the Vatican's drive to reach out to other religions,' The Independent 21 April 2015.
- ^ LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS TO THE CHIEF RABBI OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF ROME FOR THE DEATH OF PROFESSOR ELIO TOAFF, CHIEF RABBI EMERITUS OF ROME Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 20 April 2015.
- ^ Avner Falk, Antisemitism: A History and Psychoanalysis of Contemporary Hatred, Greenwood Publishing 2008 pp.66-67.
- ^ a b Paul O'Shea, A Cross Too Heavy, Palgrave/Macmillan 2011, pp.14-15.
- ^ Giovanni Sale,Il Novecento tra genocidi, paure e speranze, Editoriale Jaca Book, 2006 p.36.
- ^ Frank J. Korn,Hidden Rome, Paulist Press,2002 pp.16-17.
- The Jewish Daily Forward. Retrieved April 20, 2015.