Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

The very first Jewish community in Rotterdam was founded by Portuguese Jews from Antwerp. In 1610, the Vroedschap allowed the "Portuguese Jews" to settle in Rotterdam "to promote traffic and negotiations within this city" and to establish a synagogue there. In the first half of the 17th century, we already find a synagogue of the Portuguese Jewish community. Among them was the highly respected De Pinto family, of which Abraham Gillez Lopez de Pinto in particular left nothing to make the Jewish community a worthy community. He was a wealthy man who lived in the double upper house on the south side of Wijnhaven No. 62, corner of Bierstraat. After renovation, this became a meeting place and school for Jews who felt the need to increase their knowledge of the Talmud and the Bible. The Jews from the east - called "High German Jews" - came later. Their first synagogue was the one at Glashaven (1674). For a while, the Portuguese and High German Jews each had their own synagogue, but when the number of Portuguese Jews decreased significantly, both communities decided in 1682 to unite and use the synagogue at Glashaven WZ. This synagogue soon became too small and an adjacent building was purchased to enlarge the existing church. When in 1723 Parnassijns requested permission to enlarge the synagogue, the mayors believed that "those of the Jewish nation would do better to look elsewhere at the public church (meaning the Zuiderkerk) in a more elegant way".

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, a synagogue was established in a rented space on the Varkensmarkt in Oss. Before that, religious services had been held in private homes since 1764. The dilapidated synagogue on the Varkensmarkt was replaced in 1831 by a new building on the Koornstraat . Half a century later, this building was expanded with a school and an official residence and formed the centre of Jewish life in Oss until the Second World War. After the liberation, it became clear that the synagogue could no longer be restored. The front facade has been preserved and is now a municipal monument. This building is listed as a Municipal Monument of the Netherlands.

In 1845, a synagogue was built in the Schoolstraat. The Jewish community also had its own school. There was a board for the poor and a society that took care of the sick and the poor, while a women's society took care of the maintenance of the synagogue and the ritual objects. During the occupation, approximately 80 Jews went into hiding in the vicinity of Breda, who were supported by the resistance. Serious damage was done to the synagogue by the NSB, and part of the interior was stolen. After the war, the Jewish community of Breda initially met in a room converted into a synagogue from 1952 onwards. In 1971, a building was purchased on the Dr. van Mierlostraat and consecrated as a synagogue. The old synagogue on the Schoolstraat served as a workshop for many years, but was put back into use in September 1992 after a renovation and restoration. The synagogue also houses a modest library. Since December 2002, the building has been owned by the NIG (Dutch Israelite Community) Breda, who bought it from the Breda Synagogue Exploitation Foundation. Services are held regularly. In nearby Terheijden , the synagogue of the liberal Jewish community of Brabant was inaugurated in 1983. (Source: JHM)

In 1909, the Central Israelite Lunatic Asylum Het Apeldoornse Bosch was opened. This institution had its own synagogue. In the course of 1942, many Jewish residents of Apeldoorn were deported. In early January 1943, the remaining ones were arrested and transferred to Het Apeldoornsche Bosch. On 23 January 1943, all those who were staying in the institution at that time were deported, together with the children and their carers. Almost without exception, they were killed in Auschwitz and Sobibor.

Former Christian Reformed Church Eben Haëzer, Synagogue since 2003.

Neoclassical synagogue building in courtyard. The building was designed in 1842 as a High German synagogue by architect Roodenburg on behalf of the board of the Ashkenazi Jewish community in The Hague. It was partly financed by King William II. The synagogue was put into use in 1844. The synagogue was located in the middle of the then Jewish quarter of The Hague. After the deportation of the Jews of The Hague in 1942 and 1943, the synagogue stood empty. After the Second World War, the synagogue was restored to its former glory together with two other synagogues. However, the Jewish community had declined sharply in number after the war, from 17,000 to 2,000.

The Synagogue and community centre in Dresden are part of a modernist complex from 2001. The architects of the synagogue are Rena Wandel-Hoefer and Wolfgang Lorch. The main material of the building is concrete.

The Targowa Synagogue in Warsaw dates from the 20th century. This brick synagogue is now abandoned.

The Synagogue at Dikuna St. in Shklov is an Ashkenazi synagogue probably built in 17th century. Restored after WWII, this Baroque brick synagogue is now used as an educational institution.

The Synagogue at Gerard Doustraat in Amsterdam is an Ashkenazi synagogue built in 1891-92 by architect E.M. Rood. This brick building still serves as a synagogue.