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ANTWERP: A JEWISH JOURNEY

A visit to Antwerp, Belgium evokes both the transitions and continuity of Jewish history. A new museum in the port features the mass emigration from Europe, much of it Jewish, that passed through the city en route to the New World. While in the city’s Jewish quarter a different picture emerges: those who remained, linked to Antwerp by a traditional community and industry.  

To view the whole slide show, please check it out here! 

Photo credit to Gina van Hoof

ANTWERP: THE LAST SHTETL IN EUROPE

A walk through Antwerp’s traditional Jewish quarter, just across from the central train station, is like a visit to Europe’s last shtetl.  About 20,000 Jews live in the Belgian port city, most of them Hasidic or quite orthodox.  Yiddish is often the language of choice. Long-bearded men with distinctive fur hats and black overcoats exchange greetings, while children ride bikes in front of jewelry shops, their long sidelocks swaying cheerfully.

To view the whole slide show, please check it out here!