What DID Italian Renaissance Jews Wear?

I answer the simple and not so simple question of what Jews in the Italian Renaissance wore. Spoiler: it's complicated.
#italianrenaissance #jewsintherenaissance #hanukkah

Jewish Italian Renaissance Fashion? What did it look like? I chose to recreate one garment from a print in a 1560's Haggadah from Mantua, Italy. Follow my journey of putting the pieces together.

Some Notes: There is one part where the music gets really loud! If you are sensitive, please watch with subtitles and no sound! I did not remove my airpods while dressing up. oops. Drink every time you see the pirate mermaid tattoo my five year old put on my hand.

Some sources for all of this information:

[anonymousperson]

I'm really happy that more people are working to find Jewish history in dress history, and are making it more accessable. I started studying Jewish history at the beginning of the pandemic and it's been such a strange paradox of wonderful records and no records at all. Much love 💜

[beeb]

This is awesome, thanks so much for this. As a Jew who loves watching historical stuff this feels magically made for me and so special.

[jrwx]

Shout-out to LizCapism for pointing me to your channel! Don't mind me I'm just gonna watch everything you've ever posted real quick here :)

[LS-gfpg]

During the Renaissance the discrimination and persecution of Jews was quite common in the Papal States and in the South of Italy, ruled by Spanish Crown... but very different was the situation in other italian states. In Mantua, for example, under the protection of the Gonzaga dukes Jewish life flourished in the city of Mantua during the course of centuries. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, 7000 Jews lived in the city, representing 8% of the population. Soncino is a small Medieval town near Mantua on the river Oglio. Its name is inseparably linked to the Jewish printers, (commemorated in the Printing Museum).
Another interesting example is the city of Livorno: in 1577 the first stone of a “new city” on Tuscany's coast was laid and the granduke Ferdinand I de’ Medici would give life to it between 1591-1593 by issuing the famous Legge Livornine 
(Laws of Livorno) addressing “...All you Merchants of Whatsoever Nation, from the East or West, Spaniards, Portuguese, Greeks, Germans and Italians, Jews, Turks, Moors, Armenians, Persians…” promised tax breaks and unexpected religious tolerance for the time. The Jewish community of Livorno, although the youngest among the historic Jewish communities of Italy, was for some time the foremost: its members achieved political rights and wealth, and contributed to scholarship in the port city. Numerous Jewish schools and welfare institutions were established. The Jewish community of Pisa received the privilege of founding a branch at Livorno with a synagogue and cemetery. In 1597, the Jews of Livorno received autonomous rights as a community. The community was also authorized to have complete jurisdiction in civil cases involving Jews and in some minor criminal cases.

[rebeccacuthbertson]

Amber Amber Amber! Amen amen v’amen! This video and garment and all your research is absolutely incredible. Thank you so so much

Chag urim sameach 💖

[Ashley_tipsyshades]

So great to see this, over a decade after I struggled to write a very mediocre paper on the subject!

[stevezytveld]

Shalom my Dear Human. Thank you. This was beautifully done.
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi

[TudorositiesbyMaureen]

Beautiful as always, the color combination is just lovely. Happy Hanukkah.

[mjap-l]

Thank you for the knowledge, thank you for the video, and I could sincerely listen to you read the phone book. Your voice is amazing. (Also, you really look like a painting come to life when you're sitting in that chair at the end!)

[laurenthomas]

This is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing

[perihawk]

Thank you so much for the work you've done.

[simsley]

Chag Sameach! What an awesome video - I love learning what Jewish people may have worn throughout history!

[studious_nonchalance]

I loved this video! So interesting! And the finished outfit is just so beautiful! Thank you for sharing your research and work!

[miriamharris]

So glad I came across your channel! And so well done! Thank you. 🤩

[byBrienne]

Such a beautiful video and message! Thank you for doing this research and bringing perspective to the fashion of the time.

[LixiaWinter]

Thank you so much! This is so beautiful!

[rosetyler]

This was such a calming, soothing video. The information you unearthed with your research was very interesting. Fashion history is one of my special interest 😊 Thank you so much for your work !!

[ladybug]

Another beautiful video! I so appreciate your research, as well as your decision to not show the negative propaganda. The dress is beautiful and meaningful!

[purplewolfr]

Thank you for your research and excellent video. I am currently writing an essay on the costuming of The Merchant of Venice for my MA and this video is a life saver.

[besina]

The town & duke of „ Mantovana “ - melody is also connected to the Hatikwa Israel anthem today, as it is an melody that went through time & places ...for example search Playford‘s „ Italian rant “, very beautiful !
For some unknown reason, I‘ve been twice to Mantua & also read a biography about Isabella d‘Este . I feel very much connected to the whole theme - how was Italian Renaissance music influenced by the Sephardic Jews in northern Italy / Naples etc .