Siena and Beyond: Jewish Heritage in Tuscany

Qesher presents a talk on Jewish life in Tuscany, which spans over 800 years across vibrant communities in Florence, Livorno, Pisa, Siena, and Pitigliano. The session highlights diverse traditions, from Livorno’s Sephardic heritage shaped by religious tolerance laws to smaller, locally rooted communities, with particular focus on Siena, where Jews have lived continuously since 1229. Despite periods of persecution, including violence in 1799 and Nazi deportations, Tuscan Jewish communities have endured and continue to preserve their cultural and historical legacy.