taly was the guest ofhonor at Ben Gurion

University in Beer Sheva onMarch, 21

'Discovering the SecretAssets of Contemporary Italy'was opened by AmbassadorSandro De Bernardin andBGU President Rivka Carmi,and presented an overview ofscientific , cultural andeconomic developments inItaly today. Participating at theday were AmbassadorUmberto Vattani, President of the Italian TradeCommission (ICE), Prof. Adriano De Maio,President of the Lombardy Region's ResearchInstitute and Prof. Carlo Ginzburg of theUniversity of California.

From the Israeli side the event includedformer Deputy Governor of the Bank of IsraelProf. Avia Spivak as well as Profs. GrzegorzJung and Nissim Calderon from BGU.

The main event was a round table discussion,moderated by Ha`aretz journalist Daniel BenSimon, that included presentations by UniversityRector Jimmy Weinblatt, President of LuganoMediterranean Study Center Prof. Dan VittorioSegre, Prof. Gianni Vaggi of Pavia Universityand Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin.

A presentation on bilateral scientificcooperation with Italy was given by

from left: Prof. Gianni Vaggi, Amb. Umberto Vattani and Prof. Avia Spivak

m e e t i n gbetween Prime

M i n i s t e r S i l v i oB e r l u s c o n i a n dI s r a e l i Fo r e i g nMinister Tzipi Livni,on her first mission toItaly, took place onMarch 22 at PalazzoChigi in Rome. Alsopresent at the meetingwas Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini.

The discussion concentrated on the peaceprocess following the recent Palestinianelections as well as the elections in Israel.Minister Livni acknowledged Italy's steadfastsupport of Israel.

Both sides agreed on the need to negotiateaccording to the terms of the Road Map andthe latest decisions taken by the Quartet. Inparticular, full agreement was reached betweenthe sides on the need for the new Palestiniangovernment formed by Hamas to renounceviolence, to recognize previously signedagreements and the right of Israel to exist.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with theexcellent state of bilateral economic andcommercial ties between Italy and Israel,promoted by similarities in the manufacturingsystems of both countries and by the substantialinterest by Israeli entrepreneurs to invest inItaly.<>

NOTIZIE ITALIANENewsle t t er o f the Embassy o f I ta ly in I srae l No. 40 May 2006

1

An M a r c h 1 5Ambassador Sandro

De Bernardin presentedPresident Moshe Katsavwith the book ‘I Giustid’Italia - i non ebrei chesalvarono gli ebrei 1943-1945’ ( ’The I ta l ianRighteous - Non Jews WhoSaved Jews 1943- 1945’)printed with the support ofthe Office of the Italian Prime Minister. Thebook contains a message from the Presidentof the Italian Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi,and a preface by Foreign Minister GianfrancoFini.

The volume is a collection of 400documented stories of Italian righteous men andwomen who risked their lives and put intopractice the Jewish precept whereby anyonewho saves a life is considered to have saved anentire world.

The book, promoted by the Italian Embassyand the Italian Cultural Institute in Israel, wasedited by Professor Israel Gutman and Dr.Bracha Rivlin, who accompanied AmbassadorDe Bernardin to the residence of President

Katsav, along with theChairman of Yad VashemAv n e r S h a l ev a n dP r e s i d e n t o f i t sManagement CommitteeDr. Mordechai Paldiel.

A m b a s s a d o r D eBernardin illustrated theinitiative to PresidentMoshe Katsav, whowarmly thanked the Italian

Government for promoting the publication ofthe book and said that it will help maintain alivethe memory of the Shoah and prevent similarcatastrophes from occurring in the future.

Participating in the meeting at the President'sresidence with Ambassador De Bernardin wereFirst Counsellor Davide La Cecilia, the Directorof the Italian Cultural Institute Dr. SimonettaDella Seta, Dr. Nathan Ben Horin, formerIsraeli envoy in Rome and representative of YadVashem's committee to identify the 'Righteousamong the Nations' and Adv. Beniamino Lazar,President of the Committee of Italians living inIsrael. The Italian version of the book wascurated by Liliana Picciotto, Italian historianof the Shoah (CEDEC Milan). <>

O

President Katsav receives the gold bookof the Italian Righteous

Mission to Italyof FM Livni

ollowing the participation of a largeIsraeli delegation at the Mediterranean

Economic Forum that took place in Palermoon February 19-21, the President of the ItalianTrade Commission (ICE), Amb. UmbertoVattani , paid a visit to Israel on March 21-22during which he held consultations with Mr.Shraga Brosh, President of the IsraelManufacturing Association, and Mr. YehielAssia, Director General of the Israel Exportand International Cooperation Institute.

The meetings were intended to confirmpriorities regarding future collaboration betweenICE and its Israeli partners, in particular theorganization of seminars in various sectors, asoutlined by the bilateral agreement

F

Discovering the Secret Assets of Contemporary ItalyI

Italian Trade CommissionPresident visits Israel

(Cont p.5)(Cont p.5)

NOTIZIE ITALIANE May 2006

2

n 22 February Ms. Gaia Molco wasappointed Secretary-General of the Italy-

Israel Chamber of Commerce and Industry.The Chamber is chaired by Mr. Ronni Benatoff

and constitutes a part of the recently-established Sportello Unico per le Imprese -the Italian Business Desk. Ms. Molco replacesAdv. Alon Zilkha, who served as the Secretary-General of the Chamber for more than fouryears.www.italia-israel.com<>

O

Ms. Gaia Molco newSecretary-General forChamber of Commerce

n February 25 the HerzliyaChamber Orchestra conducted by

Harvey Bordowitz gave a concertdedicated to the world famous VeniceCarnival in the presence of AmbassadorSandro De Bernardin. Participating artistsincluded violinist Francesco Manara, the“Primavera Brass Ensemble”, sopranoClaire Meghnagi, tenor Nimrod Grinboimand bass-baritone Andrei Trifonov, whoperformed “Pieces for Brass Ensemble”by Giovanni Gabrieli, a miscellany ofmusic by Claudio Monteverdi and “TheFour Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi. <>

O

from left: Mayor of Herzliya Mrs. Yael German wearing a Venetiancarnival mask, conductor Harvey Bordowiz dressed as a Venetian“Doge” and Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin.

Herzliya enjoys Venice Music Carnival

Restored tabernacle from Italian synagogueceremony markingthe first public

presentation in Israel ofthe tabernacle from the17th century synagogueof Trino Vercellese(Piedmont) took place atthe Eretz Israel Museumin Tel Aviv on February17.

The tabernacle wasrestored by Italian expertP i a S c i a c c a , i ncollaboration with herIsraeli colleague NogaSchusterman. In hiso p e n i n g a d d r e s sAmbassador Sandro DeBernardin recalled thatthe tabernacle wasc o n s t r u c t e d b yaccomplished artisans, most of them non-Jews,testifying to the lively and positive interactionbetween the two communities during that period.The tabernacle was brought to Israel in 1973,after the dissolution of the Trino Vercellesecommunity.

A l a r g e p u b l i cattended the ceremony,which was addressed byDr. Ilan Cohen, DirectorGeneral of the Museum;Prof. David Cassuto,P r e s i d e n t o f t h eAssociation of ItalianJews in Israel; the curatoro f t h e m u s e u m ' sethnographic section Dr.Nitza Behroozi Barozand Dr. Simonetta DellaSeta, Director of theItalian Cultural Instituteof Tel Aviv.

Also present was adelegation from TrinoVercellese (photo) thatincluded GiuseppeMasini, in charge of

tourism, finance and industry of the Provinceof Vercelli; Rossella Bottini Treves, Presidentof the Jewish community of Vercelli; journalistAngela Negri and Paolo Bonato, the lastmember of the Jewish community of TrinoVercellese. <>

A

ver 200 guests attended a benefit concert on March 17 at the Ambassador's residence on behalfof the “Friends of the Diaspora Museum” that included Leonid Nevzlin, President of the

Museum's Board of Governors, Shlomo Lahat, former Mayor of Tel Aviv and representatives ofthe diplomatic corps. The concert featureda selection of excerpts from opera and cabaretperformed by singers Limor Shapira andpianist Prof. Jonathan Zack. <>

O

from left: Mrs. Hassia Israeli Director General of theDiaspora Museum; Mrs. Anna De Bernardin; Mr. ShlomoLahat, former Mayor of Tel Aviv and President of theMuseum's Advisory Board, Mrs. Rachel Harari, of theDiaspora Museum, Mrs. Edith Teomim, President of theBoard of the “Friends of the Diaspora Museum” andMrs. Etti Elam of the Museum

Supporting Beit Hatefutsot

he Dan DavidPrize annually

awards three prizesfor achievementsh a v i n g a no u t s t a n d i n gs c i e n t i f i c ,t e c h n o l o g i c a l ,cultural or socialimpact on our world.One of this year's laureates is Magdi Allam,a leading Italian journalist, who was awardedthe prize for his ceaseless work in fosteringunderstanding and tolerance between cultures.

Magdi Allam, born in Egypt and raised inItaly, is Deputy Editor of "Corriere della Sera"and an Arab and Islamic affairs commentator.

Magdi Allam has written extensively on thevarious aspects of the current so-called "conflictof civilizations", calling for moderation and theurgency to bridge the gap between cultures. Heis passionately devoted to the cause of dialogueand coexistence.www.dandavidprize.com <>

T

Magdi Allam awardedDan David Prize

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NOTIZIE ITALIANE May 2006

mission toIsrael led by

t h e M a y o r o fMilan, GabrieleAlbertini, withinthe framework ofa t w i n n i n gagreement with TelAviv, took place onM a r c h 7 - 1 2 .Mayor Albertiniheld meetings withPresident Katsav,MK Shimon Peres,Tel Aviv MayorRon Huldai and other civil and religious leaders, and visited the YadVashem Holocaust Museum, where he recalled the life of Milan's'righteous gentile' Andrea Schivo.

The Mayor's meeting with President Katsav was their second, followingthe President's official visit to Italy in November 2005 which PresidentKatsav, citing his strong ties to the country, recalled with particular warmth.

Mayor Albertini outlined future initiatives of bilateral interest promotedby the Municipality of Milan, which include a tour of Israel by La ScalaBallet in July 2006; a concert in Milan on September 1 featuring a mixed

Palestinian Israeli orchestraconducted by Daniel Barenboim;concerts celebrating the 50th

anniversary of the death ofconductor Arturo Toscanini in2007; a tour of Israel in 2009 byLa Scala Opera celebrating thecentenary of the founding of TelAviv.

Ambassador Sandro DeBernardin , responding toPresident Katsav's expressions ofappreciation to the Italiangovernment for the expansion ofbilateral relations over the last few years, stressed the contribution oflocal Italian entities in developing stronger ties with Israel.

During a cordial meeting with Shimon Peres the Mayor bestowed onthe Nobel Prize winner an honorary citizenship of the City of Milan, andin Tel Aviv, together with Mayor Ron Huldai, Albertini laid a wreath atthe commemorative tombstone where the late Yitzhak Rabin wasassassinated. He then planted a tree in Kikar Milano in memory of theMilanese Jewish philosopher and anti-Fascist activist Eugenio Colorni.A promotional fashion show at Tel Aviv port was organized by the modelMoran Attias featuring designs by the Moschillo fashion house. <>

ATel Aviv and Milan: a fashionable twinning

Edited by:The Embassy of Italy in Israel(Economic and Commercial Office)

p.1p.1p.1p.1p.2p.2p.2p.2p.2p.3p.3p.3p.4p.4p.4p.5p.5p.5p.5p.5p.5p.5p.5p.6p.6p.6p.6p.6p.6p.6p.7p.7p.8p.8

President Katsav receives Italian 'Gold Book’Mission to Italy of FM LivniDiscovering the secret assets of ItalyICE President visits IsraelHerzliya enjoys Venice Music CarnivalNew Sec-Gen. For Chamber of CommerceSupporting Beit HatefutsotMagdi Allam awarded Dan David PrizeRestored tabernacle in Tel AvivTel Aviv and Milan: a fashionable twinningFlag of St. Marco flies over AkkoPeace meets MathsI Solisti Veneti perform VivaldiMurano, the color of glassTransportation technologies seminarItalian Festival by ICEVisit of Italian Navy frigateRepublic DayPancreatic cancer researchChamber of Commerce Gala DinnerPresentation of new Alfa RomeoIntroducing Verona to Tel AvivHaifa and La SpeziaSilence of the sea in HaifaHelping children in needProtection of historical landscapesTour by Emanuele ArciuliDiscovering Dante in JerusalemSilence of the righteousVinitaly 2006Events in IsraelEvents at the Nahon MuseumEvents in ItalyItalian Trade Fair Calendar

Trade Tower, 25 HaMered Street, Tel Aviv 68125Te l : 0 3 - 5 1 6 . 1 7 4 4 F a x : 0 3 - 5 1 6 . 1 7 5 5www.ambtelaviv.esteri.it Sportellounico.telaviv@esteri.it

from left: President Moshe Katsav, the interpreter Mr. IlanSteinberg, Mayor Gabriele Albertini, Ambassador Sandro DeBernardin and Dr. Giovanni Bozzetti, Assessore for Fashion,Tourism and International Relations, Municipality of Milan.

n March 2 the VenetoRegion of Italy and

the City of Acre renewed theillustrious, historic presenceof the Maritime Republic ofVenice in Acre, through theinauguration of the marbleLion of San Marco realizedby the artist GiandomenicoSandri - a gift of RegioneVeneto - in the city's ancientVenetian Quarter.

Attending the event were AmbassadorSandro De Bernardin; the Regional Directorfor International Relations of Regione Veneto,Diego Vecchiato; the Secretary General forCultural Affairs of the Regione Veneto, AngeloTabaro; and the Director of the Italian CulturalInstitute, Simonetta Della Seta. The event was

also attended by prominentreligious figures, amongwhich Bishop GiacintoBoulos Marcuzzo, Vicar ofthe Latin Patriarch ofJerusalem; the Custos of theH o l y L a n d F a t h e rPierbattista Pizzaballa andthe Director of TerrasantaSchool in Acre FatherQuirico Calella.

Such partnership aimes at promoting a rangeof cultural exchanges between Italian cities andAcre, in the fields of music, theatre, plastic arts,with special emphasis on ancient Italian craftssuch as stone carving, sculpting and glassblowing; conservation and restoration; tourism;advancing the dialogue between the city's Jewishand Arab communities. <>

The flag of San Marco flies again over ancient AkkoO

he first phase of a project entitled "Interactive Sciencefor Peace" was inaugurated on April 2 with the

participation of Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin.Established in 1999 the project, supported by Italy's

Campania Region, and particularly by its President AntonioBassolino and Scientific Advisor Teresa Armato, is intendedto create a center for science at Jerusalem's Al QudsUniversity. The first initiative in this plan was the openingof the 'Meet Math' exhibition at the Bloomfield ScienceMuseum in Jerusalem on April 2. Other contributors to theinitiative include the Fondazione Banco di Napoli, theMunicipality and Province of Naples, UNESCO and theEuropean Commission. <>

TPeace meets Maths

Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin with theDirector of Bloomfield Museum Mrs. MayaHalevy and the President of Al Quds UniversityProf. Sari Nusseibeh.

Maestro Giandomenico Sandri`s sculptureworkshop with Jewish and Arab children

from left: MK Shimon Peres and MayorGabriele Albertini.

Introducing Arena di Verona to Tel AvivA special concert presenting the forthcomingopera season at Italy's Arena di Verona (photo)was held on April 4 at the Einav CulturalCenter in Tel Aviv.The concert, a joint collaboration between theItalian Cultural Institute of Tel Aviv, the Arenaand Verona Airport, and attended by a largecrowd, included excerpts from the Arena'sforthcoming opera season as well as apresentation of high quality Italian alimentaryproducts.

Present at the event were the ManagingDirector of the Fondazione Arena di VeronaDr. Giovanni Aspes, the Arena's MarketingDirector Dr. Corrado Ferraro, the Presidentof Verona Airport Adv. Fulvio Cavalleri, theCultural Attachè Dr. Lucio Izzo as well asrepresentatives of the sponsors: Ophir Tours,Saquella Coffee, Supersol and Gad Cheese.

The musical program included firstappearances in Israel by artists from the Arena:the soprano Mara Lanfranchi, mezzosopranoChiara Chialli together with tenor GiorgioCasciarri, baritone Giuseppe Pizzicato andbass Victor Garcia Sierra who performedarias by Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini and Verdi,with a homage to the “Italian” Mozart's DonGiovanni. The singers were accompanied bypianist Maria Cristina Orsolato.

Murano, the color of glassTill June 30, Tel Aviv

A large crowd attendedthe inauguration of theexhibition 'Island ofGlass - Murano Glass

(1920-2005)', which took placeon February 28 at the EretzIsrael Museum in Tel Aviv. Theexhibition remains open untilJune 30.The show, sponsored by theItalian Cultural Institute,concent ra tes on Venice ,birthplace of artistic glassproduction which reachedunparalleled levels of skill,technique, quality and beautyduring the Renaissance andBaroque periods.

Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin,accompanied by his spouse Anna on theoccasion of the opening, recalled his sentiments

as he inaugurated the exhibition from the cityof his birth, Venice, in the city where he nowlives and works, Tel Aviv. Mayor Ron Huldaithanked Italy for its exceptional commitmentin promoting cultural ties with Tel Aviv. Otherpersonalities in attendance included Dov

Tamari, President of the Board of Governorsof the Museum, Dr. Simonetta Della Seta,Director of the Italian Cultural Institute, andIlan Cohen, Director General of the Museum.

The exhibition, curated by HenriettaEliezer Brunner, shows a selection of Muranoglass from 1920s till today, in a variety of styles

and periods never before presented to the Israelipublic.

A catalogue, published with the support ofthe Venice Chamber of Commerce, acc-ompanies the exhibition.www.eretzmuseum.org.il

I Solisti Veneti: Homage to VivaldiMay 7 - 8, Tel Aviv & Jerusalem

Concert tour in Israel by “I Solisti Veneti”, onethe most popular Italian orchestras, directedby Claudio Scimone. "I Solisti Veneti" havegiven concerts in over sixty countriesthroughout the world and appear regularly atthe world's leading Festivals including, since1965, at Salzburg. The tour is organized andsponsored by the Italian Cultural Institute.Tel: 03-6927777Tel. 02-5605755

Transportation technologies seminarMay 16, IAF Center, Herzliya

Fostering the collaboration between leadingautomotive and technology industries in Italyand Israel needs an active exchange of ideas, knowledge and technologies. 'Innovationsin Automotives Engineering and IntelligentTransportation Systems (ITS)' is a first stepin this direction.

The conference, organized in the frameworkof the Italian-Israeli Agreement on Industrial,Scientific and Technological Cooperation, aimsto allow the fruitful exchange of ideas andinitiatives in order to promote collaboration inthe sector. In cooperation with the FIATResearch Center, ITS Israel and the Associationof Israeli Engineers (AEAI).amir@aeai.org.il www.engineers.org.il

4

NOTIZIE ITALIANE May 2006

2006

Mrs. Anna De Bernardin with Mayor Ron Huldai

Italian Festival by ICEMay 29 - June 1, Tel Aviv

An Italian Festival will be heldby the Italian Trade Commission( ICE) in the Gan Ha’ i r

Commercial Center in Tel Aviv. The event willinclude the promotion of various traditionalsegments of "Made in Italy" such as Italiangastronomy, fashion, home design, art, cars andtourism. Gan Ha’ir will offer a vivid atmosphereof an Italian piazza, various commercial standsof Italian brands and gastronomic attractions.The public will enjoy Italian wine and foodspecialties, activities for children, artistic showsand a complete decoration of the commercialcenter. During Festival days the participatingstores will promote the sales of their Italianbrands.

Visit of Italian Navy Frigate ‘Aliseo'June 1, Haifa

Arrival at the Port of Haifa of one of the jewelsof the Italian Navy.

Republic DayJune 5, Ramat Gan

Following tradition, a reception at theAmbassador's residence (photo) will mark theestablishment of the Italian Republic in 1946.

Research in Pancreatic CancerJune 15, Haifa

In the framework of the Italian-Israeli scientificcollaboration agreement, the Embassy of Italyis promoting, in cooperation with RambamHospital and Istituto Regina Elena in Rome, aseminar on Italian-Israeli cooperation in“Translational and Clinical Research inPancreatic Cancer”, with the participation ofmajor Italian and Israeli researchers.r.internazionali@ifo.it

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Gala DinnerJune , Tel Aviv

On the occasion of the50th anniversary of theIsrael-Italy Chamber of

Commerce and Industry, the Chamber isholding a special Gala Dinner with theparticipation of senior political figures, bothfrom Israel and from Italy, as well as leadingbusiness people. The evening will include anaward ceremony for entrepreneurs andsuccessful bilateral joint ventures.www.italia-israel.com

Presentation of new Alfa BreraMid-June, Ramat Gan

Alfa Romeo'snew Brera isan accelerationthat embracesc r e a t i v et h i n k i n g ,technology,

manufacturing and attention to the needs of thecustomer. Characterized by a pervasive desirefor innovation and glamour, it is the ultimatedesign creation of Giugiaro for Alfa.www.alfaromeo.com <>

NOTIZIE ITALIANE MAy 2006

5

n February 27, at Haifa's Museum ofClandestine Immigration, Ambassador

Sandro De Bernardin, together with theMayors of La Spezia, Giorgio Pagano, andHaifa, Yona Yahav, inaugurated the exhibition"Exodus: La Spezia - the gateway to Zion".

The initiative was organized by themunicipality of La Spezia and the Haifa branch

of the Italian Cultural Institute, directed byEdoardo Crisafulli.

The exhibition centered on Aliyah Bet,Israel's massive intake of clandestine immigrantsin the immediate post WW2 period, whichbrought thousands of Jewish refugees from Nazicamps to Palestine.

The evening concluded with the joint signing

of an MOU between the mayors of Haifa andLa Spezia. The document expresses the commondesire of both sides to sustain peace, solidarityand integration in the Middle East, and is thefirst stage of a twinning agreement designed tostrengthen cultural cooperation between the twoMediterranean cities. <>

OHaifa and La Spezia, the gateway to Zion

2006

First Secretary Dr. Alessandro Cattaneo, Head of the Embassy's commercialsection, followed by a talk on Italy's cultural ties with Israel by the Directorof the Italian Cultural Institute, Dr. Simonetta Della Seta .A number of stands offered information on opportunities for study in Italy.A concert of classical pieces performed by the pianist Emanuele Arciuliconcluded the event (see also page 6). <>

(cont. from p. 1)

Discovering the Secret Assets of Contemporary Italy

on industrial cooperation between the two countries, as well as reciprocalparticipation in exhibitions and trade fairs.Amb. Vattani also held a meeting with Prof. Itamar Rabinovitch,President of Tel Aviv University, and Rector Dan Leviatan, on possiblejoint support initiatives in industrial cooperation, some already in progressbetween TAU and Italian partners.<>

(cont. from p. 1)

Italian Trade Commission President visits Israel

6

NOTIZIE ITALIANE May 2006

talian experts in the field of conservationwere invited to Israel on March 8-10 by

the Italian Cultural Institute of Tel Aviv toparticipate in the seminar 'Historical CityLandscapes: New Definitions for UrbanDevelopment', held in Jerusalem to examineand analyze the challenges for preservinghistoric landscapes in developing cities.

The seminar was organized in collaborationwith the Bezalel Academy of Jerusalem, theNahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art, theMishkenot Sha'ananim Cultural Center and the

Israeli branch of UNESCO.In his openingremarks Ambassador Sandro De Bernardinunderlined the challenges faced by planners indesigning extended urban areas. Attending wereFrancesco Bandarin, Director of UNESCO'sWorld Heritage Center, Marco de Michelis ofthe University of Venice, the Director of theItalian Cultural Institute of Tel Aviv SimonettaDella Seta, Prof. Mariella Zoppi, responsiblefor Cultural affairs of the Tuscany region, Arch.David Cassuto, President of the NahonMuseum and Arch. Ugo Camerino. <>

IProtection of historical landscapes

he inauguration of 'Gesher' (Bridge),an intensive therapeutic care center for

psychologically challenged children andadolescents, was held on February 7 in thepresence of Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin.

Gesher forms part of the adolescentdepartment of Kfar Saba's Shalvata psychiatrichospital. Following the intense commitment ofItalian-Israeli psychotherapist Dr. ShaulContini, the Center was founded with generoussupport from several Italian donors, in particularthe Pontecorvo and Sosnovsky families ofRome and Merano. Together with Kfar Saba'sDeputy Mayor Yakov Ochayon and ShalvataDirector Dr. Shmuel Kron, the Ambassadorunveiled a plaque commemorating thebenefactors. <>

THelping children in need

ver one hundred thousandprofessionals from dozens of

countries visited the 40th edition ofV I N I TA LY. T h e o r g a n i s e r s ,VeronaFiere, say that their goal wasachieved - five days of contacts andcontracts in an integrated system for thepromotion of wine in international markets.

Over 4,200 companies from 30 countriesexhibited wines of different styles and varietieson a net show area of 80,000 square metres. Thenext appointments are Vinitaly Russia in May,Vinitaly USA in October and Vinitaly Japan and

China in November.Prior to the exhibition VeronaFiere hostedthe 14th International Wine Competition,the most selective worldwide. It awardedonly 91 medals out of about 3,500 winesassessed from 30 countries. As a member

of the jury it was a great satisfaction for me thatIsraeli wines won top prizes: Yarden Blanc deBlancs 1999 won a Grand Gold Medal andYarden Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 won a SilverMedal. Seven Israeli wines were awarded a"Special Mention" diploma.<>By Yair Koren, Israel Broadcasting Authority

Vinitaly 2006: a great 40th editionO

he book “Il Silenzio dei giusti”, by thejournalist and writer Pier Antonio Toma,

recounts the story of Neapolitan Jews whowere saved from deportation in 1943 thanksto the support of residents of a small villagecalled Tora Piccilli, in the province of Caserta.

In recognition of this act the President ofthe Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, awardedthe village with a medal for civil bravery.

The presentation of the book, organized inJerusalem on March 7 at the Nahon Museumby Dr. Simonetta Della Seta, attracted a largecrowd. Poignant were the testimonies of NicoGabai and Ida Beraha, descendants of twoheroes of the story.<>

TSilence of the righteous

highly appreciated tour by pianistEmanuele Arciuli took place on

March 19-21, with concerts in Tel Aviv andBeersheva.I n h i s f i r s tconcert, at theF e l i c i aB l u m e n t h a lCenter in TelAviv, Arciuli, aprofessor at theBari Conservatoryof Music and the University of Cincinnati,performed works by Liszt, Rossini and Griegin a program entitled 'Musical Pictures ofItaly', as well as works by Busoni, Sciarrinoand Carlo Boccadero. The second concert,introduced by the musicologist MassimoAcanfora Torrefranca, concluded theprogram of an intense day of study at BenGurion University. <>

A

Successful Israeli tourby Emanuele Arciuli

Maestro Arciuli performing atBeer Sheva

joint exhibition entitled 'Silence of the Sea' wasinaugurated on March 18 at the Haifa section of the

Italian Cultural Institute, in the presence of curator AvrahamEilat and several Israeli artists whose works were put ondisplay.

The exhibition, organized by Cultural Attachè EdoardoCrisafulli, was the result of collaboration between the ICIof Haifa and the Pyramida modern art gallery. Strongly affectedby the Tsunami tragedy, Eilat asked artists from all over theworld to contribute works such as 'Letter in a bottle'. Over100 artists responded to the appeal, with most of the worksinvoking the sea. Among these Eilat selected 32 works byItalians and Israelis, including from Jewish and Arab artists, for the Italian Cultural Institute. <>

ASilence of the sea heard in Haifa

Edoardo Crisafulli, left, with Avraham Eilat

he Dante Alighieri Society for thepromotion of Italian language

and culture was founded in Jerusalemin 1951 by Italian immigrants.

The organization runs Italiancourses for beginners aimed at developingverbal skills. For the more advanced, it offerscourses in Italian syntax, which help those whohave a particular interest in both classical andcontemporary Italian literature and poetry. Inaddition, it offers specialised courses for those

who intend to undertake a period of studyat Italian universitities.

Coupled with these activities arecultural events, which take place eitherin Hebrew or in Italian and lectures on

Italian culture, screening of films in Italian,concerts and excursions. Dante Alighieri ownsa well-stocked public library, which containsover 5,000 books in Italian. <>Tel: 02-6221110dantejerusalem@yahoo.com

TDiscovering Dante Alighieri in Jerusalem

7

NOTIZIE ITALIANE May 2006

Events in Israel

Events at the Museum of Italian Jewish Art May - June, 2006

27, Hillel st., Jerusalem Tel: 02-6241610 Fax: 02-6253480 www.jija.org jija@netvision.net.il

'Un Ballo in Maschera'April 22 - May 8T h e M a s ke d B a l l b yGiuseppe Verdi goes on stagein Tel Aviv at the IsraeliOpera, with the participationof tenor Piero Giuliacci,Director Lorenzo Mariani, scenographerMaurizio Millenotti.www.israel-opera.co.il

Meeting with Beppe SevergniniMay 10 - 11, Tel Aviv, Haifa

Beppe Severgnini is a leadercolumnist for “Corriere dellaSera”, for which he has beenwriting the “Italians” column(www.corriere.it/severgnini)since 1998, and a best sellingauthor.Tel: 03-5161361, 04-8536091

Discovering Basilicata and PugliaMay 11 - June 27, JerusalemSocietà Dante Alighieri of Jerusalem presentsits annual programme, dedicated this year tothe beautiful regions of Basilicata and Pugliain Southern Italy. A conference at the Van LeerJerusalem Institute, with the participation ofItalian and Israeli experts on the history,architecture, rock civilization, popular traditionsand Jewish heritage of Basilicata and Puglia,will open the programme, which will feature amonth long series of events.Tel: 02-6221110

Lag Ba’omer Picnic for Italian ChildrenMay 16, Canada ParkThe Italian Cultural Institute's picnic for Italianchildren, with the Italian Summer Camp’sentertainers Angelica and Yehuda Calò Livneand Ermanna Clemente.Tel. 03.5161361

Italian Righteous among the NationsMay 18, JerusalemPresentation at Yad Vashem of the book on theRighteous among the Nations of Italy (see p.1),in the presence of the Ambassador of ItalySandro De Bernardin, the Director of YadVashem Avner Shalev, the President of IrgunOlei Italia Claudia Amati, the President of theAssociation of Italian Jews David Cassuto, theauthor of the original text in English, BrachaRivlin, the curator of the Italian edition, LilianaPicciotto and the Director of the Italian CulturalInstitute, Simonetta Della Seta.Tel: 03-5161361

Gerusalemme perdutaJune 9, Ratisbonne ConventPresentation of the book by Paolo Rumiz andMonika Bulaj retracing the steps of the firstChristians from Italy to Jerusalem. Togetherwith the authors the event will include the Custosof the Holy Land Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa,Rabbi Marcello Goldstein and the Director ofthe Italian Cultural Institute Simonetta DellaSeta.Tel: 03-5161361

The Jerusalem QuestionJune 20, Tel AvivPaolo Pieraccini will present his work - acomprehensive view of the Jerusalem questionthrough a wide range of contributions by thegreatest experts in this field, scrutinizing thecity’s history, its role in international relations,and its juridical, political, urban and territorialchanges since the end of the First World Warand the beginning of the British Mandate.Tel: 03-5161361

The da Vinci Codes: Art, Science andManuscriptsJune 28, Tel Aviv

Leonardo lef tm a n y n o t e s ,d r a w i n g s ,manuscripts, andpaintings thatd i scussed h i sv i ew s o n t h escope of art, thetraining of artists,and the nature ofv i s u a lrepresentation, butnever publishedhis thoughts in a

coherent book. Prof. Francesca Fiorani, fromthe University of Virginia, will attempt to answerwhat Renaissance and Baroque artists andtheoris ts knew of Leonardo’s work.Tel: 03-5161361 <>

"Italian Touches"April 10 - May 31The exhibition features breathtaking photographsby Baruch Gian that reflect the vibrant life in theold, picturesque Italian culture. The landscapes,colors, and faces of Italy are seen through BaruchGian’s keen, sensitive eye. On numerous trips tovarious regions Baruch took hundreds ofphotographs showing the people of Italy and the

magical, lesser-known corners of the country froma fascinating, unusual angle.

Celebrat ing IndependenceApril 30Concert: presentation of the new CD "Wings"-songs of contemporary Israeli composersperformed by Italian soprano Valeria Ventura andpianist Sonia Mazar.May 2 - May 26"Israeli Mosaics" Parochet (Torah Ark Curtain),designed by celebrated Italian Jewish artistEmmanuele Luzzati.

In ternat ional Museums DayMay 16The Museum will open its gates free of charge.(9 am to 5 pm)

Jerusalem Day Special tourMay 26"Italy in the heart of Jerusalem"- fascinating guidedpedestrian tour through the Italian sites in

d o w n t o w nJ e r u s a l e m ,including thee x h i b i t i o n" I t a l i a nTouches". Pleasebook in advance

Women's PrayersJune 12Special event during the Week of the Book,presenting the new book by Aliza Lavie "TefilatNashim", with Israeli composer and singer MichaShitrit.

Cinema Paradiso 2May - June6 weekly encounters: The best of Italian cinemaclassics, with Hebrew translation, and a cup ofItalian cappuccino.

Shavuot ExhibitionMay 28 - June 30 <>

4/05 – 07/05, BaganzolaCIBUSInternational food exhibitionwww.fiereparma.it

09/05 – 13/05, Milano (MI)GRAFITALIAGraphic arts, publishing andcommunication industrieswww.grafitaliaonline.com

11/05 – 14/05, Verona (VR)EUROCARNEMeat processing, storage anddistribution technologieswww.veronafiere.it

12/05 – 14/05, Napoli (NA)MEDIEL

Electrotechnics, lightingengineering and securitysystemswww.medielfiera.it

16/05 – 18/05, Torino (TO)EXPO FERROVIARIARailway technologywww.expoferroviaria.com

16/05 – 18/05, Torino (TO)INTERTUNNELTunnelling and undergroundexcavationwww.expoferroviaria.com

16/05 – 20/05, Milano (MI)SASMILAccessories and products for

furniture industrywww.cosmit.it

16/05 – 20/05, Milano (MI)XYLEXPOWood working technologywww.acimall.com

17/05 – 19/05, Ferrara (FE)H2O - ACCADUEOWater treatment anddistribution processeswww.accadueo.com

20/05 – 24/05, Vicenza (VI)VICENZAORO 2Gold, silver, jewellery,watch-making, gemmologywww.vicenzafiera.it

20/05 – 24/05, Vicenza (VI)OROMACCHINEGold jewellery and preciousmetalswww.oromacchine.org

25/05 – 28/05, BolognaEXPOSANITÀHealth and healthcare expowww.senaf.it

26/05 – 28/05, Roma (RM)COSMOFARMAHealth, wellness and beautywww.cosmofarma.com

26/05 – 29/05, Milano (MI)CHIBIDUEGiftware, perfumery, fashion

jewelleryhttp://chibidue.fmi.it

31/05 – 03/06, CarraraCARRARAMARMOTECMarble, Machinery andEquipmentwww.carraramarmotec.com

21/06 – 24/06, Florence (FI)PITTI IMMAGINEUOMOMenswear expowww.pittimmagine.com

23/06 – 26/06, Milano (MI)SPOSITALIACOLLEZIONIBridal and Ceremonial

Clothingwww.sposaitalia.com

25/06 – 30/06, Milano (MI)MILANO MODA UOMOMenswear expowww.cameramoda.it

30/06 – 02/07, Florence (FI)PITTI IMMAGINEBIMBOChildren's wearwww.pittimmagine.com

8

NOTIZIE ITALIANE May 2006

Events in Italy

Italian Trade Fair Calendar May - June, 2006

Amedeo ModiglianiFeb. 24 - June 20, RomeThe exhibition celebrates AmedeoModigliani, whose fame is mainlydue to the “long necks” of hisportraits and his innovative style:paintings and drawings that changedthe panorama of XX century Italian Art. Theexhibition aspires to reconstruct his entire career,lining up around one hundred works that includeoil paintings, drawings, watercolours andsculptures from 1906 to 1920, on loan from majorpublic museums in France, the United Kingdom,Israel, Switzerland, the United States, Brazil andItaly.Complesso del Vittoriano, Via S. Pietro inCarcere, Rome

Maggio Musicale30 April - 14 June, FlorenceThe oldest music festival in Italy, and one of themost famous, the Maggio Musicale in Florencefeatures two months of opera, concerts, ballet andexhibitions. Highlights this year includeperformances of Verdi's Falstaff, a tribute to ZubinMehta, and appearances by Daniele Gatti andLorin Maazel.www.maggiofiorentino.com

International Book Forum4 - 8 May, TurinThe Fiera Internazionale del Libro di Torino,Turin's international book forum, is the largestevent for Italy's publishing industry, with around1000 exhibitors and more than 200,000 visitors.The Turin Lingotto welcomes both professionalsand the general public for five days of literaryactivities.www.fieralibro.it/fieraUK

Giro d’ItaliaMay 6 - 28Established in 1909, Giro d'Italia is a three-weeklong bicycle race to win the glorious "pink shirt",the chosen symbol of victory. The race, whichcriss-crosses the length and breadth of the Italianpeninsula (3464km in 21 days), is scheduled tostart in Tropea (Reggio Calabria) and finish inMilan.www.gazzetta.it

Music and MagicJune 30 - July 16, SpoletoThe Spoleto Festival is theextraordinary brainchild of GianCarlo Menotti, who forty-sevenyears ago began calling togetherthe brightest stars on the artisticand cultural scene to Spoleto.The 2006 program underscores the original roleof the Festival as the European stage forinternational art and culture.www.spoletofestival.it

Ravello FestivalJune 30 - Sept. 17, RavelloThe Ravello Festival is also popularly known asthe "Wagner Festival" and is an annual summerfestival of music and the arts held in the town ofRavello on the Amalfi coast in the Campania regionof Italy. A wide variety of music featuring largeorchestras, chamber groups, jazz, art shows, dance,photographic exhibits, discussion groups and achance to meet and talk with the featured artists,many of whom are of world renown. In 2006 theFestival includes over 100 events involving 800performers from all over the world.www.ravellofestival.it

Giambologna: Gods and HeroesUntil June 15, FlorenceGiambologna (1529–1608) wasthe most celebrated sculptorliving in Italy after Michelangeloand before Bernini . Theexhibition concentrates on threeaspects of Giambologna’sprofane sculpture: models andsketches, nude figures with a mythological subject,and equestrian monuments. His “inventions” metwith great success and were widely imitated atthe major courts of Europe.www.giambologna2006.it

Antonello da MessinaUntil June 25, RomeScuderie del Quirinale will bedisplaying - for the first time inhistory - virtually all the paintingsof Antonello da Messina (1430-1479) that have come down to us,i n c l u d i n g u n d i s p u t e dmasterpieces from galleries in London, Paris,Berlin, New York, Baltimore, Washington andMadrid, Antwerp and Sibiu (Romania).www.scuderiequirinale.it

The Pontifical Swiss Guard, 500 yearsof history, art and lifeUntil July 30, VaticanThis remarkable exhibition, in the CharlemagneWing at the left colonnade of St. Peter's Square,will commemorate the five centuries of life of theworld's oldest active military force. It will presenta series of documents and objects reconstructingthe history of the corps founded in 1505.Celebrations will reach a climax with the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday May 6.

The Mind of LeonardoUntil January 7, 2007, FlorenceThe exhibition invites the visitor to explore thegenius’ very mode of thinking and his unitaryconception of knowledge as the effort to assimilate,through bold theoretical syntheses and inventiveexperiments, the laws that govern all of theoperations of man and nature.http://brunelleschi.imss.fi.it/menteleonardo/<>

Venice BiennaleJune 8 - November 19The Venice Biennale has for over a centurybeen one of the most prestigious culturalinstitutions in the world, promoting newartistic trends and organising internationalevents in the contemporary arts inaccordance with a multi-disciplinary modelwhich characterises its unique nature.www.labiennale.org

Discounted Air fares to ItalyAlitalia is offering 10% discount on all internationaland intercontinental business fares and someeconomy fares for passengers travelling from TelAviv to attend any of a number of events in Italy.call.center.tlv@alitalia.it or call 03-7960766