Israel Zolli
Encyclopedia
Israel Zolli was from 1939 to 1945 Chief Rabbi
of Rome
. After the war
, he converted to Roman Catholicism
, taking the name Eugenio in honor of Pope Pius XII
.
, in the Austro-Hungarian province of Galicia. His father was a formerly wealthy factory owner. His mother came from a family dynasty of rabbis. He earned a Ph.D in Philosophy
from the University of Florence
. At the same time, he prepared for the rabbinate
at a nearby yeshiva
. In 1918 he was appointed rabbi of the city of Trieste
, whose territory had just been transferred from Austria-Hungary
to Italy. He changed his surname to "Zolli" to make it sound more Italian. In 1939, after the "Italians of the Jewish Religion" had succeeded in deposing Zolli's predecessor, Zolli was named as Chief Rabbi
of Rome
.
's Jewish community was decidedly anti-Zionist Zolli supported the trend. Later, however, when Trieste became a center of embarkation for Palestine and thus consequently became more Zionistic, so did Zolli. When the Italians of the Jewish Religion supported his candidacy for the position of Chief Rabbi in Rome, he assured them and Silvio Ottolenghi, one of the anti-Zionist leaders, that he would give them no trouble on the issue of Palestine. After he emerged from concealment in 1944, he again publicly embraced Zionism.
After Zolli emerged from his hiding-place in the house of a member of Rome's Resistance party, Giustizia e Libertà
, his position as Chief Rabbi was restored by Charles Poletti, although the Jewish community rebuffed him. On 9 July 1944, Zolli, while still attempting to retain the title of "Chief Rabbi", gave an interview to a reporter. He described how two Italian families had hidden him, but he made no mention of the fact that during the greater part of the time he had hidden in the Vatican. After the war a great debate arose between the president of the Jewish community in Rome (Signor Foa) and Zolli, as to who was at fault for allowing the Nazis to obtain the list of Roman Jews. This list was used when they were gathered, deported, and murdered. Foa blamed Zolli; Zolli blamed Foa. In her book, Inside Rome with the Germans (1945, pg. 38), Jane Scrivener wrote: "The Rabbi did not destroy his registers and they know where every Jews lives." A Chief Rabbi of Rome Becomes a Catholic (pg. 135), suggesting Zolli's culpability in not destroying the register indicated to him that "his future must lie elsewhere than in the Jewish community".
, in 1944, while conducting a Yom Kippur
service, Zolli allegedly experienced a mystical vision about Jesus
. Shortly after the end of World War II
, he and his second wife (his first wife had died years before) converted to Roman Catholicism. He went to the Gregorian University, where he was baptized by Mgr. Luigi Traglia in the presence of Father Paolo Dezza
; his godfather was Augustin Bea
. Zolli was christened Eugenio Maria Zolli in honor of Pope Pius XII
, who was born Eugenio Pacelli. The ceremony was done with much publicity.
. He died in Rome, aged 74, in 1956.
. It was re-issued by Ignatius Press
in 2008. He wrote several other books of Christian devotion and theology which included autobiographical elements.
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. After the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he converted to Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, taking the name Eugenio in honor of Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
.
Early years/rabbinate
Israel Anton Zoller was born in BrodyBrody
Brody is a city in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Brody Raion , and is located in the valley of the upper Styr River, approximately 90 kilometres northeast of the oblast capital, Lviv...
, in the Austro-Hungarian province of Galicia. His father was a formerly wealthy factory owner. His mother came from a family dynasty of rabbis. He earned a Ph.D in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from the University of Florence
University of Florence
The University of Florence is a higher study institute in Florence, central Italy. One of the largest and oldest universities in the country, it consists of 12 faculties...
. At the same time, he prepared for the rabbinate
Rabbinate
The term rabbinate may refer to the office of a rabbi or rabbis as a group:*Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the supreme Jewish religious governing body in the state of Israel...
at a nearby yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
. In 1918 he was appointed rabbi of the city of Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, whose territory had just been transferred from Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
to Italy. He changed his surname to "Zolli" to make it sound more Italian. In 1939, after the "Italians of the Jewish Religion" had succeeded in deposing Zolli's predecessor, Zolli was named as Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Change of opinion regarding the Zionist cause
Prior to the First World War, when the majority of TriesteTrieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
's Jewish community was decidedly anti-Zionist Zolli supported the trend. Later, however, when Trieste became a center of embarkation for Palestine and thus consequently became more Zionistic, so did Zolli. When the Italians of the Jewish Religion supported his candidacy for the position of Chief Rabbi in Rome, he assured them and Silvio Ottolenghi, one of the anti-Zionist leaders, that he would give them no trouble on the issue of Palestine. After he emerged from concealment in 1944, he again publicly embraced Zionism.
Holocaust
Zolli was reportedly given advance warning about an imminent Nazi Aktion. Some critics claim he failed to warn other Roman Jews about what was about to transpire and about his own plans, describing this alleged failure to share his information with other Jews as a serious moral lapse. He claimed to have tried but Rome's Jewish community did not accept the explanation. He later described his experiences as follows:"It was from my father that I learned the great art of praying with tears. During the Nazi persecution, long years afterward, I lived near the center of Rome in a small room. There, in the dark, in hunger and cold, I would pray weeping: 'O, Thou keeper of Israel, protect the remnants of Israel; do not allow this remnant of Israel to perish!'"
After Zolli emerged from his hiding-place in the house of a member of Rome's Resistance party, Giustizia e Libertà
Giustizia e Libertà
Giustizia e Libertà was an Italian anti-fascist organization, active from 1929 to 1945.- Italian anti-fascist organization :The anti-fascist organization Giustizia e Libertà was founded in Paris in 1929 by the Italian refugees Carlo Rosselli, Emilio Lussu, Alberto Tarchiani, and Ernesto Rossi...
, his position as Chief Rabbi was restored by Charles Poletti, although the Jewish community rebuffed him. On 9 July 1944, Zolli, while still attempting to retain the title of "Chief Rabbi", gave an interview to a reporter. He described how two Italian families had hidden him, but he made no mention of the fact that during the greater part of the time he had hidden in the Vatican. After the war a great debate arose between the president of the Jewish community in Rome (Signor Foa) and Zolli, as to who was at fault for allowing the Nazis to obtain the list of Roman Jews. This list was used when they were gathered, deported, and murdered. Foa blamed Zolli; Zolli blamed Foa. In her book, Inside Rome with the Germans (1945, pg. 38), Jane Scrivener wrote: "The Rabbi did not destroy his registers and they know where every Jews lives." A Chief Rabbi of Rome Becomes a Catholic (pg. 135), suggesting Zolli's culpability in not destroying the register indicated to him that "his future must lie elsewhere than in the Jewish community".
Conversion
According to biographer Judith CabaudJudith Cabaud
Judith Cabaud is an American-born French writer and musicologist. She was born into a Jewish family of Polish and Russian heritage....
, in 1944, while conducting a Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
service, Zolli allegedly experienced a mystical vision about Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
. Shortly after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he and his second wife (his first wife had died years before) converted to Roman Catholicism. He went to the Gregorian University, where he was baptized by Mgr. Luigi Traglia in the presence of Father Paolo Dezza
Paolo Dezza
Paolo Dezza, S.J. was a Roman Catholic Jesuit cardinal who led the Pontifical Gregorian University during the pontificate of Pope Pius XII, whom he aided in the preparation of the dogma of the Assumption of Mary...
; his godfather was Augustin Bea
Augustin Bea
Augustin Bea, SJ was a German scholar at the Gregorian University specializing in biblical studies and biblical archeology. He was confessor of Pope Pius XII. In 1959, Pope John XXIII made him cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first President of the Secretariat for Promoting...
. Zolli was christened Eugenio Maria Zolli in honor of Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
, who was born Eugenio Pacelli. The ceremony was done with much publicity.
Later years/death
Zolli was employed at the State University in Rome and at the Pontifical Biblical InstitutePontifical Biblical Institute
The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy is an institution of the Holy See run by the Jesuits that offers instruction at the university level...
. He died in Rome, aged 74, in 1956.
Criticism
While Christians often mention Zolli as an example of an observant Jew who found Christ, some Jewish scholars contend that Zolli's conversion was a result of having been ostracized by the Jewish community following the Holocaust, rather than a spiritual awakening.Memoir
Zolli's 1954 memoir, Before the Dawn, describes the details of his conversion and his deep admiration for Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. It was re-issued by Ignatius Press
Ignatius Press
Ignatius Press, named for Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order, is a Catholic publishing house based in San Francisco, California, USA. It was founded in 1978 by Father Joseph Fessio SJ, a Jesuit priest and former pupil of Pope Benedict XVI...
in 2008. He wrote several other books of Christian devotion and theology which included autobiographical elements.
Quote
- "Conversion consists in responding to a call from God. A man is not converted at the time he chooses, but at the hour when he receives God's call. When the call is heard, he who receives it has only one thing to do: obey. Paul is 'converted'. Did he abandon the God of Israel? Did he cease to love Israel? It would be absurd to think so. But then? The convert is who feels impelled by an irresistible force to leave a pre-established order and seek his own proper way. It would be easier to continue along the road he was on."
- "In the Old Testament, Justice is carried out by one man towards another... We do good for good received; we do harm for harm we have suffered at the hands of another. Not to do injury for injury is, in a certain fashion, to fall short of justice.' What a contrast with the Gospel: Love your enemies... pray for them, or even Jesus' last words on the cross: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing! 'All this stupefied me. The New Testament is, in fact, an altogether new Testament". (Eugenio Zolli)
External links
- Before the Dawn: the Mysterious Conversion of Rome's Chief Rabbi
- The Chief Rabbi, the Pope, and the Holocaust: An Era in Vatican-Jewish Relations by Robert G Weisbord
- Zolli's conversion story from a Catholic point of view
- "Why Did the Chief Rabbi of Rome Convert to Catholicism?", from a Jewish point of view via Wayback Machine
- "A Catholic Perspective on Rabbi Zolli's Conversion to Catholic Christianity"