Italkim
Encyclopedia : I : IT : ITA : Italkim
Hebrew for "Italians"; pl. of "italkit", Middle Hebrew loanword from the Latin adjective "italicu(m)", meaning "Italic", "Latin", "Roman"; italkit is also used in Modern Hebrew as the language name "Italian") is the modern Hebrew term for Jews who have historically resided in Italy. They traditionally call themselves Bené Roma. Despite a continuous presence for over 2000 years, the Italian Jewish community, known as Italkim, has numbered no more than 50,000 since it was fully emancipated in 1870. The customs and religious rites of Italkim are in some ways a bridge between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews, showing similarities to both. Recent genetic tests have shown that Italkim are more closely related to Ashkenazi Jews.[[Citing sources citation needed]]
One of the most famous of Italy's Jews was Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707-1746) whose written religious and ethical works are still widely studied and admired for their originality and brilliance.
Italkim were very much a part of the Second Aliyah and many of them moved to Israel between 1904 and 1914.
The Italkim have traditionally spoken a version of Italian called Italkian.
See also
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