Amsterdam’s Jewish Heritage Excursion

 I happened to catch a bridge that was opened to allow boats to pass through. Amsterdam has many different style bridges but this is one I haven’t seen before. The red and white striped railroad like arms come down signaling a change is about to take place. The next thing you know is the road is being lifted up on an angle (like opening a cupboard door but lying down). The boat passes through and the street is returned to its original position. You would have to look very hard to recognize it was a moving bridge. Amazing! This gray object is the underside of the road after it has been flipped up. The next picture is the road going back to its original position and the last picture is the road in place. 

Another neat road feature is this round barricade. This road is only accessible to people that have permission and the “secret code”. They swipe a card or punch in a code and the pole lowers back into the ground. Once the car/truck has passed, the pole returns back above ground. Isn’t that cool! (Maybe I just live a sheltered life and you have seen these wonders 🤔).

 

Our first stop was where the former Dutch Theatre stood. During WWII, the building was used as a deportation center. Over 45,000 Jews were deported in a little over 1 year. That means approximately 900 people a week were sent to concentration camps or extermination camps. In 1962 the area was repurposed as a memorial site for the Jews that were deported from that spot. Over 6,700 family names are inscribed on the bricks with their birthdate (remember it is day, month, year format). The white stones are placed near a loved one with the idea of “I remember you and will see you again - you are not forgotten.” It is not customary to put flowers on Jewish graves/ markers. Flowers die and are thrown away. People die but are not thrown away - they are remembered.

The brick walls are in a particular shape. If you had a bird’s eye view (from above), you would see the brick walls spell out the 4 letter word above, which means “in memory”. There is a mirror sculpture piece above each of the brick walls. 

Stones are available to be placed near a loved one.

In an effort to unify the country under one religion, Spain forced the Moors and Jews to convert to Roman Catholic. However, even after conversion, many Moors and Jews were tortured or executed because the officials believed they were practicing their Muslim and Jewish faiths in secret. This lead to many fleeing the country. Around 1593, many Sephardic Jews fled Portugal and Spain to settle in Amsterdam. They were joined by the Ashkenazi Jews who came from Europe. 

Amsterdam has been labeled “the Venice of the North” but in the Jewish neighborhoods you might see “Mokum” meaning city (some say the Second Jerusalem). Originally, it had a negative connotation but now it is widely used as a loving nickname. Amsterdam is a very welcoming city with over 180 cultures represented. However, when the Jews first arrived they were not allowed to work in many professions so this led to street markets (now commonly called flea markets). The Guild of Amsterdam did allow Jews to cut diamonds and the Sephardic Jews flourished in this trade. Amsterdam became “The City of Diamonds.”

In 1602 the Jews began to build synagogues. The Portuguese Sephardic Jews became rich with the diamond trade and built a beautiful elaborate synagogue. Across the street, the Ashkenazi Jews built a much more modest synagogue. This is the one we visited first.

I have never been inside a synagogue until today. It is very simple with wooden benches on the first floor and the women sit in the balcony. As we came in to visit there was a lady polishing the wood. I think this might be just maintenance for a museum. I know the next synagogue we visit is still in use but I am not sure if this one is. There is a bath for ritual purposes behind a glass wall so that leads me to think this is now a museum only.

The Portuguese Synagogue was once the world’s largest synagogue- built in 1670 and completed in 1675. It is free standing and rests on wooden poles. The wooden poles are under ground but the soil is so soft, building these days are supported by long cement columns. Many of the older buildings have concrete added around the wooden poles to help support the buildings.

There is no electricity and no heat in this synagogue. Someone (people) need to light the candles. I did not count candles. If you would like to, I can edit this post add that information. 😁 These are the original wooden benches. You will also see fine sand on the floor within the pew area. This is to absorb dust, moisture, and dirt from the shoes as well as to muffle the noise. Candlelight concerts are frequently held here during March through December. Our guide told us she wears two winter coats since there is no heat in here.

On May 9, 1945, 4 days after liberation, services resumed. The Portuguese community has an important heritage collection, such as ceremonial objects, scrolls, manuscripts, silver and textiles that was transferred to the Jewish Museum in 2009.  

In this picture the linen shawl in the middle with the green stripes is worn under the clothing of very devout men. At each corner is a twisted and knotted tassel signifying the Torah’s 613 commandments (mitzvot) to live by.

To the right of that shawl is a shawl for women and it is decorated with symbols of peace, fertility, growth, and hope.

Now look at the left front corner of the picture above. There is a Mezuzah, a case containing a parchment with verses from the Torah. This mezuzah is usually affixed to the doorframes in a Jewish home. It is customary to touch the mezuzah when passing the front door.

Look to the far left in the next picture and there is a Shabbat bread knife engraved in the blade with Hebrew ‘Go, eat your bread joyfully.’ 

There is a Shabbat candelabra (not in the picture). Shabbat begins on Friday evening before sundown with the lighting of candles at home. It is forbidden on Saturday to light a fire and therefore to cook. Food is prepared ahead of time and kept warm in a special Shabbat oven.

The Sabbath is welcomed by reciting Kiddish, a blessing over the wine. These wine glasses are from the 1800’s.

A map in Hebrew of the Jewish flight through the desert.

Exchanging bridal belts on the eve of a wedding is an old tradition. Those who could not afford such an expensive gift would be able to use a belt provided by the synagogue. During the wedding ceremony the belts of the bride and groom would be tied together.

Wedding rings are often inscribed with the words ‘mazel tov’, good luck. A ring depicting a house or the Temple would generally have been lent to a bride by the community.

The biblical book of Esther is written on a scroll (Megillah) to be read on the festival of Purim. Every year the story is recited in the synagogue. It is permitted to decorate the scroll since the text does not contain the name of God. Because of the length of the story, a long drawn-out tale is also known in Jewish circles as a Megillah.

The Feast of Lots (Purim) celebrates the escape of the Jews of Persia from the threat of destruction over 2,000 years ago. The story is told in the book of Esther which is read in the synagogue from a scroll (Megillah). People try to drown out the sound of Haman’s name with rattles and shouting whenever he is mentioned during the reading. People drink wine and eat Purim cakes. Following biblical tradition, money is donated to a charity and people give each other food on a special Purim plate.

Jewish New Years (Rosh Ha-Shannan) occurs in the autumn. This was when the world was created. It is a time to reflect, and help to try to make the world a better place. In the synagogue the sound of the ram’s horn (shofar) calls worshipers to repent. During Ten Day of Repentance Jews ask forgiveness from those around them and God. This culminates in a feast at the end of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kipper), the last and most solemn of the ten days. To hear the ram’s horn is one of the most moving experiences of the High Holidays. 

Sabbath Lamp - oil lamps were lighted on Friday evenings at the start of the Sabbath, the weekly day of rest. The lamp would be lit while reciting a blessing to mark the start of Sabbath. This copper lamp is from around 1650-1675.

These low buildings are a winter synagogue, offices, mortuary, library, etc. The walls are bowing either inward or outward. The black metal pieces are braces to support the walls from bowing further. It is hard to see in these pictures but the walls are not perpendicular- they have some bowing.

Lastly, we entered a lock. We watched them tie the ship off but didn’t see the ship rise up in the water.

The menu for the evening

We didn't participate in the activities offered through out the day because we were out on our excursion, but did try to attend some after dinner. We did pretty well with the trivia activity. Knew 12 out of 15 and won a point each for our team. 😁

One of many wind turbines we see in the area. Much nicer to watch than solar farms. Just saying.