Renzo Gattegna, former president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI), died in Rome.
This was announced by Moked, the portal of Italian Judaism.
Gattegna - born in Rome in 1939 - had been president of the organization from 2006 to 2016 for three terms.
During his three experiences at the top of the Union, Gattegna worked intensely to make the Jewish world a leading player in national life through initiatives aimed at fostering dialogue, encounter, the confrontation of ideas, writes Moked.
A confrontation always head on, with full awareness of the immense legacy of over two thousand years of history and roots.
Firm leadership, willingness to listen, enhancement of pluralism, ability to influence the major issues of public debate.
These were the ten years of Gattegna, a figure of immense human value as well as an excellent diplomat and mediator between different positions.
"Judaism - he warned in his last end of mandate report - must retain its original characteristics of rejection of any form of idolatry and of reconciling rigor and flexibility, leaving, as the Talmud teaches, ample space for philosophical dissertation, scientific research and the freedom to interpret and develop the debate as a positive and indispensable value, respecting the different currents of thought, but always maintaining the ability to bring everything back to unity ".
The President of the Republic
Sergio Mattarella
, deeply affected by the death of the lawyer Renzo Gattegna, sent the family a message of condolence in which he recalls "the commitment lavished with intelligence, courtesy and balance during the long years spent at the helm of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities ".
This is what we read in a note from the Quirinale.
"With the death of Renzo Gattegna, Italian Judaism loses a wise and passionate guide. During his presidency of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, there were many moments of discussion and sharing in which I got to know Renzo better, a decent person who will be missed by everyone and everyone ".
The national secretary of the Democratic Party,
Nicola Zingaretti
, writes on Twitter
.