This images depicts the Portuguese synagogue of Amsterdam, also known as the Esnoga. The image is a picture of the interior of the synagogue painted by the Dutch artist Emanuel De Witte in the seventeenth century. The synagogue is lavishly decorated with candelabras, large windows, long red curtains, round columns, and a large bima (the raised platform from which the Torah is read). In the background there are many men wearing tallitot (prayer shawls). They are mostly dressed in black clothes and hats. In the foreground, men, women, and children in colourful and elegant clothes are standing behind a railing which separates them from the worshippers. This might reflect the fact that many people, including non-Jews, used to visit the impressive synagogue as spectators. Two dogs can be also seen in the foreground. This is rather strange, as it is unlikely that dogs were allowed in a synagogue during prayers, but it might indicate that the artist had not actually visited the synagogue when it was being used and drew an imaginary scene. It is interesting to note that De Witte also drew dogs in his pictures of churches, so this might be a symbolic representation or a personal touch.
Would You Like to Know More?
Portuguese Synagogue, Amsterdam – This synagogue dates back to the seventeenth century, when the Sephardi Jewish community of Amsterdam purchased the site and inaugurated the synagogue five years later in 1675. The synagogue is also named Esnoga which is the Ladino (Judaeo-Spanish language) word for synagogue. The Sephardi community was very wealthy, which explains the large and grand building. The inscription above the entrance is from the Book of Psalms – “In the abundance of Thy lovingkindness will I come into Thy house” – and also includes the year 1672, when the synagogue was supposed to have been completed, and the name of the chief rabbi at the time, Aboab. In the courtyard next to the synagogue are the winter synagogue, offices, and the famous Ets Hayim Library, one of the oldest Jewish libraries in the world. The synagogue is still furnished with the original wooden benches, and the floor is covered with fine sand, according to the old Dutch Jewish tradition. The women’s gallery is supported by 12 stone columns representing the 12 tribes. The synagogue is lit with large brass chandeliers that hold 1000 candles and has as many as 72 windows.
Spanish and Portuguese Jews – The Jewish community in Spain and Portugal was very large, prosperous, and influential until 1492 and 1497 when they were expelled by the Catholic monarch. While many of them left the Iberian Peninsula, others stayed and were forced to convert to Christianity. Many of these “New Christians” or “Conversos” continued to practice Jewish laws and traditions in hiding and were called Anusim in Hebrew or, pejoratively, Marranos (pigs). The Conversos were always under suspicion and subject to the Inquisition, and due to this ongoing persecution, many left Spain and Portugal and settled in more accepting European countries such as the Netherlands, Britain, and Italy and in Latin America. In their new countries, away from the danger of the Inquisition, many of the Conversos reverted to Judaism. The Spanish and Portuguese communities have traditions that differ from both Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities. The layout of their synagogues is closer to the style of Italian synagogues with the layout of the bimah opposite the Ark. The Torah scrolls are wrapped in mantles and not in wooden boxes as in Sephardi communities. The liturgy and ritual music of this community is also distinct and reflects the combination of ancient Spanish traditions from before the expulsion with those of their new adoptive countries.
The Jewish Community of the Netherlands – Jews have been living in the Netherlands since the Roman era, but the most reliable records referring to Jews living in Nijmegen, Doesburg, and Arnhem date back to the 1100s. The spread of the Black Death during the Middle Ages led to much anti-Semitism, blood libels, expulsions, and massacres in the Netherlands, as in other European countries. Documentation describes that Jews provided services, mainly financial, and paid taxes and in return received some protection from the kings and nobles. In the late fifteenth century, Jews were expelled or forced to convert to Christianity in Spain and Portugal. The atmosphere in the Netherlands, however, was more tolerant and favourable for the Jews, and many Spanish and Portuguese Jews arrived in the country, where they could practise their religion freely. Many of these Spanish and Portuguese Jews settled in Amsterdam and established successful trading businesses. Famous Jews of this time included the rabbi Menasseh Ben Israel and the philosopher Baruch Spinoza. German Jews were also attracted to the tolerant Dutch cities and began to immigrate to the country. They were generally poorer than the Sephardi Jews who had already settled in the Netherlands and were less welcome. Many were turned away and ended up settling in rural areas and establishing Jewish communities throughout the Dutch provinces. Over time, these Jews also prospered, and many were responsible for founding the Dutch diamond business. The eighteenth century brought the Dutch Jews emancipation and further prosperity. By the outbreak of World War II around 140,000 Jews lived in the Netherlands, among them approximately 25,000 German Jewish refugees. Germany occupied the country in 1940, and only 35,000 Dutch Jews survived the Holocaust. The Dutch Jewish community underwent many changes after the war, and many of the survivors immigrated to Israel and other countries. In the 1980s the community was boosted by an influx of Israeli and Russian Jews, and currently around 45,000 Jews live in the Netherlands, mostly in Amsterdam.
