Venice's Jewish ghetto is considered the first in Europe and one of the first in the world, and a new effort is underway to preserve its 16th-century synagogues for the Jews who have remained and tourists who pass through.
A new effort is underway to preserve Venice's 16th-century synagogues for the Jews who have remained and tourists who pass through. Restorers have been peeling away paint for nearly two years and discovering the original foundations of three of the ghetto’s synagogues. They are considered the only Renaissance synagogues still in use. Art historian David Landau is spearheading the fundraising effort to restore the synagogues and nearby buildings both for Venice’s small Jewish community and for tourists who can visit them on a guided tour through the Jewish Museum of Venice. Venice’s Jewish ghetto dates from 1516.