The Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam
On 23 February 1932, the Jewish Historical Museum officially opened its doors. It was located in a small attic room in the Waaggebouw (weigh-house) on Amsterdam's Nieuwmarkt. In 1940 the museum was closed and its contents removed to a place of safety. But in 1943 the museum's collection was requisitioned by the German occupying forces as Jewish property and taken to Offenbach in Germany. When the museum reopened in 1955 it contained only 20% of the original collection.
Since 1987 the Jewish Historical Museum has been located in the Ashkenazi Synagogue complex on Jonas Daniël Meijerplein. This complex, which until 1942 constituted the heart of Jewish Amsterdam, consists of two large and two small synagogues. The oldest building, the Great Synagogue, dates from 1670. The Obbene Shul, which now houses the museum's coffee shop and book shop, was built in 1685 over a kosher meat market. The Dritt Shul, the third synagogue, was erected around 1700. This is where the museum offices are now located. Last came the New Synagogue, dedicated in 1752.
Each of the four synagogues has its own particular character. When the buildings were restored, every effort was made to restore the old elements and to use original colours. For the creation of the museum it was necessary that there should be just one entrance and one route, which meant that a number of changes had to be made. All these new elements were designed in a modern style to show that the transition from synagogues to museum was the consequence of a dramatic break in Jewish history.
The aim of the museum is to show the place of Jewish religion, history and culture within Dutch cultural history. Temporary exhibitions present a picture of Jewish life in other parts of the world.
As a minority group the Jews have preserved their own identity and their own way of life, but at the same time they have had to adapt themselves to the culture of the majority. Throughout history there has been a continuous interaction between the Jewish community and its larger environment. The Jewish Historical Museum is concerned with the questions: Who are the Jews? What are their religious customs? How do they live? - as seen within the context of more than four centuries of Dutch history and culture.
The museum route begins in the New Synagogue (1752). The original interior was lost during the war. The Holy Ark (the cabinet where the Torah scrolls are kept), which comes from the Enkhuizen synagogue, forms the central object in this room. Around it are display boards with recognisably Dutch cityscapes and portraits of Jews.
The collection in the New Synagogue is dedicated to the Jewish identity, which consists of five elements: religion, Israel and Zionism, persecution and survival, personal history and finally the relationship with the surrounding culture. It is up to each Jew to determine
The Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam.
how important these elements will be in his or her life.
When the museum was designed, the four separate synagogues were brought together into one unified whole by means of a modern structure connecting the New Synagogue and the Great Synagogue: the Traverse. The Traverse is used for small exhibitions on contemporary topics.
This part of the museum also houses the Media Library, with books and audio-visual materials available for reference by the public as well as computerised descriptions of the objects in the museum collection. Lectures and meetings are held in the Hans Jaffé Hall.
The Great Synagogue, with its marble Ark and galleries, is the part of the museum which best preserves the memory of the synagogue complex's original function. Jewish law prescribes separate seating for men and women in the synagogue. For this reason the ground floor display focuses on religion: festivals, Jewish life from cradle to grave and the Jewish community. Objects from the present and the past and modern photos emphasise the continuity and vitality of Judaism.
Most Jewish festivals had their origin during the biblical period. The way in which the festivals are celebrated and the design of the ritual accessories are the result of a long period of development. The embellishment of the ceremonial objects used in religious observances at home and in the synagogue is based on post-biblical, rabbinical regulations.
All of life is to be sanctified, in word and deed, not only during festivals but also throughout daily life. External signs such as the prayer shawl serve as reminders of this fact. For centuries, Jewish dietary regulations and the period of separation for women during menstruation have derived their significance from the laws of ritual purity. This can be seen in the room containing the mikveh, the ritual bath.
Birth, coming of age, marriage and death are also marked by ritual observance in Judaism. This section
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