How did a small Jewish community shape modern Italy’s politics, culture and science?

In this episode of the Conversations with B’nai B’rith podcast, CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with physicist and historian Dr. Gino Segrè about his new book, “The Golden Age of Italian Jews, 1848–1938.”

Drawing on meticulous research and his own family’s story, Segrè explores how a community that represented only a fraction of Italy’s population left an enormous mark on Italian society. He discusses the emancipation of Jews from the ghettos, the rise of Jewish leaders in civic and military life, the Mortara case and its impact on Church–Jewish relations, and the fierce debates over identity and belonging.

Segrè also highlights the achievements of Italian Jews who excelled in their professions, served heroically in World War I, and gave their lives fighting fascism in Italy and Spain—before turning to the tragic fate of his own family during the Holocaust.

This conversation offers a vivid look at a remarkable era of Jewish life in Italy—its achievements, its challenges and its enduring legacy. 

Watch the full interview now on YouTube and Facebook.

Find out more about “The Golden Age of Italian Jews, 1848–1938” here.