Welcome to the official start of the Memory Journey 2025! This year, 142 girls and boys from ten high schools in Rome and the surrounding area are participating, including the Jewish high school. The event is organized by Rome Capital with the Metropolitan City and the Foundation Museum of the Shoah. The first stop is the Tempel Synagogue in the Jewish quarter of Krakow.
Tempel Synagogue
The Tempel Synagogue, located at Miodowa 24 in Krakow, is a lavish building completely reconstructed after World War II. It is considered the synagogue of progressive Jews. However, it is also a symbol of Nazi occupation and abuse as the Germans dismantled it, turning it into a stable and ammunition depot. On January 26, the first day of the Memory Journey 2025, ten Roman schools had a first, albeit timid, taste of what awaits them in the three-day Polish trip, culminating in a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camps.
Pratelli: “A Civic Commitment to Be Here”
“I thank Aned and Anpi, but above all the schools for this precious moment,” said School Councillor Claudia Pratelli. “This will take us further than the physical places we are in. Eighty years ago, Soviet troops put an end to the horror that reached its peak in history and represents absolute evil. For us, it is a civic commitment to be here, and we pledge to ensure that it never happens again.”
Smeriglio: “What We Will See Cannot Be Described”
Even more straightforward and harsh is Culture Councillor Massimiliano Smeriglio, who, as Vice President of the Lazio Region during the Zingaretti administration, has organized many trips like this. “The Memory Journey is demanding, important, it can change one’s perspective on things,” he assured. “It is a journey done with the head, the legs, but above all with the heart. I have made this journey many times. What we are about to see cannot be described: the scientific organization of death, exploitation, and then extermination. It is essential to prepare yourself emotionally to understand what you will see. It is a journey of life, and the best way is to accept this change that will touch your soul.”
Fadlun: “Strong Resurgence of Antisemitism from the Swamps of History”
However, Victor Fadlun, president of the Jewish Community of Rome, was even more severe: “This has been an extremely difficult period for the Jewish world,” he began. “Unfortunately, we have had to deal with a strong resurgence of antisemitism from the swamps of history. The six million Jews who died in the camps correspond today to the number of Jews living in Israel. Six million: there are no coincidences. The land of Israel has welcomed us, and Jews today live there wanting to live in peace, but they must respond to attacks that question their survival. We are surrounded by fake news, and it is your task to truly understand where the truth of history lies to take a stand. You will be remembered as those who were on the right side of history.”
