The existence of Jewish streets or neighborhoods arose, on the one hand, from the interest of Jewish communities to live separately in order to better observe their laws and customs. On the other hand, the separation was the result of decrees by the authorities, especially the ecclesiastical ones. Observing the commandments, the need to have a minyan for prayers, a cemetery, a mikveh, and mutual help, were what motivated the Jews to group together in neighborhoods or streets that in some cases were separated from the rest of the city by walls.

For example, the Jews of Speyer in 1084 asked the bishop for permission to live in a separate, walled neighborhood. In other cases, it was the Church that imposed on them the obligation to live separately from the Christians, seeking to isolate and humiliate the Jews.

The word “ghetto” comes from the Venetian gettare, meaning slag, the product of metal foundries, and borghetto, a diminutive of borgo, a neighborhood. The Venetians coined the term in the 16th century when they forced the Jews of Venice to live together, surrounded by a wall, in the poorest part of the city, near an iron foundry.

The Venetian ghetto was not the first Jewish ghetto. In 1179 the Catholic Church decreed that Christians should not live together with Jews. This led to Jews being segregated in most European countries, at first in streets called Judengase and later in walled neighborhoods with gates that were closed at night. In 1555 a decree by Pope Paul IV forced the Jews of Rome to live in an area on the left bank of the Tiber River, which was immediately walled off. Other Italian cities followed Rome’s example. In addition to living in the ghetto, Jews were required to wear a badge, were required to listen to sermons seeking their conversion, and were restricted in their professions. In Muslim countries, too, different ethnic or religious groups lived in their own neighborhoods. “Harat al Yahud” literally means “Jewish neighborhood” in Arabic.

Living in a ghetto had both positive and negative effects on Judaism. The Jew in the ghetto lacked political, economic, social, and cultural freedom. He had no political rights, his economic activity was restricted, as was his socializing with non-Jews, and he could not participate in the culture and education of the outside world. Living conditions in the ghetto were therefore very difficult. On the other hand, they did not have to worry about maintaining their identity and the Jewish way of life. The walls not only kept out anything Jewish, but also kept out nothing from outside. They were an antidote to the problem of assimilation. Prepared by Marcos Gojman.

Bibliography: History of the Ghetto by Dr. Gerhard Falk, Encyclopedia Judaica and other sources.