A "joke" on the nose of the Jews which, associated with the proverbial "avarice" of the Genoese, literally left the onlookers stunned.
The embarrassing intervention was made yesterday by the councilor of the Municipality of Genoa Lorenza Rosso in the Genoese synagogue. At the end of a conference on Jewish culture, Rosso decides to share "a story that a Jewish friend had told me", continuing: "Do you know why Jews have a big nose? Because the air is free. plus our communities ".
In the synagogue, to hear one of the worst clichés of the Nazi and fascist propaganda, the cold falls. Subsequently, the president of the Community writes to the mayor Marco Bucci, while the citizens of Pd, Genova Civica, Lista Rosso Verde, Movimento 5 Stelle ask for his resignation : "It is not acceptable for a representative of the city government to use ridiculous tones (even if having listened to the words then reported by a 'Jewish friend', almost as if he wanted to cover his back against accusations of anti-Semitism) against a civil and religious community, using stereotypes that make us rethink the most sinister anti-Semitic propaganda ".
THE EXCUSES - In the end both the commissioner and the mayor have apologized .
"I am not an anti-Semite, I am saddened by what is coming out, I did not want to offend anyone and in any case the stories are an important aspect for Jewish culture", defended Rosso: "I realize that a part of my intervention was not very helpful to you. welcome - reads the letter sent to the president of the Jewish community Raffaella Petraroli - and I apologize if anyone felt shocked in their sensibility . .
"I assure you that on the part of the councilor Lorenza Rosso, who represented me, there was no intention of disrespecting your important initiative - writes the mayor Bucci -, much less the values and culture that the Jewish community represents. in a universal way and in our city of Genoa. However , please accept my apologies for those who have felt offended . I am convinced that there will soon be opportunities to reaffirm the full cooperation between the municipal administration and your community, a collaboration that has never been passed away ".
