Ebraica - International Festival of Culture

A festival in the oldest Jewish quarter in Europe

Ebraica - International Festival of Culture takes place every June in the Sant'Angelo district, the Ghetto of Rome, within the city of Rome, in the Lazio region. The heart of the event is the Palazzo della Cultura on Via del Portico d'Ottavia, just steps away from the Great Synagogue and the archaeological remains of the Portico d'Ottavia: a setting that perfectly encapsulates the unique layers of this part of the city.

Promoted by the Jewish Community of Rome and curated by Ariela Piattelli, Raffaella Spizzichino, and Marco Panella, the festival has established itself over the years as one of the most anticipated cultural events of the Roman summer. Participation is free until capacity is reached, with mandatory online booking.

A community living in Rome for over two thousand years

The Jewish community of Rome is the oldest in Western Europe, with a continuous presence in the city dating back to the 2nd century BC. The Ghetto was established in 1555 and remained in force until 1870, leaving a profound legacy in the urban fabric, the Judeo-Romanesco language, the local cuisine, and the collective memory of the neighborhood. Ebraica was created to make this heritage accessible to everyone, not as a museum piece, but as a living culture capable of engaging with the present.

What to expect in the program

Each edition revolves around a theme that unites the four evenings. The program alternates between different registers and formats:

• Talks and debates with writers, historians, journalists, and rabbis on current affairs, ethics, and memory.
• Book launches, often featuring authors in conversation with critics and witnesses.
• Photographic and documentary exhibitions hosted within the spaces of the Palazzo della Cultura.
• Film screenings with guest directors and international cinema.
• Staged readings and theatrical performances, often as original productions.
• Musical evenings blending Romanesco songs, liturgical traditions, and Ghetto poetry.

The atmosphere of the evenings

Events are concentrated in the late afternoon and evening, when the neighborhood fills with visitors and the streets around Via del Portico d'Ottavia come to life. Many visitors combine the festival with a stroll through the district and dinner at local restaurants, where traditional Judeo-Romanesco cuisine is a staple: carciofi alla giudia (Jewish-style artichokes), zucchini concia, salt cod, and ricotta and sour cherry cakes. It is a natural way to complement the cultural experience with a culinary one.

A broad audience, well beyond the community

Although born from a community institution, Ebraica is designed as a city-wide and international festival. Guests arrive from various countries, and the audience consists largely of Romans and tourists with no direct ties to the community. The event enjoys the support of Rome's municipal government and various institutional and private partners, representing one of the moments when the Ghetto opens itself most widely to the city.

Why it is worth visiting

Those visiting Rome in June will find in Ebraica a rare opportunity: a high-level, free festival in an extraordinary historical setting that offers an inside look at one of the oldest and least-told components of Roman identity. For those living in the city, it is the annual appointment that brings themes of memory, coexistence, and responsibility to the center of public debate.