A large and bright space
The courtyard is a large and bright space that allows the community to gather in the open during celebrations while maintaining an atmosphere of intimacy and privacy. It was built in the second half of the nineteenth century, a period when the community was at its peak: about 850 Jews were living in the town and, due to its concentration, the Jewish quarter of Casale Monferrato was the most populated in the Kingdom of Savoy, after that of Turin. Today, as in the past, it is a living space that often hosts events.
The Hebrew alphabet
Under the portico, on the wall outside the synagogue, is a work created in 1994 by the artist Gabriele Levy. The work consists of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, each on a 22×24 cm piece of clay weighing about 2 kg. Beneath each letter is a descriptive text indicating its pronunciation, numerical value, and mystical meaning.
The pomegranate
The courtyard in front of the portico is home to a pomegranate tree, a fruit of great significance in Jewish culture. In 2002, artists Jessica Carrol and Aldo Mondino created “The Bee Courtyard,” a work of art that takes shape in the courtyard space in a circular movement that includes the paving of the floor and the pomegranate tree.
