US rabbi reviving Jewish roots in her family’s Italian town


              A view of Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              A view of Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Obituaries are seen on a street of Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Men sit on a bench on the "Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi" main street of Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Lina Fazio straws a traditional chair in front of hot house, in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father:  to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              A view of the "Maria Santissima del Perpetuo Soccorso" parish church and main street "Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi" of Serrastretta, southern Italy, Saturday, July 9, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rev. Luigi Iuliano, parish priest of the "Maria Santissima del Perpetuo Soccorso" church in Serrastretta, Saturday, July 9, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello, left, celebrates the Bat Mitvah ceremony of Mia, 12, in the "Ner Tamid del Sud" (The Eternal Light of the South) synagogue, in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Mia, 12, stand between her father Andrew Blum and her mother Tara, as Rabbi Barbara Aiello celebrates her Bat Mitvah ceremony in the "Ner Tamid del Sud" (The Eternal Light of the South) synagogue, in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello, second from left, stands by Mia, 12, as she celebrates her Bat Mitvah ceremony in the "Ner Tamid del Sud" (The Eternal Light of the South) synagogue, in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello,celebrates a Bat Mitvah ceremony in the "Ner Tamid del Sud" (The Eternal Light of the South) synagogue, in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Ukrainian refugee Vira, center, pushes the swing with her son Platon, 2, as Miroslava, 9, swings by in the playground in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Miroslav, third from right, a refugee from the Ukraine, runs to embrace Rabbi Barbara Aiello, third from left, in the playground of Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello, left, talks with Serrastretta mayor Antonio Muraca, in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello, right, walks down the main road of Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello, center, talks with residents of Serrastretta, southern Italy, as they sit at a caffe', Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello, second from left, talks with Lidia as they sit at a caffe' in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello walks in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022.  From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity.  (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello, bottom center, holds hand with Noah Blum, 10, as she guides him with his family for a tour of the Jewish quarter of Lamezia Terme, southern Italy, Thursday, July 7, 2022.  From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity.  (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello, fourth from left, talks to a resident as she guides the Blum family for a tour of the Jewish quarter of Lamezia Terme, Thursday, July 7, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello holds hand with Mia Blum, 12, left, and her brother Noah Blum, 10, as she guides them with their family for a tour of the Jewish quarter of Lamezia Terme, southern Italy, Thursday, July 7, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello points at her younger self in an old family photo, in her "Ner Tamid del Sud" (The Eternal Light of the South) synagogue in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello shows her collection of religious items in her "Ner Tamid del Sud" (The Eternal Light of the South) synagogue in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello walks the courtyard of her "Ner Tamid del Sud" (The Eternal Light of the South) synagogue and home in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
            
              Rabbi Barbara Aiello reads prayers in her "Ner Tamid del Sud" (The Eternal Light of the South) synagogue in Serrastretta, southern Italy, Friday, July 8, 2022. From a rustic, tiny synagogue she fashioned from her family's ancestral home in this mountain village, American rabbi Aiello is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father: to reconnect people in this southern region of Calabria to their Jewish roots, links nearly severed five centuries ago when the Inquisition forced Jews to convert to Christianity. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
US rabbi reviving Jewish roots in her family’s Italian town