The First Ghetto

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE

‘An engrossing tale of cruel prejudice and resilience’ – The Times
‘A stunning account of a dark history . . . magnificent’ – The Irish Times
‘Fascinating’ – The Spectator
‘Important and timely’ – The Telegraph
‘Splendid . . . hard to rival’ – Literary Review
‘Remarkable . . . a rollercoaster history of the ghetto’ – Jewish Chronicle

A gripping history of the world’s first Jewish ghetto, reconstructed through the stories of those who inhabited it.

In the early sixteenth century, amidst the ruins of war, the world’s first Jewish ‘ghetto’ was established in Venice. Constrained in cramped, insanitary conditions, the Jews who were forced to live there were extorted, abused and subjected to countless humiliating restrictions. Before long, Venice’s Ghetto became the prototype for ghettos throughout Europe.

Yet the Ghetto’s story is also a testament of hope. Despite all they faced, its residents thrived, creating a flourishing literary, musical and religious community. They sustained Venice’s economy and became a microcosm of the Jewish world.

With incomparable authority, detail and intimacy, historian Alexander Lee traces this vivid story from the first Jewish arrivals in the early fourteenth century to the present day, offering a fitting monument to the Ghetto’s past – and powerful lessons for the future.