Tag Archives: Amsterdam

L’shanah Tovah: Portuguese Synagogue

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Tonight is the beginning of one of the most sacred holidays in Judaism: Rosh Hashanah. I can’t help but wonder what services would look like in the beautiful Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is known for its Red Light District, Canals, Coffee Shops and Museums. Nestled in this backdrop is one of the great Synagogues of the world. It was built by Spanish Jews escaping the Spanish Inquisition. Since Holland and Spain were at war with one another, those escaping persecution said they were Portuguese to gain entry in to the country. Many Synagogues in Europe today restrict access due to persistent anti-Semitic feelings. However the Portuguese Synagogue is open for visitors for a small fee. You can also attend services on Friday or Saturday without paying a fee. The entire Synagogue is lit by candles and there is an excellent Judaica store where you can buy beautiful souvenirs and find out about the history of the building.L’shanah Tovah (Happy New Year!)

To see more images and buy prints an apparel, please visit my commercial gallery.

Portuguese Synagogue Amsterdam Holland

Portuguese Synagogue Amsterdam Holland

Narcissus

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There is a ancient Greek Myth of how the flower Narcissus got it’s name. Zeus basically punished Narcissus for the way he treated the Nymph Echo. However, at death Narcissus uttered words of love for another and Zeus took pity on him and transformed his body into a white flower that would bloom once again, every spring. This one photographed at The Keukenhoff in Holland. You can see other works of nature and buy prints at my commercial gallery.

Narcissus Paperwhites

Narcissus Paperwhites

Amsterdam 2001

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This week I have been posting images from Holland. Hinda and I visited Amsterdam in April 2001 and we both can’t wait to go back. Next time we will go in May when it is a little warmer and the tulips are in bloom. This is a view of one of the many canals. You can see more images or buy a print of this one at my commercial gallery.

Amsterdam Canal

Rijksmuseum Reflections

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One of the greatest museums in the world that is housed in a former castle that is NOT The Louvre is the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Holland. It is not as large as its French counterpart but is too huge to see in a day and has many different wings with different types of art. It is also surrounded by beautiful gardens and worth a visit or two if you are in Amsterdam. You can buy a print of this image and see others on my commercial gallery.

Reichstag Reflections

Nice Knocker!

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One of the things I enjoy about traveling through Europe is how “old” it is. We have old areas in the USA too but they are all Native American and not reminiscent of the foreign cultures many of us immigrated from. The architectural details you find on old buildings in Europe are sometimes interesting and unusual like this door knocker from a house in Amsterdam. You can see more images of Europe in my portfolio by clicking here.

Doors and Doorways

Nice Knocker

L’shanah Tovah: Portuguese Synagogue

Posted by Imagery Photography on

Tonight is the beginning of one of the most sacred holidays in Judaism: Yom Kippur. I can’t help but wonder what services would look like in the beautiful Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is known for its Red Light District, Canals, Coffee Shops and Museums. Nestled in this backdrop is one of the great Synagogues of the world. It was built by Spanish Jews escaping the Spanish Inquisition. Since Holland and Spain were at war with one another, those escaping persecution said they were Portuguese to gain entry in to the country. Many Synagogues in Europe restrict access due to persistent anti-Semitic feelings. However the Portuguese Synagogue is open for visitors for a small fee. You can also attend services on Friday or Saturday without paying a fee. The entire Synagogue is lit by candles and there is an excellent Judaica store where you can buy beautiful souvenirs and find out about the history of the building.L’shanah Tovah (Happy New Year!)

Portuguese Synagogue Amsterdam Holland

Portuguese Synagogue Amsterdam Holland

Anne Frankhuis Amsterdam

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The only time I ever went to the Anne Frankhuis I only had a two megapixel digital camera with me. It was in 2002 and their weren’t too many cameras that higher resolution and since I didn’t have high speed film, the digital camera was the only choice. As I looked out of the window staring at the tree that she saw every day and wrote about, a group of school children were marching by on their way to school. It struck me in an instant that she witnessed this same scene every day as she was cut off from being a children. It still brings tears to my eyes. You can see other work from my European Gallery by clicking here.

anne frankhuis

Anne Fankhuis Amsterdam NL

http://www.annefrank.org

Den Waag in Amsterdam

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One of the most beautiful buildings we saw in Amsterdam was Den Waag (The Weigh House) which dates back to the old fortifications of the city. As we walked towards it we knew nothing about it. We thought it was a castle and maybe we could get a tour. Turns out it is now a cafe and quite a good one. Being hungry, we stopped for lunch and the food was as wonderful as the candlelit interior. See more of my photos of Europe by clicking here.

den waag

The cafe at Den Waag in Amsterdam