4 Adar

Feb. 20, 1798- Ghetto in Rome legally abolished. In 1555, Pope Paul IV segregated the Jews of Rome in a walled quarter surrounded by gates that were locked at night. The 'ghettoed' Jews were then subjected to various forms of degradation as well as restrictions on their personal freedoms. During the French Revolution, Italy was conquered by Napoleon Bonaparte. On this day, the Ghetto was legally abolished and Jews declared free citizens of Rome by the French army. It was reinstated, however, as soon as the Papacy regained control.