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Time of India
23-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Dutch synagogues filled with life 80 years after WWII
The Netherlands celebrated the 80th anniversary of World War II (Image: AP) On May 8, Europe commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, the bloodiest war in the continent's history. Tens of millions of people died, including 6 million Jewish people who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators in the Holocaust. Dutch Jews were among the hardest hit. Three quarters of the Netherlands' pre-war Jewish population perished in Auschwitz, Sobibor and other Nazi death camps. Eighty years later, some of the community's shattered synagogues have been restored. Amsterdam's first Jewish community: Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal were the first Jewish people to establish themselves in Amsterdam in the early 17th century, settling on the eastern edge of the rapidly expanding city. Many were merchants. Amsterdam's magnificent Portuguese synagogue is an enduring monument to their prosperity. Soon after, poorer Ashkenazi Jews from across eastern Europe began settling nearby in Amsterdam's island districts of Uilenburg and Rapenburg. They mostly eked out a living selling fish, clothing and domestic trinkets. Housing and health conditions were abysmal, but faith and community ties were fierce. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 BHK Nature Villas with ₹30K EMI Offer* in Bengaluru Avind Forest Trails Book Now Undo Synagogues lined the streets. Of these, only the Uilenburger synagogue remains. Built in 1766 in the heart of the Jewish district on a lane that no longer exists, it now stands, hidden from sight, behind a brick wall. The Uilenburger synagogue: "This is a beautiful old synagogue, and we try to keep the spirit of the past alive as much as possible and transform it also into a place where people want to come in the 21st century," Maurits Jan Vink, chair of the synagogue's foundation, told DW. From the late 18th century to the 1940s, local Jews gathered in large numbers at the Uilenburger synagogue — up to 600 at a time, according to historical documents. Services were held on the top floor; men prayed in the main section, women on a balcony above. On the bottom floor, chickens were slaughtered, poor people fed and weddings celebrated. "It would have been packed," says Vink. "But this whole area was packed. If you lived here, you lived with 10 people on 35 square meters [377 square feet], and the bathroom was outside." A community ravaged: When the deportation of Dutch Jews began in February 1942, few were more vulnerable than the Jews of Uilenburg and Rapenburg. "You needed money to go into hiding," says Vink. "They didn't have it. On average in the Netherlands, 75 per cent of the Jewish population was killed; here it's 95 per cent. So, almost nobody returned from this community." Those who did return have helped restore the Uilenburger synagogue, turning it into a popular venue for Seder meals, local entrepreneurs, movie shoots, music recitals and Jewish weddings. "People are always very curious, like what is it behind this wall?" says Waheeda Afriat, who helps organize events at the synagogue. "What I often hear is that this place is like a hidden gem." In April, music by two Dutch composers who never returned from the death camps was performed here by pianist Imri Talgam. Menachem Asscher, a rabbi's son and a talented composer, pianist and cellist, was murdered at Auschwitz in July 1942. Leo Smit, who is compared by critics with Stravinsky, was murdered at Sobibor in April 1943. Synagogue on a dike: In Sliedrecht, a town in the south of the country, another little synagogue hides in plain sight. On a sunny day in March, on the weekend of the Jewish holiday Purim, it opened its doors to visitors. "We were just walking by and we noticed somebody by the door, and my girlfriend said, 'well let's take a look,'" a man named Henk told DW. "I've been living here in Sliedrecht for, I think, 56 years, and this is the first time I [have] entered the building," he said. From the outside, Sliedrecht's synagogue is hard to miss. According to its owners, it's the only one in the world built on a dike — a good place to be perched when the nearby Merwede river floods. Sliedrecht's first Jewish families arrived around 1770. Back then, services were held in homes. In 1845, in partnership with the nearby village of Giessendam, a small synagogue was built on the dike, which constituted the boundary between the town and the village. The end of religious services: But the community was small. By 1920, unable to muster the 10 men required to hold services (a minyan), regular services ended, and the synagogue fell into disrepair. Nevertheless, Jewish events continued until 1942, when the deportations began. Hunted down by local Nazis and collaborating Dutch police, Sliedrecht's Jews suffered terribly. By 1945, the interior of the synagogue was in ruins. In the years that followed, it was used by a sack manufacturer, a greengrocer and a carpenter. A new lease of life: In 1989, during a dike reinforcement program, municipal authorities decided the derelict synagogue had to go. Local citizens were aghast and set up a foundation to buy and restore the building. The wooden structure was dismantled into 11 segments and stored in a local warehouse. In 2003, it was reassembled, 80 meters west of its original position on the dike. It was also handsomely refurbished using materials from another synagogue in the region, whose Jewish community had been wiped out. Musical events and guided tours: Re-establishing religious services was, however, another matter. "When we started, we had a service once a month," says Ronald Kitsz, chair of the Sliedrecht dike synagogue foundation. "But a few families went to Amsterdam, a few families went to Israel, and then there were not enough Jewish people anymore." In their absence, the foundation's members (none of them Jewish) began hosting open houses, musical events and guided tours of the synagogue's small museum, including a collection of sacred objects from Sliedrecht's old Jewish community. "It's not just a menorah, or just a prayer book, siddur, or just a tallit," says Ronald Kitsz. "These objects came from Jewish people, whose ancestors lived in Sliedrecht. And that makes it beautiful because every object has its individual story, and we are proud of that."
DW
21-05-2025
- General
- DW
Dutch synagogues filled with life 80 years after WWII – DW – 05/21/2025
Six million Jews perished in World War II. Dutch Jews were among the hardest hit. DW visited two synagogues in the Netherlands to see how they have been resurrected and filled with life 80 years after the war. A few weeks ago, Europe celebrated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the bloodiest war in European history. Twenty million died in the war, six million of them Jews. Dutch Jews were among the hardest hit. Three quarters of the Netherlands' pre-war Jewish population perished in Auschwitz, Sobibor and other Nazi death camps. Eighty years later, some of their shattered synagogues have been resurrected. Amsterdam's first Jewish community Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal were the first to establish themselves in Amsterdam in the early 17th century, settling on the eastern edge of the rapidly expanding city. Many were merchants. Amsterdam's magnificent Portuguese synagogue is an enduring monument to their prosperity. When the building was actively used as a synagogue, services were held on the top floor, with men praying in the main section and women on a balcony above Image: David Kattenburg Soon after, poorer Ashkenazi Jews from across eastern Europe began settling nearby in Amsterdam's island districts of Uilenburg and Rapenburg. They eked out a living selling fish, clothing and domestic trinkets. Housing and health conditions were abysmal, but faith and community ties were fierce. Synagogues lined the streets. Of these, only the Uilenburger synagogue remains. Built in 1766 in the heart of the Jewish district on a lane that no longer exists, it now stands, hidden from sight, behind a brick wall. The Uilenburger synagogue "This is a beautiful old synagogue, and we try to keep the spirit of the past alive as much as possible and transform it also into a place where people want to come in the 21st century," Maurits Jan Vink, chair of the synagogue's foundation, told DW. From the late 18th century to the 1940s, local Jews gathered in large numbers at the Uilenburger synagogue — up to 600 at a time, according to historical documents. Services were held on the top floor; men prayed in the main section, women on a balcony above. On the bottom floor, chickens were slaughtered, poor people fed and weddings celebrated. Pianist Imri Talgam performed works by composers Leo Smit and Menachem Asscher to a packed audience in the Uilenburger synagogue in April Image: David Kattenburg "It would have been packed," says Vink. "But this whole area was packed. If you lived here, you lived with 10 people on 35 square meters, and the bathroom was outside." A community ravaged When the deportation of Dutch Jews began in February 1942, none were more vulnerable than the poor Jews of Uilenburg and Rapenburg. "You needed money to go into hiding," says Vink. "They didn't have it. On average in the Netherlands, 75% of the Jewish population was killed; here it's 95%. So, almost nobody returned from this community." Those who did return have helped restore the Uilenburger synagogue, turning it into a popular venue for Seder meals, local entrepreneurs, movie shoots, music recitals and Jewish weddings. "People are always very curious, like what is it behind this wall?" says Waheeda Afriat, who helps organize events at the synagogue. "What I often hear is that this place is like a hidden gem." Inside Europe: Little Synagogues in the Netherlands To play this audio please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 audio In April, music by two Dutch composers who never returned from the death camps was performed here by pianist Imri Talgam . Menachem Asscher, a rabbi's son and a talented composer, pianist and cellist, was gassed in Auschwitz in July 1942. Leo Smit, who is compared by critics with Stravinsky, was gassed at Sobibor in April 1943. Synagogue on a dike In Sliedrecht, a town in the south of the country, another little synagogue hides in plain sight. On a sunny day in March, on the weekend of the Jewish holiday Purim, it opened its doors to visitors. "We were just walking by and we noticed somebody by the door, and my girlfriend said, well let's take a look," a man named Henk told DW. "I've been living here in Sliedrecht for, I think, 56 years, and this is the first time I entered the building," he said. From the outside, Sliedrecht's synagogue is hard to miss. According to its owners, it's the only one in the world built on a dike — a good place to be perched when the nearby Merwede river floods. Sliedrecht's first Jewish families arrived around 1770. Back then, services were held in homes. In 1845, in partnership with the nearby village of Giessendam, a small synagogue was built on the dike, which constituted the boundary between the town and the village. The end of religious services But the community was small. By 1920, unable to muster the ten men required to hold services (a minyan), regular services ended, and the synagogue fell into disrepair. Nevertheless, Jewish events continued until 1942, when the deportations began. Hunted down by local Nazis and collaborating Dutch police, Sliedrecht's Jews suffered terribly. The synagogue in Sliedrecht is the only one in the world built on a dike Image: David Kattenburg By 1945, the interior of the synagogue was in ruins. In the years that followed, it was used by a sack manufacturer, a green grocer and a carpenter. A new lease of life In 1989, during a dike reinforcement program, municipal authorities decided the derelict synagogue had to go. Local citizens were aghast and set up a foundation to buy and restore the building. The wooden structure was dismantled into eleven segments and stored in a local warehouse. In 2003, it was reassembled, 80 meters west of its original position on the dike. It was also handsomely refurbished using materials from another synagogue in the region, whose Jewish community had been wiped out. Musical events and guided tours Re-establishing religious services was, however, another matter. Ronald Kitsz, chair of the Sliedrecht dike synagogue foundation, says that the objects in the synagogue's museum came from Jewish people whose ancestors lived in Sliedrecht Image: David Kattenburg "When we started, we had a service once a month," says Ronald Kitsz, chair of the Sliedrecht dike synagogue foundation. "But a few families went to Amsterdam, a few families went to Israel, and then there were not enough Jewish people anymore." In their absence, the foundation's members (none of them Jewish) began hosting open houses, musical events and guided tours of the synagogue's small museum, including a collection of sacred objects from Sliedrecht's old Jewish community. "It's not just a menorah, or just a prayer book, siddur, or just a tallit," says Ronald Kitsz. "These objects came from Jewish people, whose ancestors lived in Sliedrecht. And that makes it beautiful because every object has its individual story, and we are proud of that." Edited by: Aingeal Flanagan
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists issue warning after observing alarming shift in giant spider species: 'Some … hitch a ride with human transport'
New Zealanders might want to check their luggage twice — because some eight-legged travelers may be making themselves at home. Giant Australian spiders, like huntsman spiders, are showing up in surprising new parts of New Zealand, and experts believe this creepy-crawly migration is being fueled in part by warmer weather. While the idea of a hand-sized arachnid might give some people the chills, scientists say the real threat isn't to your comfort — but rather to native biodiversity. Associate professor of entomology at Lincoln University, Cor Vink, recently confirmed that huntsman spiders, a large species introduced from Australia, may be establishing a population in Napier after multiple sightings nearly a year apart. The cause? Rising temperatures in areas that were once too cold for them to survive. But the huntsman isn't alone. At least half a dozen other Australian-introduced spiders — from white porch spiders to bird-dropping spiders — are spreading across New Zealand. Other insects, like the harlequin ladybird and giant willow aphid, are also expanding their territory. Some of these species are making the trip solo, especially if they can fly — but many are simply riding the wave with human travel, such as on boats or planes. "Some move themselves, such as flying insects, and others hitch a ride with human transport," Vink explained. The spread of these introduced species is more than a mere nuisance. It poses a serious risk to New Zealand's already vulnerable native insects — including the katipō spider, which is now endangered. According to Vink, "the major concern is if they spread into natural areas and start feeding on native insects and plants." Invasive species can outcompete or prey local bugs, upsetting the delicate balance of local ecosystems. Vink explained that if species like the huntsman start thriving in natural areas, they could decimate populations of native insects, affecting pollination, pest control, and other vital services these insects provide. Worse still, some newcomers can carry diseases that threaten humans, animals, and plants — a ripple effect that could impact agriculture, food supply, and public health. While there's no easy fix for shifting species driven by global temperature changes, citizen science platforms like iNaturalist are helping track the spread. Everyday people can snap pictures and log sightings to give scientists valuable data. Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. To slow the spread, experts also encourage checking vehicles, shipping containers, and household goods — especially those coming from major ports like Auckland, where most new species are believed to first arrive. On the individual level, reporting sightings of unusual spiders or insects through local biodiversity platforms would be a big help. And consider supporting initiatives that protect native species, whether that's planting pollinator-friendly gardens or donating to conservation groups. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Local Norway
04-03-2025
- Business
- Local Norway
Chocolate, kebabs and tacos: How Norwegians keep track of price rises
You'd have to go to the remote ends of the earth to find someone who hasn't heard the cost of living in Norway is on the higher side. It is often food prices, in particular, that get top billing whenever how expensive the country is comes up in conversation. There are several official and very sophisticated ways to track developments in the cost of living. The country's national data agency Statistics Norway releases monthly consumer price index (a measure of inflation) figures, with these figures used by the central bank to inform monetary policy. Meanwhile, researchers at the Oslo Metropolitan University have put together the Reference Budget for Consumer Expenditure, which outlines how much different households in Norway should be expected to fork out every month to keep their heads above water. While plenty of Norwegians also keep track of these metrics, the real way to get them to engage in the cost of living is by tracking the things closest to their hearts. Tacos Tacofredag (literally taco Friday) is a Friday-night tradition in plenty of Norwegian households. Taco Friday owes its origins to a mix of the American community in Stavnager and clever marketing in the 1990s. Nowadays, Norway eats the most Mexican food per capita after Mexico, according to the food importer Haugen Group. Due to its position as a staple of most Norwegian diets, Statistics Norway has put together an index to show how the cost of the typical Norwegian taco has changed over time. Based on the cost of 400 grams of minced meat, 350 grams of tortilla chips, 300 grams of sour cream, 22 grams of taco sauce, 200 grams of corn, 200 grams of cheese, 200 grams of cucumber, 200 grams of tomato, 200 grams of lettuce and 25 grams taco seasoning Statistics Norway found that the cost of tacos has risen more than the cost of living generally. While the consumer price index increased by 2.3 percent between January 2024 and the same month this year, the 'taco index' rose by 2.5 percent. Things were worse for vegetarians as the cost of a veggie taco night has risen 2.8 percent. Kebabs Like tacos, Norway puts its own spin on the humble kebab. While the question of whether sweetcorn belongs on a kebab needs to be raised, Norwegians have instead focused on why kebabs have become so expensive – especially in Oslo. Vink, the lifestyle section of the newspaper Aftenposten, has tried to get to the bottom of the country's soaring kebab prices. The magazine looked at how kebabs had risen to between 150-200 kroner. It used the example of one kebab shop's prices rising by 85 percent between 2017 and 2024 compared to 26.6 percent for general inflation over the same period. Another shop it spoke to said they'd put up the price of a kebab by 64 percent in recent years. While Statistics Norway told Vink that the average increase for the key ingredients in a kebab had risen by 38 percent on average, other factors such as rental costs, energy prices and wage costs in the catering industry had all increased overheads for eateries. Chocolate Chocolate prices have made national headlines in Norway recently. Newspaper VG tracks the cost of food with its own index and has found that chocolate prices have increased sharply since Christmas. The going rate for a 200-gram bar of milk chocolate was now anywhere between 50 and 65 kroner, it reported. The price increases have been linked to poor harvests in Ghana and Ivory Coast, with the two West African countries accounting for more than 60 percent of the world's cocoa production. Alcohol Just as infamous as food for being expensive is alcohol. Alcohol in Norway is made expensive due to high taxes and strict regulations. There are countless guides on where to find cheap beer in Oslo, and most people have their own idea of when the price of a pint becomes unreasonable. Norwegians like to measure the cost of living when it comes to alcohol by comparing prices with Sweden and duty-free stores at airports. It has long been typical for those in eastern Norway to head to Sweden for shopping, even if this has slowed down a bit in recent years to a weak Norwegian krone. Meanwhile, there are plenty of sites and guides on the best deals available at tax-free. Another way of comparing the cost of living with Norwegians is to just list the cost of a beer or glass of wine in the various countries you've travelled to in the past few years for a more global perspective on how things are developing.
