Today in History: A Miracle For Jews in Italy

On 21 Teves, 1690, strong earthquakes rattled the city of Ancona, Italy, causing numerous structures to collapse and placing its inhabitants in mortal danger. Miraculously, the Jewish quarter was spared, suffering the collapse of only one house. In commemoration of this event, the local Jewish community established that date as a day of celebration and song, while the previous day, 20 Teves, would be marked yearly by fasting and charity (Or Boker, p. 48a).

Photo: Alamy