22 Nicastro to Serrastretta

After a wonderful day with Rabbi Aiello exploring the old Jewish Quarter of Nicastro, she invited us all to visit Serrastreeta, her home and synagogue - and a wonderful Shabbat dinner with her and her husband Enrico.

Serrastretta was only 45 minutes up the mountains from Nicastro. We took over 2 hours to get there - because we got lost. We somehow managed to take a longer, more moutainous route, winding through the woods - as the road changed from paved to dirt to narrow path to no path. At one point we spotted a farmer working his gardens and asked him for diretions to Serrastretta. While Anna spoke fluent Italian, she struggled to understand the dialect this farmer was using . Fortunately, in a very short time, just as the road disappeared delow us, the paved hughway appeared in front of us.

Serrastretta is truly a small mountainside town with a beautiful view throughout the region. It is also home to the synagogue - Ner Tamid Del Sud - where Rabbi Barbara provides her leadership. The synagogue and her home are part of the same building structure. Rabbi Barbara and her husband, Enrico, do the resarch to help Italian families reconnect to their Jewish roots. Enrioc is also the cook of the family - as he created a masterful Shabbat meal we share with Rabbi Barbara and Enrico in their kitchen. All a truly special and unique experience.