There were once 52 Jewish Communities in Sicily. They were extinguished by the Spanish Inquisition. This synagogue, the first in about 500 years represents a rebirth of Judaism in Sicily.

There was a Jewish community in Sicily as early as 59 BCE. It grew to at least 37,000 people in 52 different communities. In 1492, at the time of the Spanish Inquisition, Sicily was under Spanish control. The Spaniards extinguished the Jews and the overt practice of Judaism. Some Jews emmigrated, others were tortured and killed, some converted to Catholicism and some became “closet Jews” practicing their faith underground.

In recent years dozens of descendants of Sicilian and southern Italian “underground Jews” have come out of the closet. Their Jewish ancestors had been compelled to convert to Catholicism half a millennia ago, but they had somehow managed to preserve their identity despite the Inquisition’s attempts to crush it. After 5 centuries, this remnant of Sicilian Jewish culture is coming to life again.

In 2008 Rabbi Stefano di Mauro opened a small synagogue in the Sicilian city of Siracusa. He has lovingly ministered to the growing number of people who are reclaiming their Jewish roots. The synagogue, Centro Sefardico Siciliano, is located conveniently on the ground floor of a suburban condominium building. This is a truly remarkable rebirth of an ancient Jewish community that has lain dormant for 500 years.