Tue-Sun: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
MEIS Via Piangipane, 81,
44121 Ferrara FE,
Italy
A labyrinth to know and learn the rules of Jewish nutrition.
Sweet bay, myrtle, thyme, lavender and marjoram grow in the MEIS Garden of Questions; these are the herbs used in the havdalah, the prayer recited at the end of the Sabbath or Shabbat, to symbolically mark the end of a holiday and day of rest and usher in the new week.
Tuesday-Sunday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Access to the Garden is included in the price of the museum entrance ticket.
Concept
Sharon Reichel
Design, Management, and Coordination
Giulia Gallerani
Garden Designer
Manfredi Patitucci
Construction
Agostino Murari, Oesse Solutions
Graphics
Pablo.it
Dimensions
32 sq m
The work was also carried out through funding from the Ministry of Cultural Activities and Tourism and Ales S.p.A.
We thought of a space where you can make mistakes without being judged and where learning was a game
Sharon Reichel (garden curator)
Each of these four types of food is associated with a different point of entry into a small labyrinth. As they proceed, the visitors answer questions about the use of these elements in Jewish cuisine. A wrong answer sends them back, but an explanation of the correct rules gets them back on track.
Through a playful, interactive approach, the Garden thus brings the public closer to Jewish culture through its smells and flavors, answers certain rather widespread questions – for example, why Jews do not eat pork. It forces us reflect on our differences – as well as our many similarities – with other traditions.
In spring 2025, the garden was completely transformed: new structures made with jasmine plants, creating evocative green walls. The thematic sections were enriched with content and interesting facts about wine, and all the explanatory panels were updated with clearer and more engaging graphics.
The Garden is modular, has a low environmental impact, and extends over a partially covered area of thirty-two square meters. It is an original project, unique in Italy.
Plan a visit
In these gardens, the trees are arranged like walls between which many intersecting and confusing paths flow, all similar to each other. Their purpose is to lead to an exedra that is in the center of the garden. However, while some of these paths are straight and really lead to the exedra, others, by misleading, move away from it. Of course, those who walk the paths are unable to see or know if they are really on the right path or on a false one, because they all look alike and there is no difference between them for those who look at them.
Rav Moshe Chayim Luzzatto
