Rome's Jewish Ghetto

Very few places allow you to walk through more than two thousand years of history. With every step, you're surrounded by ancient streets, monuments, historic buildings, unforgettable flavours, and aromas found nowhere else. Dining at Renato al Ghetto means immersing yourself in the atmosphere of Via del Portico d'Ottavia. Whichever direction you arrive from, it feels like stepping into the very heart of Rome's history and traditions.

It is in this unique setting that Jewish guests can also enjoy our Shabbat menu, served on Friday evening and at Saturday lunch.

What is Shabbat?
The Hebrew word Shabbat comes from the verb shavat, meaning "to cease" or "to stop," referring to the cessation of certain forms of work. Some scholars also associate the word with the Hebrew root שֶׁבַע (sheva, meaning "seven"), a reference to the seventh day of the week. A person who faithfully observes Shabbat is known as a Shomer Shabbat, literally "one who observes and safeguards Shabbat."
It is also believed that the Italian word ciabatta may ultimately derive from the word Shabbat.

Although Shabbat—or its anglicised form, Sabbath—is commonly translated as "day of rest," a more literal rendering would be "cessation," in the sense of refraining from work. Rest is therefore the natural consequence of Shabbat, rather than the primary meaning of the word itself.

The commandment to observe Shabbat appears repeatedly throughout the Torah. The best-known references are found in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8–11 and Deuteronomy 5:12–15), and the command is reaffirmed in Exodus 31:12–17 and 35:2–3, as well as Leviticus 19:3, 19:30, and 23:3. The importance of Shabbat is also emphasised by the Prophets, including Isaiah 56:4–6, and in many other passages of the Tanakh.

According to Halakhah (Jewish law), the day begins at sunset. For this reason, Shabbat starts at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday, more precisely when the third star becomes visible in the evening sky.

The Purpose of Shabbat

Both the Hebrew Bible and the Jewish prayer book highlight two central purposes of Shabbat:

• to commemorate the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt;
• to commemorate God's creation of the universe, completed on the seventh day.