The Jews In Sicily - page 3 of 6

L'Ebrei siciliani infatti non eserciatavano l'usura, anchi si l'impiraturi Federicu II ci avia datu a l'Ebrei u permessu di mpristari soldi a 1O% di intiressi ntâ so Costituzioni di Melfi pubblicata ntô 1231.⁷ I funzionari siciliani ca firmarunu a petizioni riflittevanu a meravigghia, comu è dimustratu di autri fonti e testimunianzi, di tutt'a populazioni sicula ca aveva na longa tradizioni di tolleranza pi diversi religioni e aveva vissutu tranquillamenti a latu di Ebrei e Arabi e Cristiani. Ntô mediuevu prufunnu quannu ntâ l'Europa si videvanu repressioni sarvaggi e massacri di natura religiusa e etnica, Latini, Greci, Maumittani e Ebrei vivevanu in armunia ntâ Sicilia, praticannu liberamenti i so religioni e cridenzi senza interferenzi pi parti dû guvernu. Fu accussì sutta l'Arabi e cuntinuau suttê Normanni, i Svevi e in misura minorl sutta l'Aragunisi. Sicilian Jews were in fact not engaged in money lending, even though Jews had been given permission to charge IO% on loans by the Emperor Frederick II in his Melfi Charter of 1231.⁷ The Sicilians officials who signed the petition reflected the dismay, as confirmed by other sources and other testimonials, of the population as a whole who had had a long tradition of tolerance for different religious beliefs and had lived in relative tranquillity side by side with Jews, Arabs, and Christians. In the depth of the Middle Ages, while Europe was experiencing savage repressions and massacres of ethnic and religious nature, Latins, Greeks, Muslims and Jews lived in harmony, in Sicily, practicing their individual religions and beliefs without interference from the government. It was so under the Arabs and it continued under the Normans and the Swabians, and to a lesser degree under the Aragonese.

A prisenza di l'Ebrei ntâ Sicilia e nta l'Italia dû sud risali a l'ultimu seculu ca precedi l'epuca moderna. Mentri l'armati rumani operanti ntô bacinu dû Mediterraniu purtarunu un grossu numiru di schiavi ebrei ntâ Sicilia, u numiru cchiù granni fu purtatu pi parti di Pompeu dopu ca sacchiggiau a Gerusalemmi ntô 63 aC e pi parti dû proconsuli Crassu ca si dici ni vinniu trenta mila comu schiavi. A sti du gruppi si ponnu iunciri mircanti ca vinnevanu cosi è Rumani e avevanu comu basi u Mediterraniu orientali particularmenti Alessandria, pi formari u primu nucleu di Ebrei residenti ntâ Sicilia. Cû tempu, ddi comunità picciriddi di ebrei crisceru in numiru e mportanza tramiti l'immigrazioni di autri parti dû Mediterraniu. 0 tempu di 1'espulsioni c'eranu cinquanta comunità ebraichi nta tutta l'isula, ca cchiù numirusa a Palermu (5,000 pirsuni) poi Trapani, Messina, Catania, Marsala, Sciacca Agrigentu e Mazara avevanu grossi comunità di 2000 a 3500 pirsuni; comunità di grannizza media (350 a 1500 pirsuni) esistevanu a Bivona, Caltagiruni, Caltabellotta, Mineu, Modica, Notu e Polizzi; c'eranu comunità picciriddi a Salemi (320 ebrei), a Taurmina, Castruriali, Rannazzu, Augusta, Erici, e Paternò. Secunnu alcuni studiusi a populazioni totali ebraica ntâ Sicilia era di 100,000 pirsuni, ca currispunneva a 10% dâ populazioni siciliana. Autri adottanu un mumiru cchiù conservaturi di 50,000 pirsuni. Ma puru accittannu u numiru cchiù basciu, l'Ebrei costituivanu un nucleu grossu, u pisu dû quali, appuntu picchì l'attivismu irrequietu di l'Ebrei ca ievanu e vinevanu in continuu muvimentu di paisi a paisi, avia a essiri assai sintutu. The presence of the Jews in Sicily and in Southern Italy goes back in time to the first century before the modem era. While conquering Roman armies operating in the Mediterranean basin brought a good number of Jews into Italy as slaves, the largest number of them was brought back by Pompey after he sacked Jerusalem in 63 BC and by the Roman Proconsul Crassus who is said to have sold thirty thousand of them as slaves. To these groups a good number of merchants trading with Rome and operating out of the Eastern Mediterranean, and particularly Alexandria, may be added to make up the first nucleus of Jews to reside in Sicily. In time the small communities of Sicilian Jews grew in size and in importance through immigration from other parts of the Mediterranean. By the time they were expelled, there were fifty Jewish communities throughout the island, the largest being in Palermo with 5000 people; Trapani, Messina, Catania, Marsala, Sciacca, Agrigento, Mazara had large communities ranging from 2000 to 3600; medium sized communities ranging from 350-1500 existed in Bivona, Caltagirone, Caltabellotta, Mineo, Modica, Noto, and Polizzi; smaller communities existed in Salemi, with 320 Jews, in Taormina, Castroreale, Randazzo, Augusta, Erice, Paternò, etc... According to some scholars the total Jewish population of Sicily was 100,000 people, which is estimated to represent 10% of the total Sicilian population. Others adopt a more conservative estimate of 50,000. But even if the lower estimate is accepted, it still constitutes a large nucleus whose weight in the life of the community, owing to the restless activism of the Jews who traveled back and forth between their communities, was certainly felt.

U gruppu dominanti ca ebbi a cchiù forti influenza supra l'Ebrei furunu certamenti l'Arabi. L'Ebrei avevanu certi privilegi, assemi a l'autri populi, inclusu u dirittu a pussediri immobili, aviri a propria sinagoga, ma a iddi non era permessu purtari armi, fari parti di 1'esercitu e costruiri autri sinagoghi, ca ntâ Sicilia si chiamavanu "moschita". Comu a l'autri gruppi, duvevanu pagari na tassa x---ca si chiamava "ghezia"--- pir praticari a so religioni liberamenti e purtari un signali distintivu---un cintu giarnu c'un turbanti speciali--- ca fu istituitu ntâ Sicilia pâ prima vota ntô 887. Malgradu sti misuri, a sumigghianza tra i costumi, cultura e lingua tra l'Arabi, e l'Ebrei favureva l'Ebrei ca divintaru un puntu di cuntattu tra l'Arabi e i Cristiani. A comunità ebraica di Palermu si sviluppau tantu ca divintau a cchiù granni d'Italia. Autri comunità esistevanu a Agrigentu, Siracusa, e Catania. L'Ebrei siciliani avianu costituitu puru na colonia nta l'Egittu. By far no other dominant group had as much influence on the Sicilian Jews as the Arabs did. The Jews enjoyed certain privileges, together with the general population, including the right to own real estate and to have synagogues, but they were forbidden to carry arms, to enter the army, and to build more synagogues. They had to pay, like other groups, a tax known as "ghezia" for practicing their religion freely and they had to wear a distinctive sign ---a yellow belt and a special turban- which was instituted for the first time ever in Sicily in 887. These measures notwithstanding, the similarity of customs, culture and languages between Arabs and Jews worked in favor of the Jews who became the natural liaison between Arabs and Christians. The Jewish community in Palermo flourished to become the largest in Italy. Other communities existed in Agrigento, Siracusa and Catania. Sicilian Jews had even constituted a small community in Egypt.

Ma l'età d'oro dû giudaismu ntâ Sicilia vini tra u dudicesimu e quattordicesimu seculu suttê dinastii Normanna-Sveva. But the golden age of Judaism in Sicily came during the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, under the Norman-Swabian dynasties.

Sutta i Normanni ca pigghiaru u putiri ntô 1066 e ristarunu ntâ Sicilia finu a quannu l'ultima dâ so dinastia, Custanza d'Altavilla si maritau cu Enricu VI, figghiu di Federicu Barbarossa, l'Ebrei avevanu parità di diritti cu l'autri cittadini. Putevanu essiri funzionari pubblici, pussediri immobili e schiavi, eccettu schiavi cristiani. Eranu libbiri di fari scambi commerciali, viaggiari, e travagghiari. Beniaminu di Tudela, un viaggiaturi mediuevali ca non era assai diversu pi spiritu d'osservazioni e nteressi di Marco Polo, ni lassau na descrizioni dettagliata di diversi comunità ebraichi siciliani ca visitau du 1170 o 1173, dannuci infurmazioni supra i numiri di l'Ebrei e i so occupazioni. Iddu descrissi a Sicilia comu na specia di paradisu terrestri e l'Ebrei ca ci stavanu comu na comunità florida e granni.⁸ L'Ebrei facevanu tanti diversi attività, troppu longa è a lista pi menzionarli tutti, ma dui occupazioni ntê quali iddi avevanu u monopolio era l'industria dâ sita e a tintura di tissuti. Si l'Arabi avianu purtatu ntâ Sicilia u bacu dâ sita e avianu costruitu n'industria florida, spittau a l'Ebrei di farla crisciri e divintari un monopoliu. U re Ruggeri II di ritornu di na spedizioni contra Bisanziu si firmau a Tebe ntâ Grecia ntô 1147 unni l'industria dâ sita era ntê mani di l'Ebrei. U re catturau a città e si purtau cu iddu tutti i travagghiaturi ebrei dâ sita pi incrementari l'industria siciliana e daricci a l'Italia quattru seculi di dominazioni dû mircatu dâ sita. L'arti di tinciri i tissuti ca richiedeva qualità speciali era n'autra occupazioni favurita di l'Ebrei. Ma iddi eranu puru esperti piscaturi, artigiani e mastri specializzati di tutti i tipi. Under the Normans who came to power in 1066 and remained in Sicily until the last of their dynasty, Constance of Hauteville married Henry VI, the son of Frederick Barbarossa, the Jews enjoyed parity of civil rights with other citizens. They could hold public offices, own property, except Christian slaves. They were free to engage in any commercial activities, to travel and work. A medieval traveler, Benjamin of Tudela, who was not unlike Marco Polo in spirit of observation and in interests has left us a detailed description of the various Sicilian Jewish communities he visited between 1170 and 1173, giving information as to their numbers and occupations. He describes Sicily as a kind of earthly paradise and the Jews who live in it as a large and flourishing community.⁸ The Jews were engaged in many activities too diverse to list here, but two occupations in which they held a monopoly were the silk and dyeing industries. While the Arabs had brought the silk worm into Sicily, and built a thriving industry, it was the Jews who eventually made it grow into a monopoly. King Roger II returning from an expedition against Byzantium in 1147 stopped off in Thebes, Greece, where the silk industry was in the hands of Jews. He captured the town and took the Jewish silk workers with him to Palermo giving a great boost to the native industry, guaranteeing for Italy four centuries of domination of the market. The dyeing industry which required special skills was another favorite occupation of the Jews. Jews were also adept as fishermen, artisans and skilled workers of every kind.

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L'Ebrei siciliani infatti non eserciatavano l'usura, anchi si l'impiraturi Federicu II ci avia datu a l'Ebrei u permessu di mpristari soldi a 1O% di intiressi ntâ so Costituzioni di Melfi pubblicata ntô 1231.⁷ I funzionari siciliani ca firmarunu a petizioni riflittevanu a meravigghia, comu è dimustratu di autri fonti e testimunianzi, di tutt'a populazioni sicula ca aveva na longa tradizioni di tolleranza pi diversi religioni e aveva vissutu tranquillamenti a latu di Ebrei e Arabi e Cristiani. Ntô mediuevu prufunnu quannu ntâ l'Europa si videvanu repressioni sarvaggi e massacri di natura religiusa e etnica, Latini, Greci, Maumittani e Ebrei vivevanu in armunia ntâ Sicilia, praticannu liberamenti i so religioni e cridenzi senza interferenzi pi parti dû guvernu. Fu accussì sutta l'Arabi e cuntinuau suttê Normanni, i Svevi e in misura minorl sutta l'Aragunisi.		Sicilian Jews were in fact not engaged in money lending, even though Jews had been given permission to charge IO% on loans by the Emperor Frederick II in his Melfi Charter of 1231.⁷ The Sicilians officials who signed the petition reflected the dismay, as confirmed by other sources and other testimonials, of the population as a whole who had had a long tradition of tolerance for different religious beliefs and had lived in relative tranquillity side by side with Jews, Arabs, and Christians. In the depth of the Middle Ages, while Europe was experiencing savage repressions and massacres of ethnic and religious nature, Latins, Greeks, Muslims and Jews lived in harmony, in Sicily, practicing their individual religions and beliefs without interference from the government. It was so under the Arabs and it continued under the Normans and the Swabians, and to a lesser degree under the Aragonese.
A prisenza di l'Ebrei ntâ Sicilia e nta l'Italia dû sud risali a l'ultimu seculu ca precedi l'epuca moderna. Mentri l'armati rumani operanti ntô bacinu dû Mediterraniu purtarunu un grossu numiru di schiavi ebrei ntâ Sicilia, u numiru cchiù granni fu purtatu pi parti di Pompeu dopu ca sacchiggiau a Gerusalemmi ntô 63 aC e pi parti dû proconsuli Crassu ca si dici ni vinniu trenta mila comu schiavi. A sti du gruppi si ponnu iunciri mircanti ca vinnevanu cosi è Rumani e avevanu comu basi u Mediterraniu orientali particularmenti Alessandria, pi formari u primu nucleu di Ebrei residenti ntâ Sicilia. Cû tempu, ddi comunità picciriddi di ebrei crisceru in numiru e mportanza tramiti l'immigrazioni di autri parti dû Mediterraniu. 0 tempu di 1'espulsioni c'eranu cinquanta comunità ebraichi nta tutta l'isula, ca cchiù numirusa a Palermu (5,000 pirsuni) poi Trapani, Messina, Catania, Marsala, Sciacca Agrigentu e Mazara avevanu grossi comunità di 2000 a 3500 pirsuni; comunità di grannizza media (350 a 1500 pirsuni) esistevanu a Bivona, Caltagiruni, Caltabellotta, Mineu, Modica, Notu e Polizzi; c'eranu comunità picciriddi a Salemi (320 ebrei), a Taurmina, Castruriali, Rannazzu, Augusta, Erici, e Paternò. Secunnu alcuni studiusi a populazioni totali ebraica ntâ Sicilia era di 100,000 pirsuni, ca currispunneva a 10% dâ populazioni siciliana. Autri adottanu un mumiru cchiù conservaturi di 50,000 pirsuni. Ma puru accittannu u numiru cchiù basciu, l'Ebrei costituivanu un nucleu grossu, u pisu dû quali, appuntu picchì l'attivismu irrequietu di l'Ebrei ca ievanu e vinevanu in continuu muvimentu di paisi a paisi, avia a essiri assai sintutu.		The presence of the Jews in Sicily and in Southern Italy goes back in time to the first century before the modem era. While conquering Roman armies operating in the Mediterranean basin brought a good number of Jews into Italy as slaves, the largest number of them was brought back by Pompey after he sacked Jerusalem in 63 BC and by the Roman Proconsul Crassus who is said to have sold thirty thousand of them as slaves. To these groups a good number of merchants trading with Rome and operating out of the Eastern Mediterranean, and particularly Alexandria, may be added to make up the first nucleus of Jews to reside in Sicily. In time the small communities of Sicilian Jews grew in size and in importance through immigration from other parts of the Mediterranean. By the time they were expelled, there were fifty Jewish communities throughout the island, the largest being in Palermo with 5000 people; Trapani, Messina, Catania, Marsala, Sciacca, Agrigento, Mazara had large communities ranging from 2000 to 3600; medium sized communities ranging from 350-1500 existed in Bivona, Caltagirone, Caltabellotta, Mineo, Modica, Noto, and Polizzi; smaller communities existed in Salemi, with 320 Jews, in Taormina, Castroreale, Randazzo, Augusta, Erice, Paternò, etc... According to some scholars the total Jewish population of Sicily was 100,000 people, which is estimated to represent 10% of the total Sicilian population. Others adopt a more conservative estimate of 50,000. But even if the lower estimate is accepted, it still constitutes a large nucleus whose weight in the life of the community, owing to the restless activism of the Jews who traveled back and forth between their communities, was certainly felt.
U gruppu dominanti ca ebbi a cchiù forti influenza supra l'Ebrei furunu certamenti l'Arabi. L'Ebrei avevanu certi privilegi, assemi a l'autri populi, inclusu u dirittu a pussediri immobili, aviri a propria sinagoga, ma a iddi non era permessu purtari armi, fari parti di 1'esercitu e costruiri autri sinagoghi, ca ntâ Sicilia si chiamavanu "moschita". Comu a l'autri gruppi, duvevanu pagari na tassa x---ca si chiamava "ghezia"--- pir praticari a so religioni liberamenti e purtari un signali distintivu---un cintu giarnu c'un turbanti speciali--- ca fu istituitu ntâ Sicilia pâ prima vota ntô 887. Malgradu sti misuri, a sumigghianza tra i costumi, cultura e lingua tra l'Arabi, e l'Ebrei favureva l'Ebrei ca divintaru un puntu di cuntattu tra l'Arabi e i Cristiani. A comunità ebraica di Palermu si sviluppau tantu ca divintau a cchiù granni d'Italia. Autri comunità esistevanu a Agrigentu, Siracusa, e Catania. L'Ebrei siciliani avianu costituitu puru na colonia nta l'Egittu.		By far no other dominant group had as much influence on the Sicilian Jews as the Arabs did. The Jews enjoyed certain privileges, together with the general population, including the right to own real estate and to have synagogues, but they were forbidden to carry arms, to enter the army, and to build more synagogues. They had to pay, like other groups, a tax known as "ghezia" for practicing their religion freely and they had to wear a distinctive sign ---a yellow belt and a special turban- which was instituted for the first time ever in Sicily in 887. These measures notwithstanding, the similarity of customs, culture and languages between Arabs and Jews worked in favor of the Jews who became the natural liaison between Arabs and Christians. The Jewish community in Palermo flourished to become the largest in Italy. Other communities existed in Agrigento, Siracusa and Catania. Sicilian Jews had even constituted a small community in Egypt.
Ma l'età d'oro dû giudaismu ntâ Sicilia vini tra u dudicesimu e quattordicesimu seculu suttê dinastii Normanna-Sveva.		But the golden age of Judaism in Sicily came during the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, under the Norman-Swabian dynasties.
Sutta i Normanni ca pigghiaru u putiri ntô 1066 e ristarunu ntâ Sicilia finu a quannu l'ultima dâ so dinastia, Custanza d'Altavilla si maritau cu Enricu VI, figghiu di Federicu Barbarossa, l'Ebrei avevanu parità di diritti cu l'autri cittadini. Putevanu essiri funzionari pubblici, pussediri immobili e schiavi, eccettu schiavi cristiani. Eranu libbiri di fari scambi commerciali, viaggiari, e travagghiari. Beniaminu di Tudela, un viaggiaturi mediuevali ca non era assai diversu pi spiritu d'osservazioni e nteressi di Marco Polo, ni lassau na descrizioni dettagliata di diversi comunità ebraichi siciliani ca visitau du 1170 o 1173, dannuci infurmazioni supra i numiri di l'Ebrei e i so occupazioni. Iddu descrissi a Sicilia comu na specia di paradisu terrestri e l'Ebrei ca ci stavanu comu na comunità florida e granni.⁸ L'Ebrei facevanu tanti diversi attività, troppu longa è a lista pi menzionarli tutti, ma dui occupazioni ntê quali iddi avevanu u monopolio era l'industria dâ sita e a tintura di tissuti. Si l'Arabi avianu purtatu ntâ Sicilia u bacu dâ sita e avianu costruitu n'industria florida, spittau a l'Ebrei di farla crisciri e divintari un monopoliu. U re Ruggeri II di ritornu di na spedizioni contra Bisanziu si firmau a Tebe ntâ Grecia ntô 1147 unni l'industria dâ sita era ntê mani di l'Ebrei. U re catturau a città e si purtau cu iddu tutti i travagghiaturi ebrei dâ sita pi incrementari l'industria siciliana e daricci a l'Italia quattru seculi di dominazioni dû mircatu dâ sita. L'arti di tinciri i tissuti ca richiedeva qualità speciali era n'autra occupazioni favurita di l'Ebrei. Ma iddi eranu puru esperti piscaturi, artigiani e mastri specializzati di tutti i tipi.		Under the Normans who came to power in 1066 and remained in Sicily until the last of their dynasty, Constance of Hauteville married Henry VI, the son of Frederick Barbarossa, the Jews enjoyed parity of civil rights with other citizens. They could hold public offices, own property, except Christian slaves. They were free to engage in any commercial activities, to travel and work. A medieval traveler, Benjamin of Tudela, who was not unlike Marco Polo in spirit of observation and in interests has left us a detailed description of the various Sicilian Jewish communities he visited between 1170 and 1173, giving information as to their numbers and occupations. He describes Sicily as a kind of earthly paradise and the Jews who live in it as a large and flourishing community.⁸ The Jews were engaged in many activities too diverse to list here, but two occupations in which they held a monopoly were the silk and dyeing industries. While the Arabs had brought the silk worm into Sicily, and built a thriving industry, it was the Jews who eventually made it grow into a monopoly. King Roger II returning from an expedition against Byzantium in 1147 stopped off in Thebes, Greece, where the silk industry was in the hands of Jews. He captured the town and took the Jewish silk workers with him to Palermo giving a great boost to the native industry, guaranteeing for Italy four centuries of domination of the market. The dyeing industry which required special skills was another favorite occupation of the Jews. Jews were also adept as fishermen, artisans and skilled workers of every kind.