Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the town of Ladispoli, near Rome, was used by the JDC as a transit station for Soviet Jewish emigrants. During the 1970's and 1980's, Italy also became a focus of pro-Palestinian activity, and a number of huge rallies took place during the Intifada to protest Israeli policies. Pope John Paul II's visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome in 1986 marked the rapprochement between Jews and the Vatican. Culture and Education Jewish schools are established in Rome, Milan, Florence, Genoa, Livorno, and Trieste. The monthly Shalom is the Roman community's key publication, while its counterpart, the Bollettino delle Comunita, is published in Milan.
Numerous organizations have their own publications.
La Rassegna di Israel is an academic quarterly. A number of synagogues in Rome, including the Great Synagogue, follow this tradition. The nusach has its own order of prayer and tunes. Most synagogues in Italy are Sephardi. The Italian chief rabbi officiates at the Great Synagogue of Rome and heads the country's rabbinical council.