About this talk

Venice has been a tourist site since the fifteenth century, and the Ghetto of Venice today is a "must see" in almost every tour book. What is known about the Jews of Venice is that they were the first Jews to be restricted to living in a small walled island known as a "ghetto." But though they were limited in where they could live, Jews were valued and their presence in Venice was seen as a benefit to the welfare of the city.

This talk will describe Jewish life within and outside the Venetian Ghetto and the famous men and women from its Golden Age.

Life for the Jewish community changed significantly after Napoleon dissolved the ghetto in the late 18th century, granting Jews more freedom and better integration into Venetian society. During World War II, they faced severe persecution under Nazi occupation, leading to many deportations and deaths. Today, the smaller yet vibrant Jewish community in Venice preserves its heritage through synagogues, a museum, and cultural activities.

We will discuss the legacy of Golden Age Venice reflected in both Jewish and non-Jewish culture, in music, poetry, scholarship, art, and food. You will come away with a better appreciation of the unique relationship between the city of Venice and its Jews. 

About Nina

Nina Wachsman is a descendant of a chief rabbi of Venice and her family's Sabbath candlesticks were supposedly sourced from the Ghetto (rumored to have been pawned there by a nobleman). The family connection and her study of art at Parsons School of Design spurs her to visit Venice every two years for the Art Biennale, which is a World's Fair of Art.

After reading the autobiography of Rabbi Leon di Modena, a rabbi, scholar, teacher, poet, playwright and compulsive gambler, Nina was inspired to write a series of historical suspense novels set in Renaissance Venice. Her extensive research for the novels led to some interesting discoveries about the Jews of Venice, and the integration of Venetian and Jewish culture.

When she is not writing her novels, Nina runs a digital health company specializing in connecting people with rare diseases (some which are prevalent in Ashkenazi and Persian Jews) to clinical research.