Jew visiting Rome with the hope of finding some aspect of her heritage may be drawn to the synagogue on the banks of the Tiber River, or to wander through the ghetto, perhaps to sample carciofi alla Giudia, Jewish-style artichokes. She is unlikely to consider the Vatican to be a source of Jewish art.
In fact, however, the Vatican holds world-famous works of art with Jewish themes. Yet their essential links to Judaism and its teachings remain little known. To understand the nature of these artworksâ?? relationship to Judaism, one must travel back in time more than 500 years.
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