In this sacred realm of solemn silence, where light and shadow alternate in a perpetual dance, I greet you, dear visitor. Animated by deep gratitude, I welcome you to this humble refuge where my bones now lie.
As you stand before this humble tombstone, I, Salomone Marini, speak to you from the depths of time. Although for centuries I have travelled the path to an elsewhere inaccessible to the living, my essence remains intertwined with earthly ties and seeks solace here, among these silent stones but pervaded by perpetual love.
Within these walls, stories of life, joy, pain and endurance merge with the spirit of our ancestors, creating a memory composed of a splendid mosaic of memories. Indeed, this sacred land where my body finds its eternal resting place is a place that holds the memories of people who lived in different eras, each of whom made a fundamental contribution to the great and vibrant Jewish community of the city of Padua. A community that found fertile ground to establish its roots and nourish them through the inexhaustible sap of faith.
The era in which they existed, in the great fresco of time past, is the 17th century. A succession of decades during which the Paduan Jewish community experienced a complex and fluctuating situation, influenced by both the changing political landscape and the religious tensions of the time.
While some periods were characterised by relative tolerance and a limited Jewish presence, others were marked by discriminatory measures and social restrictions.
At that time, all members of the Jewish community of Padua had been living confined within the walls of the ghetto since 1603. In those days there was an air of distrust and suspicion towards Sephardic Jews, but such prejudices were, alas, only a thought far in the mists of time.
The formation of the ghetto, while depriving us of certain freedoms, had the positive effect of reinforcing in us our identity as a people, rooting us in a territory and creating a unity that would shape our community for generations to come.
The constant winds of change blew with varying intensity, causing both gentle breezes of change and real storms, bringing dark omens. In times of turmoil, we Jews of Padua found solace in renewed devotion to shared spaces and sacred structures. Synagogues, the spiritual heart of our community, received new life.
The synagogue of the Italian rite, in search of a larger space, found refuge inside another building, while in 1617 the Sephardic Jews used the now empty space to create their own sacred refuge. Thus, in that space, a place of prayer, joy and sharing arose, in which the entire community could find comfort and unity.
But in the material world everything is destined to have a beginning and an end. This was also the case for our beloved synagogue, whose life was all too short. Despite the vigour and vitality that nourished it, this magnificent sanctuary was forced to face too severe a test and had to perish due to the folly of man, who turned hatred into ruthless flames. Flames that enveloped the synagogue amidst the screams and tears of the entire community, as with eyes blackened by black smoke he watched it perish, reduced to ashes, in the year 1629.
Further discriminatory measures were introduced in 1633, when the Venetian authorities forbade Jews from exercising various professions, including crafts and retail trade.
So it was that I, Salomone Marini, decided to take on the position of rabbi of the "Portuguese Hebrew University of Padua", beginning to dedicate the totality of my physical, mental and spiritual energies to the arduous task of resurrecting our sacred dwelling. With unwavering determination, I and other community members rebuilt our synagogue, pouring our hearts and souls into every beam and stone.
Not even the authorities' decision to extend prohibitions against us Jews in 1654 managed to shake our spirits, despite the fact that we were forbidden to practise medicine and law at all times, thus restricting our economic activities and social mobility within the city.
In those moments, the only compass towards a future of hope was our faith, which like a beacon guided our hands as we built our homes, our places of worship and our lives anew. The scars of destruction were erased, replaced by the splendour of a sanctuary that reflected our unwavering spirit.
However, my part in this story does not end here. In 1653, on behalf of the entire Hebrew University, I purchased a piece of land that would extend the boundaries of this sacred cemetery.
This act, simple in its essence, profoundly describes and narrates the unity of our people. It reveals that the solidarity within our community, built on faith, unity and cooperation through works of credit, has transcended the boundaries of different rituals, erasing the differences given by minority or majority positions. We have turned every doubt into law, every law into a question, every question into a confrontation aimed at strengthening our identity as a people.
Now, dear visitor, as you stand here before my final resting place, know that in this hallowed place, the stories of countless individuals are woven into the living fabric of this city. Their laughter, their tears, their dreams and their lives... our lives, continue to whisper through the winds that dance in this solemn place of peace and sacredness.
Returning to lie in eternal silence, in the shadow of centuries past, I, Salomone Marini, extend my greetings to you, dear visitor. May my memory be a blessing forever. May you draw inspiration from this sacred place, listen to our stories and cherish them in your heart, and then share their profound meaning in the world of the living.