File in the sh*t list next to Naturei Karta.

Professor outrages Jews with book claim

"A Jewish academic has shocked Italy by stating that Jews murdered Christians during the Middle Ages so that their blood could be used in ritualistic ceremonies.

The details were revealed in yesterday's Corriere Della Sera newspaper which published extracts of the book by Professor Ariel Toaff, Easter of Blood. European Jews and ritual homicides.

Last night his claims were denied by leading Jewish figures including his father Elio, once chief rabbi of Rome.
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In the book, Prof Toaff describes the multilation and crucification of a two-year-old boy to recreate Christ's execution at Pesach, the Jewish Easter. The festival marks the fleeing of the Jews from Egypt and Prof Toaff says Christian blood was used for 'magic and therapeutic practices.'

In some cases the blood was mixed with dough to make the azzimo, unleavened bread, eaten at Pesach.

He says the acts took place in northern Italy, around the city of Trento in German-speaking areas that border modern-day Austria.

Prof Toaff bases his book on confessions he says came from Jews captured and put on trial for the practice, which took place from 1100 and 1500."

The article goes on to reveal how Professor Toaff's "evidence" came from Jews tortured into admitting crimes they didn't commit. But hey - let's hope facts and decency don't stop him earning a few quid out of this and, at the same time, fueling widespread antisemitism.

From the Jerusalem Post:

"Toaff offers as an example the case of Saint Simonino of Trent. In March 1475, shortly after a child's body was found in a canal near the Jewish area of Trent, the city's Jews were accused of murdering Simonino and using his blood to make matzot.

After a medieval trial in which confessions were extracted by torture, 16 members of Trent's Jewish community were hanged.

Toaff reveals that the accusations against the Jews of Trent 'might have been true.'

Toaff refers to kabbalistic descriptions of the therapeutic uses of blood and asserts that 'a black market flourished on both sides of the Alps, with Jewish merchants selling human blood, complete with rabbinic certification of the product - kosher blood.'

Dr. Amos Luzzatto, former president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities said, 'I would expect a more serious statement than 'it might have been true.'' He also expressed dismay at the sensationalism with which Corriere della Sera, Italy's leading daily, treated the issue.

'It is totally inappropriate to utilize declarations extorted under torture centuries ago to reconstruct bizarre and devious historical theses,' declared 12 of Italy's chief rabbis in a press release refuting Toaff's claims.

'The only blood spilled in these stories was that of so many in"