The Italian Moses and the Jews of San Nicandro

During the turbulent and repressive years of Fascist Italy, the centuries-old southern Italian Roman Catholic community of San Nicandro Garganico underwent an incredible mass conversion to Judaism. Descended from local gentile families that had established themselves in the Puglia region over 500 years ago, these new-born Jews were led by Donato Manduzio, an illiterate peasant who first learned how to read and write in the course of his Great War experience. This crippled World War I veteran – inspired by his personal study of the Old Testament and religions – abandoned the traditional tenets of the Catholic faith to fully embrace biblically prescribed Jewish practices. Claiming to have been charged with a divine mission, Donato succeeded i