This off-the-beaten-track experience is not for everyone — especially religiously observant kohanim (priests) who are unable to come into contact with a corpse — no matter how old.

They may also be taboo for children or people with mobility issues. But for me, it was a memorable and fascinating visit.

I was travelling with my two adult sons, and we had all been to Rome before. Our trip included Sicily, Naples and Pompeii, and we wanted to spend Shabbat somewhere where we could attend synagogue services and replenish our food supply.

Rome was the obvious choice. We had already seen most of the wonderful, well-known sites that make Rome such an amazing city. Touring the Jewish catacombs would make the trip memorable and significant, especially since on my previous trip, they were closed due to flooding.

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