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Elio Toaff
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Elio Toaff
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Elio Toaff (on left) with former Italian president Oscar Luigi Scalfaro in 2007

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

[edit]

Toaff was born in Livorno in 1915, the son of the city's rabbi Alfredo Sabato Toaff and his wife Alice Yarch.[1] one of four children, the others being Cesare, Renzo and Pia,[1] He then undertook, under his father's guidance, his early religious formation at Livorno's Rabbinical College, while attending the University of Pisa where he studied law. He had difficulties finding a supervisor for his final thesis. By that time, the Fascist government had passed its antisemitic Italian Racial Laws, which blocked Jews from registering to study for, though not from completing, a tertiary degree. Only one professor, Lorenzo Mossa, finally offered to step in, and assigned him to work on the legal conflict between Ottoman, Jewish and English law in Mandatory Palestine.[1] He managed to graduate by 1938, despite the fact that the head of the commission, Cesarini Sforza, before whom he was to discuss his thesis, abandoned the proceedings in disgust at the presence of a Jew.[1] In 1939 he completed his theological degree. His brother Renzo, a surgeon, was literally ordered out of the hospital where he was employed while conducting an operation but refused to do so until he had completed it.[1] Despite his father's reservations, given the dangers of the time and the idea one rabbi sufficed for the family, he was ordained rabbi the following year.[1] Shortly afterwards he was appointed chief rabbi of the community of Ancona, a position he maintained until 1943. In one of his first acts, on his arrival, he managed to persuade a local Jewish family not to convert to Christianity: he argued that such a move was 'cowardly, useless and undignified' in the circumstances.[1]

Wartime

[edit]

On one occasion, when Toaff 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 Pietro Badoglio's declaration of a cessation of hostilities with the Allies on 8 September 1943, Toaff and his family were forced to go into hiding, as Germany invaded Italy. He shut the synagogue when German troops arrived, an event coinciding with Yom Kippur that year, and, with the help of the Anconians, hid the members of the community in local houses and in parish churches. The adolescents and children were put on a boat sailing south to the area under the control of the Allies.[1] The Nazis and their remaining fascist allies in Italy reacted to the armistice by organizing the first deportations for concentration camps and Arbeitslager. Toaff had been tipped off by the local parish priest that an attempt would be made to assassinate him, and he, together with his father, his wife Lia Luperini and their son Ariel Toaff, managed to take refuge in Versilia, thanks to the hospitality of the parish priest, don Francalanci.[1] Toaff did not have the option of fleeing Italy, mindful of his father's words that: 'A rabbi does not have the same freedom of choice others have; he can never abandon his community.'[2] He recalled later every Jew in Ancona survived the war thanks to the assistance given by their Catholic neighbours.[3] Toaff was captured by the SS during a raid, and was saved from being executed as others had been who were caught in the roundup, when the Austrian, with whom he had conversed a little in French, and who was in charge of the execution, gave the order to release him as he was digging his own grave.[1] Catholic families helped them throughout their flight, which led them to a refuge also in Città di Castello where, in 1999, he was accorded their honorary citizenship. Toaff himself joined the Italian Resistance in the mountains of central Italy, working also to secure the safety of fellow Jews.[4] His company was the first to enter the village after the SS executed the Sant'Anna di Stazzema massacre, in which 560 villagers were murdered. He recalled coming across a woman who appeared to be asleep but, on closer inspection, had been disembowelled, with her fetus nearby, ripped from the womb, and shot through the head.[1]

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

[edit]

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, 20 April 2015,

Franciscus.[5]

Toaff and his wife had four children: three sons, one being Ariel,[1] and a daughter, who married Sergio Della Pergola and lives in Israel.[6]

Jewish-Catholic relations

[edit]

Upon the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Toaff, as Chief Rabbi of Rome, paid tribute to the late pontiff, saying: "Jews will always remember what the Catholic Church did for them by order of the pope during the Second World War. When the war was raging, Pius spoke out very often to condemn the false race theory,"[7] a sentiment echoed widely in the Jewish communities at that time, though later challenged by Rolf Hochhuth.[7][8] There had been nonetheless contact[clarification needed] with Pius XII and the local community, a situation that changed with Pope John XXIII who on one occasion stopped his car outside of the synagogue to bless the Jewish worshippers as they left, a gesture, the first papal blessing in 2,000 years, which moved them profoundly.[1] No formal contacts, however, arose during the papacy of Pope Paul VI.[1]

On 13 April 1986, Toaff was greeted by, and prayed with, Pope John Paul II during a visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome, the first by a reigning pope to a Jewish house of worship. Rather than extending his hand for a formal handshake, Toaff embraced the Pope.[9] On 7 April 1994, Toaff co-officiated at the Papal Concert to Commemorate the Shoah at the Sala Nervi in Vatican City, along with Pope John Paul II, and the President of Italy Oscar Luigi Scalfaro.

Rabbi Toaff remained friends with John Paul until the pontiff's death and attended his funeral. He was one of the two people who the pope mentioned in his last will and testament, in which he stated: "How can I fail to remember the rabbi of Rome, and the numerous representatives of non-Christian religions?" The only other living person to be named was John Paul's longtime personal secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz.[10]

Bibliography

[edit]

References

[edit]
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Elio Toaff

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Elio Toaff is an Italian rabbi known for his record-setting tenure as Chief Rabbi of Rome from 1951 to 2002 and for his instrumental role in rebuilding Italian Jewry after the Holocaust while advancing historic Jewish-Catholic dialogue. He welcomed Pope John Paul II to the Great Synagogue of Rome in 1986, an event that marked the first papal visit to a synagogue in nearly two thousand years and symbolized a major step toward reconciliation between the two faiths. Widely regarded as a towering figure in postwar European Jewish life, Toaff was praised for his charisma, institutional leadership, and ability to bridge Jewish tradition with broader Italian society. Born on April 30, 1915, in Livorno, Italy, as the son of the city's chief rabbi, Alfredo Sabato Toaff, Elio Toaff studied law and theology before entering the rabbinate against his father's initial wishes. He served as chief rabbi of Ancona from 1941 to 1947 and then of Venice from 1947 to 1951. During World War II, he joined the Italian partisan resistance against Nazi occupation, helped conceal Jews from deportation, and survived capture by German forces who sentenced him to death before he escaped. Upon assuming leadership in Rome in 1951, Toaff guided the ancient Jewish community—one of Europe's oldest—through its recovery from Fascist-era racial laws and the devastation of the Holocaust, reestablishing religious education, schools, and observance in a community that had been profoundly weakened. His efforts extended beyond Rome to position him as a de facto leader of Italian Jewry, and his interfaith work contributed to improved relations with the Vatican during a transformative period for both communities. He died on April 19, 2015, in Rome at the age of 99.

Early Life and Education

Birth and Family Background

Elio Toaff was born on April 30, 1915, in Livorno, a Tuscan port city in Italy. Livorno historically served as a significant center of Jewish scholarship and culture in Italy, dating back to its prominence in the 16th century. He was the son of Alfredo Sabato Toaff, who served as chief rabbi of Livorno, and Alice Jarach. Raised in a rabbinical household within the local Jewish community, Toaff grew up immersed in the traditions and scholarly environment of Livorno's Jewish life. His father discouraged him from pursuing a career in the rabbinate, yet Toaff rebelled against this advice and ultimately followed a rabbinical path. This family heritage in the Tuscan Jewish tradition shaped his early roots in Italian Jewry.

Education and Path to Rabbinate

Elio Toaff pursued a dual education in law and Jewish religious studies during his youth in Livorno. He attended the University of Pisa's faculty of law, graduating in 1938, while concurrently studying at the Rabbinical College of Livorno under his father's guidance. In 1938, he earned the title of maskil (scholar) at the Rabbinical College, and in 1940 he was ordained as a chacham, the Sephardic equivalent of rabbi. Despite coming from a prominent rabbinical family—his father served as chief rabbi of Livorno—Toaff faced discouragement from pursuing a rabbinical career. His father, Alfredo Sabato Toaff, advised against following him into the rabbinate. Toaff nevertheless rebelled against this counsel, committing to Jewish religious leadership and demonstrating an early dedication to the rabbinate despite familial obstacles.

World War II Period

Early Rabbinical Roles

Elio Toaff's entry into rabbinical service was influenced by his family background, as his father Alfredo Sabato Toaff served as Chief Rabbi of Livorno and director of the local Rabbinic School. After becoming a rabbi in 1939, he was appointed rabbi of the Jewish community in Ancona in June 1940, an assignment that occurred as Italy entered World War II. On October 29, 1941, Toaff married Lia Luperini in Florence. Following the marriage, he maintained his rabbinical commitments in Ancona, serving the Italian and Levantine Synagogues while dedicating efforts to reorganizing the community's library, archive, and sacred furnishings. As the war intensified, Toaff continued in these roles amid the growing challenges facing Italian Jewish communities.

Wartime Experiences and Resistance

Elio Toaff assumed the role of rabbi in Ancona in June 1940, coinciding with Italy's entry into World War II. He married Lia Luperini in Florence on October 29, 1941, and continued his rabbinical duties at the city's Italian and Levantine synagogues while reorganizing the community's library, archive, and sacred furnishings. Following the Italian armistice with the Allies on September 8, 1943, and the German occupation of central Italy—including Ancona in early October—Toaff closed the synagogue on Yom Kippur as German troops arrived in the city. He initially took refuge in Fabriano, dedicating himself to prayer, study, and writing a prayer book in Sephardic Hebrew characters amid the intensifying dangers. Toaff and his wife subsequently moved to various hiding places in Tuscany, including Pisa, Orciano, Focette, and Valdicastello. After the German occupation of northern and central Italy in 1943 led to mass deportations, Toaff joined the Italian Resistance and helped hide Jews to protect them from Nazi deportation. He participated in risky actions as part of the partisan effort in the mountains of central Italy. During a roundup, Toaff was captured by the Nazis, sentenced to death by firing squad, and forced to dig his own grave, but he managed to escape. Toaff was among the first witnesses to the SS massacre at Sant'Anna di Stazzema on August 12, 1944, where hundreds of civilians were killed.

Postwar Rabbinical Career

Rabbi in Venice

In 1947, Elio Toaff was appointed Chief Rabbi of Venice, assuming leadership of one of Europe's oldest and most historic Jewish communities shortly after the devastation of World War II and the Holocaust. Following his wartime resistance activities, which included aiding persecuted Jews during the German occupation of Italy, he turned his focus to the postwar recovery of the Venetian Jewish community. The Venice Jewish community had been severely hit by the war, with many members deported or killed, leaving survivors in need of spiritual guidance and communal reconstruction. Toaff spared no effort to change the fate of the local community, dedicating himself to revitalizing Jewish life, rebuilding institutions, and providing support to survivors in the historic Venetian Ghetto. In addition to his rabbinical duties, he taught Jewish language and literature at the local university, contributing to the cultural and educational revival of Jewish identity in Venice. His tenure in Venice marked a period of active engagement in restoring communal cohesion and hope in the aftermath of profound loss.

Appointment as Chief Rabbi of Rome

In 1951, Elio Toaff was appointed Chief Rabbi of Rome, succeeding David Prato and assuming leadership of Italy's largest and most ancient Jewish community. This appointment followed his service as chief rabbi of Venice from 1947, marking a transition to the spiritual headship of the historic Roman Jewish community. The Roman Jewish community, regarded as perhaps the oldest in Europe, had been severely diminished in numbers and vitality in the aftermath of World War II. It suffered a double trauma from the Fascist regime's racial laws targeting Jews and the Holocaust-era deportations under German occupation starting in 1943. Historian David I. Kertzer described the period as one in which Italian Jewry was "devastated and severely traumatized," noting the shock to a community that had considered itself quintessentially Italian for over 2,000 years. Toaff's formal installation took place on August 4, 1951, in Rome's Tempio Maggiore, with his father Rav Alfredo Sabato Toaff, the Rabbi of Milan Ermanno Friedenthal, and the Rabbi of Turin Dario Disegni in attendance. The appointment positioned him to guide the community's post-war recovery at a pivotal moment in its long history.

Tenure as Chief Rabbi of Rome

Community Leadership and Reconstruction

Elio Toaff served as Chief Rabbi of Rome from December 1951 until his resignation in October 2001, guiding the Roman Jewish community for half a century through a profound process of reconstruction and renewal after the devastation of the Holocaust. The community had been severely weakened by the Nazi raid on the Rome ghetto on October 16, 1943, and the deportations that followed, which claimed over one thousand members and left survivors facing material hardship and spiritual trauma. Toaff's long leadership focused on restoring vitality, organization, and identity to the community through sustained internal efforts in education, religious life, youth engagement, and welfare. Education stood as a central priority in Toaff's vision for rebuilding, regarded as the foundation of the community's future. Under his guidance, the Vittorio Polacco Jewish school was fully reactivated and expanded, including the opening of a middle school in 1953 and major renovation works on the school building starting that spring. Complementary measures encompassed the reorganization of kindergarten, nursery, children's home, and orphanage services, along with the institution of summer camps to support youth development. In religious and intellectual spheres, Toaff directed the National Rabbinical College from 1955 and oversaw the reactivation of synagogues and oratories across Rome and Ostia. He also strengthened youth movements and Zionist education programs, ensuring greater inclusion of lower-income segments of the community from around 1960 onward. Toaff's administrative leadership extended to welfare and community communication. He managed the recovery and modernization of the Israelitic Hospital and Rest Home on the Isola Tiberina, culminating in an expansion in 1970 that increased capacity significantly. The establishment of La Voce della Comunità in 1952 provided the Roman Jewish Community with a dedicated press organ during the early years of his rabbinate. Through these initiatives, Toaff restored dignity, religiosity, and unity to the survivors and their descendants, leaving an indelible mark on the community's structure and spirit.

Key Initiatives During Tenure

During his tenure as Chief Rabbi of Rome from 1951 to 2001, Elio Toaff directed the Collegio Rabbinico Italiano, overseeing the training and education of new rabbis and contributing significantly to the formation of future Jewish leadership in Italy. He emphasized initiatives in education and culture as part of his early program of work shortly after taking office, aiming to strengthen Jewish identity and knowledge within the postwar community. With patience and inspiring rhetoric, Toaff nurtured the community's spiritual health by reintroducing aspects of Jewish observance and promoting renewed engagement with religious traditions. His leadership extended to broader efforts in rebuilding institutional structures for Italian Jewry, including support for rabbinical studies and cultural preservation that helped restore vitality to the decimated community. Toaff was succeeded as Chief Rabbi of Rome by Riccardo Di Segni, who was elected in November 2001.

Interfaith Dialogue and Jewish-Catholic Relations

Building Relations with the Vatican

Elio Toaff made the promotion of interreligious dialogue a hallmark of his long tenure as Chief Rabbi of Rome, actively working to improve relations between the Jewish community and the Catholic Church in the decades following World War II. He pursued ongoing contacts with Catholic leaders and emphasized mutual understanding as essential to reconciliation between Jews and Catholics, contributing to a gradual warming of ties with the Vatican. Toaff collaborated with Catholic authorities on initiatives aimed at fostering respect and cooperation between the two faiths, positioning interfaith engagement as a central priority of his leadership. His efforts helped usher in an era of closer relations between Jewish communities and the Vatican, earning him recognition as a pioneer in Jewish-Catholic dialogue. These endeavors reflected Toaff's commitment to building bridges between Christians and Jews through sustained communication and shared goals, establishing a foundation for improved interreligious relations in Italy and beyond.

Historic Events and Papal Engagement

Historic Events and Papal Engagement Elio Toaff extended an invitation to Pope John Paul II to visit the Great Synagogue of Rome on April 13, 1986, marking the first time in history that a pope entered a synagogue. Toaff welcomed the Pope at the entrance, and the two leaders embraced in a widely publicized gesture of friendship, with Toaff stating that “the heart opens itself.” The Pope and Rabbi sat together on identical thrones, took turns reading from the Book of Psalms—with the Pope reading one psalm in Hebrew—and addressed the congregation, creating an iconic moment of reconciliation. In his address, Pope John Paul II thanked Toaff for accepting the visit with joy from the outset and for his profound hospitality, describing the event as a decisive contribution to consolidating good relations between Catholics and Jews. The Pope quoted extensively from Nostra Aetate, the 1965 Vatican II declaration on relations with non-Christian religions, rejecting anti-Semitism, affirming the irrevocable bond with Judaism, and calling Jews “our elder brothers.” This visit built directly on Nostra Aetate’s principles by symbolizing a turning point in Catholic-Jewish dialogue and mutual recognition after centuries of tension. Toaff engaged further with the Pope in subsequent events, including participating in the World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi later in 1986 alongside leaders of other religions. In 1994, Toaff and John Paul II co-officiated a concert at the Vatican to commemorate victims of the Shoah, reinforcing shared commitments to remembrance and peace. These interactions exemplified Toaff’s role in advancing practical interfaith cooperation rooted in post-Vatican II reforms.

Later Years, Death, and Legacy

Retirement and Final Years

Elio Toaff retired as Chief Rabbi of Rome in 2002 after a tenure of 51 years, having served since his appointment in 1951. Even after stepping down, he remained a towering figure both within the Jewish community and in broader Italian society. Toaff continued to maintain a public presence in his later years through participation in community events. He was a regular participant in Rome's annual public menorah-lighting ceremony during Chanukah in Piazza Barberini Square, which had become a significant highlight for many Roman Jews. In 2007, he appeared in a photograph alongside former Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, illustrating his enduring visibility in public life. Archive footage of Toaff was also featured in an episode of the Italian television series Blu notte that year. In 2012, he received the Prize Culturae during the Italian National Festival of Cultures in Pisa, recognizing his cultural contributions.

Death, Tributes, and Enduring Influence

Elio Toaff died on April 19, 2015, at the age of 99. His passing prompted widespread tributes from Jewish organizations, Italian political leaders, and the Vatican, underscoring his stature as a pivotal figure in modern Jewish history and interfaith relations. Pope Francis expressed deep gratitude for Toaff's lifelong dedication to dialogue, describing him as "a man of peace and dialogue" whose "generous commitment and sincere availability" advanced fraternal relations between Jews and Catholics. The Pope remembered him as a "remarkable guide" and "main character in Italian civil and Jewish history of the last decades," praising his moral authoritativeness and profound humanity. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called Toaff "a great Italian and a symbol of the Jewish community," while Renzo Gattegna, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, described him as "a leader and a point of reference" who would "never be forgotten." The World Jewish Congress mourned him as "the shining light of Italian Jewry for many, many decades," with President Ronald Lauder noting that Toaff was one of the architects of better relations with the Catholic Church, without whom "we would not have the close relationship with successive popes." Toaff's enduring influence lies in his pioneering contributions to Jewish-Catholic dialogue and his leadership in rebuilding the Italian Jewish community after the Holocaust, restoring dignity and vitality to a community devastated by war and persecution. He was also one of the few people specifically mentioned in the testament of Pope John Paul II. His efforts to foster amicable relations with the Vatican and uphold Jewish traditions while promoting interfaith understanding continue to shape Jewish life in Italy and broader interreligious cooperation.

References

  1. https://www.jta.org/2015/04/20/obituaries/elio-toaff-chief-rabbi-of-rome-for-51-years-dies-at-99
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/21/world/europe/elio-toaff-spiritual-leader-of-italian-jews-dies-at-99.html
  3. https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/2924410/jewish/Rabbi-Elio-Eliyahu-Toaff-Chief-Rabbi-of-Rome-for-Half-a-Century-Passes-at-99.htm
  4. https://primolevicenter.org/printed-matter/rav-elio-toaff-zl-1915-2015/
  5. https://www.morasha.com.br/en/biographies/grao-rabbi-elio-toaff.html
  6. https://frasercentre.ca/sm-archive/www.scarboromissions.ca/interfaith-dialogue/jewish-christian-relations/pioneers-of-dialogue-in-the-modern-jewish-christian-relationship/rabbi-elio-toaff-1915-2015.html
  7. https://www.jewoftheweek.net/2015/04/22/jew-of-the-week-rabbi-elio-toaff/
  8. https://museoebraico.roma.it/en/even/best-wishes-to-rav-toaff-tribute-to-a-great-italian-jew/
  9. https://pantheon.world/profile/person/Elio_Toaff
  10. https://angelusnews.com/news/world/rabbi-toaff-nazi-fighter-inter-religious-giant-and-one-of-the-few-people-remembered-in-jpiis-will/
  11. https://zenit.org/2001/10/10/chief-rabbi-of-rome-retires-after-half-century/
  12. https://www.memoriebraiche.it/sch_sto_3.htm
  13. https://www.ajc.org/news/ajc-mourns-rabbi-elio-toaff-of-rome
  14. https://www.ibs.it/libri/autori/elio-toaff
  15. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/elio-refael-toaff_(Dizionario-Biografico)/
  16. https://morasha.it/rav-elio-toaff-1952-il-programma-di-lavoro-ad-un-anno-dal-suo-insediamento/
  17. https://www.jta.org/2001/11/25/default/rome-gets-a-new-chief-rabbi
  18. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/elio-toaff-a-force-for-european-jewry-dies-at-99
  19. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/elio-toaff-built-bridges-between-christians-jews/article24038842/
  20. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/rabbi-elio-toaff-who-ushered-in-era-of-closer-ties-between-jews-and-vatican-dies-at-99-398661
  21. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-04/st-john-paul-ii-rome-synagogue-visit-jewish-catholic-anniversary.html
  22. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/history/articles/when-pope-john-paul-came-to-the-great-synagogue-of-rome
  23. https://www.ccjr.us/dialogika-resources/documents-and-statements/roman-catholic/pope-john-paul-ii/jp2-86apr13
  24. https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2015/04/22/a-great-rabbi-passes/
  25. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9681647/
  26. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/31872/rabbi-toaff-nazi-fighter-inter-religious-giant-and-one-of-the-few-people-remembered-in-jpiis-will
  27. https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/shining-light-of-italian-jewry-wjc-mourns-passing-of-romes-former-chief-rabbi?print=true
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