In 1630 and 1631, the Black Death swept through northern and central Italy, killing hundreds of thousands of people. Jewish communities, especially in locales where they were confined to ghettos, were often the last to be affected—but they were by no means spared. In her recent book, Susan Einbinder explores the Hebrew writings these Jews produced about the pandemic, from special prayers to sermons to a work that gives such familiar advice as, “make sure you have a store of flour and oil if a plague is coming.” She discusses her research with Nachi Weinstein. (Audio, 86 minutes.)
More about: Italian Jewry, Jewish history, Plague