Theo 314 9-12

What is the impact of the ghetto (in both the old sense and a contemporary sense) on the people inside and the people outside?

The impact of the ghetto in the old sense compared to the contemporary sense is truly astonishing. The two times are practically polar opposites when it comes to their impact. Think of it in this sense. Say you were to study or have a lecture over the Jewish Ghetto or a Concentration Camp, you would have an empty feeling in your stomach or a sense of despair and anguish. Now think about visiting these two places present day. A concentration camp would still prove to erect the same feeling; however, this area of the Jewish Ghetto is uplifting in the fact it has transformed into a magnificent historic landmark through its reconstruction and the synagogue.

When the Jewish Ghetto was actively being used to house the Jews of Rome, there were only five or six gates in which people could enter, and the Tiber River flowed around the outside parts of the Ghetto. This created an imprisonment of Jews because they could only exit when the gates were opened. In addition, the river was right next to the Ghetto making the Jews more susceptible to diseases. So for the Jews inside, the ghetto was arguably a prison that had poor living conditions. However, for the people outside, the ghetto could be seen as a sense of control. Rules and laws were created to govern the way Jews lived such as the mandatory attendance of Christian services and the required clothing attire. This not only singled out Jews but forced upon them the Christian religion. Obviously, the goal of the government was to single out the Jews, segregate them, and prevent them from creating a good life for themselves.

As I walked the streets and remembered our class lesson, I was shocked at how the present day area of the ghetto was completely reversed. Today, after it has been rebuilt, it is a place of luxury to live. While many Jews do not live here anymore, the fact that the area is now a premier living space for famous musicians, actresses, and painters. The people living here are still able to experience Jewish culture through the dozens of restaurants and businesses. So while the whole complex of the area has changed, it is still easy to see the remnants of the Jewish culture. For the people outside of this area, a role reversal has been achieved. It is almost as if this area attracts people to it or controls them because of the historic landmark it has been made into today. Instead of people never looking to come into the ghetto, like the past, people are flocking to the area to gain an understanding of what life was like for the thousands upon thousands of Jews who lived here. The fact that we were able to walk around the Ghetto in maybe fifteen minutes astounds me when you think about the population of the area.

For the city of Rome to be able to create the area of the Jewish Ghetto into a place of high end living and magnificence is truly amazing considering the history. Most places which contain the history of a place like this would most likely be desolate and recreate a picture of the horrific moments, but for me the transformation brought up the ending of the entrapment for the Jews. Essentially, it allowed me to reflect upon the positive actions that were taken in ending the Jewish Ghetto instead of reliving the misery that might have been experienced.