The museum is located in the Marini Synagogue, a small neoclassical building adapted to be place of workship in 1867 and opened it's doors in 1992.Some of the old ornaments once kept in the old monumental synagogue built in 1953 are dispalyed there. The synagogue was continously embellished in the following centuries; it was destroyed in the World War II during an air blitz.
The wooden " Henkhal " was miraculously preserved and moved to the via Micali oratory and there restored. It has richi carvings and three little domes wich confer an oriental appereance to it. According to the oral tradition the " Hekhal ", like most ornaments , was brought by the Jews exiled from Spain, but it was perhaps manufactured in northern Italy.
The wonderful Synagogue reflected the prospery of the LeghornJewish Nation and its members vied with each other to adorn it with silverware and precious fabrics.
The Jewish where the main protagonists of the continuous trades which contributed to the growth of the port of Leghorn so that the Temple appurtenances are mirror of the community prosperity; items of different origins: Dutch, North African , Florentine, Roman, Venetian, are displayed alongside those manufactured by local silversmiths.
Unfortunately the most ancient and precious ornaments were lost but somne of those left like a crown of 1636 or some of XVIII Century ornaments reveal a high-quality manufacture wich can rarely be matched elsewhere.
In the synagogue and in some private Leghorn home , objects of an exquisite coral workmanship are still kept. Suchmanufacture was a monopoly of the Jews of Leghorn. The fabrics too are very interesting. Lots of Jews traded with materials which were imported by the main European manufacturers.
One roll of fabric manufactured in Lyon towards the half of the XVIII century and originally used to make various ornaments is still kept there.
The ornamental needle-work was mainly done by Jewish embroideresses and represent one of the most interesting features of the Leghorn Cerimonial art.
The Museum will be eventually enlarged so that in the women's galley a greater number of documents and records of the Jewish life and traditions may be displayed along with all those items of historical and artistic value in use in synagogue ritual and at home.
A place will be reserved in the women's gallery for those items that the Leghorn families will be willing to donate ore leave in trust to complete the history of the Community.
