Moshe Zeiri’s son from Israel in Selvino

On 26 September 2019, visit to Selvino of Moshe Zeiri’s son, who in 1945-48 was the director at Sciesopoli, the former fascist colony became the “Casa dei Bambini di Selvino” Holocaust survivors.
With his family and grandchildren, Avner Zeiri came to Selvino from Israel to see the places and the former colony of Sciesopoli that from 1945 to 1948 treated the wounds of about 800 Jewish children and orphans, bringing them back to life. Accompanied by director Enrico Grisanti, he was received by the deputy mayor Maurizio Acerbis, by Virginia Magoni, a councilor with responsibility for private building, the environment and Sciesopoli, by Mario Vitali, councilor for tourism-sport-culture and by Laura Grigis delegated to social policies.
Deputy Mayor Maurizio Acerbis greeted Moshe Zeiri’s son and his family. Then he underlined the Municipality’s commitment to remembering the story of the Selvino Children with various initiatives, including the safety of the large building in Sciesopoli, works financed by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, and the setting up of the memorial museum in the Municipality ” Jewish Sciesopoli – The Children’s House of Selvino “.
There was an exchange of gifts between the Municipality that offered a folder with the poetry dedicated to Sciesopoli of the poet Aurora Cantini, the tourist guide of Selvino and the museum, the map with the indication of the colony of Sciesopoli, a panoramic photo and a quartz collected in Selvino. While the group of visitors offered gifts from the land of Israel and a small plaque in memory of aid to Jewish children received in the post-war period by the generous Italian and wild population.

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Avener Zeiri said: “I am happy and moved to return to Selvino, after almost 72 years, with my family, my children and grandchildren. I was born Selvino on 12 December 1947 and I am the only son of Moshe and Yehudith Zeiri who he was born in Selvino, I am very excited and I thank the devoted group of people who care about the history of Sciesopoli and the desire to preserve even the building “. He then signed the guest book, and recalled that he had lived his first year in Sciesopoli, until he left, on 3 November 1948, the last group of Jewish boys who left Selvino for Israel, from the port of Naples, sailing with the Greek ship “Theta”.
The most touching moment was the visit to the former colony of Sciesopoli. Visitors were able to read the panel, located at the entrance of the building, written in Italian and Hebrew, dedicated to the thanks of the organizations and people who helped rebuild the lives and give a smile to the orphans of the Holocaust. They could see the room where Director Moshe Zeiri and his wife Yehudit stayed.
Virginia Magoni invited Avner Zeiri to the inauguration of the “Bambini di Selvino” museum on Sunday 27 October. For this reason, a collection of funds is underway on the online page of the Municipality of Selvino.