My family has two passions: art and Israel (for historical and sentimental reasons), a passion that has led us, during these years to donate important art works, made by sculptors of international fame (Giò Pomodoro, Arnaldo Pomodoro, etc) at the University of Tel Aviv vantin.
Of Turkish origin, we have been in Italy since 1920 ceftin. In 1938, for racial laws, my father's family emigrated in Bolivia where he lived for 9 years. In 1947 he came back in Italy where he is working.
My hobby is to study and collect art and I live in Faenza a city of Etruscan-Roman origin, it is known worldwide for its ceramics whose ancient tradition dates back to the 12th century and reached a peak of artistic significance during the Renaissance. Five centuries ago, Faenza was already a fundamental reference point for European ceramics production and the term "faenza-faience" is used almost in Europe as synonym for majolica. The tradition and culture of ceramics remain the vital hub of modern Faenza with its International Ceramics Museum containing splendid collections of objects from all epochs and Countries; its 60 artist's work-shops and its international artistic and crafts events on the historical and contemporary production of majolica. All the crafts are hand made in every detail; this is the reason why they are so precious.
During a visit in the cathedral of Bologna, I discovered some tiles with a "Magen David" and six circles around. It was a seder plate! So, step by step, I found the presence of the jewish artist Isaac Azulai, his school and his work- shop, and, during my last journey in Israel, a beautiful plate of this ancient Master in the Museum Of Israel (Jerusalem).
For this reason I decided to create "Italiajudaica". Faenza has 60.000 inhabitants of which ...........9 are jewish!
Roberto Matatia

ITALIA JUDAICA
Via Campana, 59 - Faenza - 48018 - Ravenna - Italy
Tel +39 0546-682174