The video below is a final reflection by Anna Cahn on her experiences in Rome as a Culture and Identity Envoy at Temple Rome. She reflects on her journey to experience and learn more about Judaism in a foreign country.
Along with a formal final reflection video describing my experience in Rome as a Jew, I’ve also included a collage. Pictures I’ve taken from different synagogues, museums, and neighborhoods work together to create a visually rich image of culture and history. I’ve included pictures of Jewish Roman cuisine, stumbling stones, art completed by Eva Fischer, a Tzedakah box from the 1900s, the Roman Synagogue as well as a local Jewish artists studio.
The most important thing I learned from this semester abroad (in connection to my identity) is to put yourself out there. Being in a foreign country is difficult, but finding connections in relation to your identity help create a sense of community and home. While many Italian Jewish customs and cultures are different from my Ashkenazi upbringing, the Hebrew, the art, and the sense of pride is still the same.