Rabbinical Office
The Rabbinical Office of the Jewish Community of Rome deals with various topics ranging from Beth Din to kasheruth, from formal teaching to internal and external divulgation, to all cultural functions such as synagogues, more or less happy celebrations, the miqwè, and others.
The Rabbinical Office is available to the public.
To contact us:
Chief Rabbi: Rabbi Riccardo Shemuel Di Segni
Born in Rome in 1949. Perpetuating an ancient tradition, he associates the exercise of the medical profession (as a radiologist, director of a department of a large Roman public hospital) with the rabbinical activity.
He obtained his rabbinical title from the Collegio Rabbino Italiano in 1973, where he has continued to teach and which he has directed since 1999.
In addition to teaching, he has been active in the research field, publishing numerous philological studies and three books (the last in Hebrew, Noten ta'am leshevach on the meaning of dietary rules) and in spreading traditional Jewish culture (with three editions of a Guide to Jewish Dietary Laws).
Appointed Chief Rabbi of Rome in November 2001.
Dayan: Gad Eldad
Born in 1968 in Beer Sheva. From 1987 to 1996 he studied at the yeshiva of Gush Etzion, alternating his studies with military service in the “Golani” combat unit.
In 1994 he obtained the title of teacher of Hebrew subjects at the Herzog College in Gush Etzion and in 1996 he received the semikhà (rabbinical degree) from the Israeli Central Rabbinate.
From 1997 he studied at the “Eretz Hemdah” kolel in Jerusalem, until obtaining, in 2005, the title of Dayan (judge) issued by the Israeli Central Rabbinate.
At the same time he attended basic courses in civil law at the Bar-Ilan University. Since 1998 he has taught Ghemarà and Poskim in the upper course of the Italian Rabbinical College.
Since 2006 he has worked at the Rabbinical Office as a Dayan.
Director of the Rabbinical Office: Rav Jacov Di Segni
Born in Rome in 1986. He attended the Mameli classical High School and, at the same time, studied at the Italian Rabbinical College in Rome. After, he continued his studies in Jerusalem at the Yeshiva “Chokhmat Shelomo” of Rav Yehoshua Neuwirth, where he studied for three years, at the end of which he obtained the title of Maskil at the Rabbinical College of Rome.
From 2008 to 2010 he worked at the Jewish Community of Milan as a teacher at the Rabbinical College and officiant at the Central Synagogue. Returning to Israel, he studied for five years at the Kolel of the Yeshivat HaKotel and took the exams of the Central Rabbinate of Israel.
In 2015 he obtained the rabbinical title at the Italian Rabbinical College in Rome, with a thesis on the life and works of Rabbi Emanuel Menachem Azaria Castelnuovo.
He currently teaches at the Rabbinical College of Rome, collaborates as a reviewer for the translation project of the Talmud into Italian, edited the Hebrew text of many Siddurim and Machazorim, published by Morasha.
Since 2016 he has been the Director of the Rabbinical Office of the Community of Rome.
Since 2022 he has been the manhig of the Spanish Temple.
Officiating rabbis
Rav Ariel Di Porto
Born in Rome in 1978, married with two children. Graduated in philosophy, he obtained the higher rabbinical title in 2008. He was an officiant, teacher and director of the Rabbinical Office in the community of Rome until 2014. From 2014 to 2022 he was chief rabbi of Turin. Since 2022 he has directed the Bet shalom synagogue in Rome, teaches Jewish culture at the Renzo Levi high school and is part of the Rabbinical Court. He is also a member of the Council of the Italian Rabbinical Assembly and of the Rabbinical Council of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities. He is co-author of some introductory volumes to Judaism and author of numerous scientific and popular articles on various aspects of Jewish culture, as well as being active in the field of interreligious dialogue.
Rav Alberto Funaro
Born in Rome on 19 March 1953, he obtained the Semikhà from the Italian Rabbinical College in 1979. Professor of Judaism at the “Angelo Sacerdoti” secondary school and the “Renzo Levi” high school of the Jewish Community of Rome. Lecturer at the Italian Rabbinical College and the Degree Course in Jewish Studies. Director of the Talmud Torah for primary school students. Member of the Rabbinical Court of Rome as Judge. Collaborator of the Most Excellent Chief Rabbi Prof. Elio Toaff since 1976. Director of the Rabbinical Office of the Jewish Community of Rome from 2002 to 2011. Singer of the Tempio Maggiore and of the Spanish Temple. Author of records, audio cassettes and CDs on the Roman Jewish liturgy of the Italian and Sephardic rites. Former vice-president of the Italian Rabbinical Assembly. Actively participates in community activities, national and international conferences. He is the manhig of the Tempio Maggiore in Rome.
Maskil Joseph Arbib
Maskil David Sessa
Rav Jacov Di Segni
Hazanim
Marco Salmonì
Marco Sed
Mario Sonnino
Jonathan Di Veroli
David Di Consiglio
