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Being a Jew in Ireland

  www.youtube.com/embed/LnhS7Gg7p0g?version=3&hl=en_US

The Jewish World: Puerto Rico

(WorldJewish Congress)

  www.youtube.com/embed/iE94tmxJV1s?version=3&hl=en_US

Chinese Jews from Kaifeng
arrive in Israel 2009 -
a moving documentary

  www.youtube.com/embed/edhtdoPukk0?version=3&hl=en_US

Nigerian Igbo Jews

  www.youtube.com/embed/aFZBRd5Cj8Y?version=3&hl=en_US

The Jewish World: Honduras

  www.youtube.com/embed/4SrzKtbsrZU?version=3&hl=en_US

Jewish CUBA
(www.JewishPhotoLibrary.com)

 www.youtube.com/embed/X9r29H5a4q4?version=3&hl=en_US

Jews in Canada

  www.youtube.com/embed/Fl33DEhQlLs?version=3&hl=en_US

The Jewish World: Paraguay

The first Jews arrived in Paraguay only at the end of the 1800s. A couple of decades later Sephardic Jews began to immigrate from Turkey, Greece, and Palestine, while Eastern European Jews started arriving in the 1920s and 1930s and were later followed by about 15,000 Jews fleeing Nazi Europe. Paraguay's role as accepting of Jewish refugees has continued into more recent times, as it has welcomed Jews from Argentina.

  www.youtube.com/embed/QiqdGwYV7Kg?version=3&hl=en_US

The Moroccan Jews Heritage

  www.youtube.com/v/oIywpRdgIcw?version=3&hl=en_US

Afghanistan's Jewish past

www.youtube.com/embed/dhHPJv1QqFc?version=3&hl=en_US

Mizmor Shir L'Yom Hashabbat by Beth Yeshourun Jewish Community, Cameroon

 www.youtube.com/v/3Gb8k5Eo0K0?version=3&hl=en_US

Quiches, Kugels and Couscous -
Jewish Cooking in France

 www.youtube.com/v/_IEgfI3gfXU?hl=en_US

Peru: Amazonian Jews Plan
Holy Land Exodus

 www.youtube.com/v/ezxZ36fRSNk?version=3&hl=en_US

Frankfurt's Green Sauce Festival:
Sephardic Jewish Cuisine Celebrated

 www.youtube.com/v/VUdnnL24hKk?hl=en_US

Ethiopian Jews come Home
with background song 'Home' by Phillip Phillips

 www.youtube.com/v/Z5bllU44Yh0?version=3&hl=en_US

Jewish Zambia

 www.youtube.com/v/bqghfppOLgY?hl=en_US

Jews of Brazil

 www.youtube.com/v/w9WftV4zPLU?version=3&hl=en_US

Panama�s Jewish Community
Author: lunnrochelle

Despite Panama�s predominantly Catholic population, many Jewish communities thrive and have real estate in Panama of their own. Since it is also a democracy, there is no discrimination against Jews and they are free to avail themselves of their own Panama property and Panama real estate.

Many Jewish American retirees are entranced by the availability and access of synagogues, as well as specialty store for Jews, which specifically specialize in providing kosher foodstuffs. Truly, there is no discrimination here, which has encouraged many Jewish retirees to enjoy the good food, weather, people, and lifestyle by buying their own Panama property and real estate in Panama.

Unfortunately, the Jewish community has not seen a home grown rabbi yet, but things just might change as more and more people � retirees and sometimes their families � buy their real estate in Panama and Panama property and become part of the small but growing Jewish community and movement in the country.

A Brief History

Jews were a part of Panama�s society as early as the occupation from the Spanish and Portuguese, but were forced to practice in secret, for fear of the persecution of the then very strict and unforgiving Catholic authorities. A number of them purchased real estate in Panama, which has served as the base of the communities that are present now. Many have learned to integrate themselves into the Catholic society and live in peaceful co-existence with them.

Many more Jews flocked to Panama (some again buying their own Panama property) while escaping the harsh environment of Europe during the Nazi persecution and summary execution of millions of Jews there. Here, they were able to flourish and make a life of their own, free from discrimination and violence.

The Panama Jewish Community Now

At present, there are only just about 10,000 Jewish residents in the country, still a very small number compared to the predominantly Catholic populace. Still, it has not been a hindrance for Jews to flock to the country and avail themselves of Panama property and real estate in Panama, both or either for recreation, retirement, and business purposes. There are many resources available to Jews despite their being a minority, testament to the country�s friendliness and respect for other faiths. There are synagogues and Jewish schools, most located in Panama City, but there are also some outside the capital like in Colon and David. Panama City is also host to Super Kosher, a wonder piece of real estate in Panama that is reputed to be the largest kosher supermarket outside Israel.

Many of the Jews in Panama are orthodox, and a vast majority keep kosher and observe Shabbat. Most of the Jews in Panama belong to either Sephardic or Ashkenazic congregations while a small minority are reform Jews.

In fact, the Jewish community has integrated itself so well into Panama�s society that a number of them have established business in Panama property and Panama real estate industries, making it even easier for Jews to have a space and real estate in Panama that they can call their own.

You plan to buy some property, and Panama property is a great choice for sure. If you like exotic countries with beautiful beaches and mountains, than you should visit Laurie
Cooper�s site http://www.cpanama.com and check Panama real estate offer.

Article Source: http://www.a1articles.com/article_1054529_33.html

The Jews of Rhodes
by Sol Menashe

Rhodes is a small island, just off the Turkish Coast, with a history that is as colorful as the natural beauty of the island. The earliest mention of a Jewish settlement in Rhodes appears in the First Book of Maccabees in the second century. It is also evidence that at that time a well reputed center for philosophy and rhetoric existed on the Island. Appolonious Molon, a Jew, taught at the center and is reputed to have had Julius Caeser and Marcus Cicero as students. Although there have been many traces of Jewish life on the Island there has always been religious animosity against the Jews dating back to the Hellenistic era. The first written confirmation of a viable community is seen in the mid 12th century in reports by the Jewish traveler Benjamin of Tudela, Spain, when he found a community of about 400 Jews. By the 13th century few of the original Romaniot Jews still lived in Rhodes. In the first quarter of the 16th century, many of the Sephardic Jews, expelled from Spain by the Inquisition, found their way to Rhodes mainly at the invitation of Suleiman the Magnificent of Turkey. Turkey had just won the island from the Knights of St John and wanted to develop it as a trading center. The Jews were treated well by the Turkish rulers and were given homes in what became the Juderia - the Jewish Quarter. Under Italian rule, when they took over in 1912, conditions deteriorated gradually, culminating in the rule of Mussolini, whose siding with Hitler resulted in atrocities and deportation of virtually all the Jews from the island to the labor and death camps in July 23, 1944. From its heyday of 5,000 Sephardim, the Jewish population was reduced to just a few souls who remained. 1,604 died at the murderous hands of the Nazis and the others emigrated during the Italian occupation mainly to Africa, Argentina and America.

10 Interesting Facts
about Tel Aviv, Israel 
Author: Tom Harel

The second largest city in Israel, Tel Aviv is situated along the Mediterranean coast.  The history behind this rich metropolis is astounding.  Originally known as Jaffa, the city dates back to 1470 BC, where an Egyptian pharaoh mentioned it in letters he wrote.  It is also mentioned in the Bible, in the book of Jonah, and when referring to Solomon's Temple and the Tribe of Dan.  It is believed to have been a port for over 4,000 years.  Here are some facts about this interesting Jewish city that is full of intrigue and culture.

1)  The name Tel Aviv was given to the city in 1910 after much deliberation.  The Book of Ezekiel says, "Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days."  Abib or Aviv means "spring" in Hebrew, which symbolizes renewal.  Tel describes an archeological site where layer upon layer of civilizations were built over each other.

2)  Tel Aviv is located on land north of the original old city of Jaffa, where it was purchased from the Bedouins.  Before this time, however, Jaffa had been owned by many countries, with archeological excavations from 1955 - 1974 revealing gates and towers from the Middle Bronze Age.

3)  In 1997 and later on, excavations revealed portions of a large brick wall dating back to the Late Bronze Age and a housing complex that dated back to the Iron Age.   Sections of buildings from other periods have been discovered also, including the Pharaonic, Persian and Hellenistic years.

4)  Jaffa finally began to grow as an urban center by the early 18th century.  This was shortly after the Ottoman government in Constantinople came in to stop the attack from the pirates and Bedouins and also guard the port.  Jaffa began to show tremendous growth in the 19th century, particularly from 1806 to 1886, when the population grew from 2,500 to 17,000 residents.

5)  In April of 1909, sixty-six families of Jews set about to barter a portion of the land by lottery, using seashells.  Each family's name was written on white shells and the various plot numbers were written on gray shells.  Thus, each family acquired a particular plot of land in a particular area that is located in the northern section of Jaffa.  The families began to live and work in this area and within one year, many important streets, all sixty-six homes and a water system were constructed.

6)  Unfortunately, political friction between the Jews and Arabs in Palestine continued to increase under British administration.  In May of 1921, riots sprang up in Jaffa and many Jewish residents were killed.  After this disaster, many of the Jews in Jaffa fled to Tel Aviv.  Between the years of 1920 and 1925, the population of Tel Aviv increased from 2,000 to 34,000.

7)  Tel Aviv became the more popular city for business while Jaffa began to slowly deteriorate as the center of commercialism.  A master plan for the city was developed in 1925 that was soon accepted by the city council.  Between the years of 1927 and 1930, Tel Aviv experienced some growing pains and financial hardship.  The city continued to grow however, and the setback soon passed.

8)  Many Jews fled to Tel Aviv when the Nazis took over Germany and by 1937, the population of the city was up to 150,000.  The population continued to increase, and within two more years time, the population was up to 160,000, comprising a third of Israel's Jewish population.

9)  When Israel declared her independence in 1948, Tel Aviv's population had already risen to over 200,000 residents.  The city served as a temporary center of political government until it was moved to Jerusalem in 1949.  Many foreign embassies have remained in the Tel Aviv area, however, due to the international dispute over Jerusalem's status.  In 1950, the two cities of Jaffa and Tel Aviv officially united, and it was renamed Tel Aviv-Yafo, to maintain the recorded and historical name of Jaffa.

10)  Since that time, Tel Aviv has continued to grow into a more moderate-minded city with the development of nightclubs and cafes.  Although Tel Aviv has seen her share of troubles, she continues to grow and provide the world with tourist attractions second to none.  In fact, the international tourism of Tel Aviv is often compared to the popular tourist cities of Barcelona and Miami.  With more than forty-four hotels in Tel Aviv, the city lives up to its name - the city that never sleeps.  It is not difficult to find a hotel in Tel Aviv, considering how many available choices there are.

Tel Aviv is a city with an active nightlife, beauty and culture.  in the midst of museums, cultural and architectural sites, bus tours and other activities, tourists never have to worry about what to do next.  The city boasts of a huge variety of restaurants, with both international and Israeli cuisine.  There are also more than one hundred sushi restaurants in the city.  You will experience many things by taking a trip to Tel Aviv, Israel - from relaxation to an exciting nightlife - you will find it all here.

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When planning your trip to Tel Aviv, Israel, don't forget to visit our website to make your reservation for a hotel in Israel and find vital tourist information, including guides, weather information and much, much more.  Our unique on-line reservation system will allow you to book at hotels in Tel Aviv with confidence and ease. Visit us today!

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1324900_29.html

About the Author: Tomer is the founder and CEO of Key Scouts, an Internet Marketing firm specializing in global Search Engine Marketing and focusing on the needs of small to mid-sized businesses.
http://www.keyscouts.com

Being Jewish in Scotland

Click here.

TIME OFF: Jews of Chile

Click here.

History of Sosua Jewish Refugees

Click here

Virtual Tour of Jewish Ukraine

Click here.

Beth Tikvah Women:
Jews in the Land of the Incas

Click here.

500 Years in the Jewish Caribbean, and Puerto Rico: An Oral History

Click here.

The Ethiopian Jews of Israel

Click here.

Shalom Ireland, a film of the history of Irish Jews

Click here.

The Last Jews of Kolkata - Unique Stories of India

Click here.

Student Uncovers Early Jewish History in Auckland's Oldest Cemetery

Click here.

Israel's Independence Day

Click here.

Synagogue of the Israelite Congregation 23.4.2018

Click here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Bff1BipJ4

This Greek community was nestled within New York.

Check Out The Jewish Museum In Milwaukee

Click here for your own 'visit' there!

If you have been there and have an anecdote to share,
please send it to: Russ@JewsOnTheWeb.com!

South American Cultural Backgrounds: Jewish History in Argentina  
by Ken Ingraham

When most people think of cities with large populations of Jews, they think of Tel Aviv, New York City, Los Angeles, and Jerusalem. Many people do not realize that there is also a significant Jewish population in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In fact, there are more Jews in Argentina than in any other Latin American country. If you are interested in Jewish culture and heritage, you will find that you can learn a great deal about the religion and its people when you attend Spanish school in Argentina.

During the Spanish inquisition, Jews fled persecution. Many of them ended up in Argentina and called themselves "conversos" or "Secret Jews." In the middle of the 19th century, more European Jews moved into Argentina. Later in the century, Jews who were looking to get away from pogroms in Russia made their way to Argentina. One of the reasons that this Latin American country was so popular among Jews is that its immigration policy was very open. In the early 1900s, about 13,000 Jews came to Argentina each and every year.

Unfortunately, during the time of the Nazis, the Argentinean government enacted some regulations that did not allow many Jews to immigrate. When Juan Peron came into power, he initially sympathized with the Axis Powers and said he admired Mussolini. Ultimately, however, Peron signed a declaration of war against the Nazis. Jews were once again able to immigrate. They were even permitted to run for public office under Peron's leadership.

If you learn Spanish in Buenos Aires, you will find that the city has a lively Jewish community that dates back to 1862. The first synagogue opened its doors in 1875. Other large population centers for Jews in Argentina are Cordoba and Rosario. While many Jews live in the city, there are also Jewish agricultural communities.

Currently, according to estimates, there are about 250,000 Jews living in Argentina. This is the 7th largest concentration of Jews in the world. Most of these people came from Western Europe after the late 1800's. Approximately 85 percent of the Jews in Argentina today are Ashkenazi Jews and about 15 percent are considered Sephardi Jews. Further, most Jews are either Conservative or Orthodox. It is interesting to note that only a small percentage of Jewish people in Argentina consider themselves Reform Jews.

If you learn Spanish in Buenos Aires, you might want to schedule a Jewish tour of the historical parts of the city. You will find Jewish schools, butchers, supermarkets, bakeries, and synagogues. Other interesting landmarks you can visit when you attend Spanish school in Argentina include the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary and the Holocaust Shoa Museum. Touring these areas will undoubtedly open your eyes to exactly how integrated the Jewish culture is within the country.

Latin Immersion offers Spanish classes in Buenos Aires [http://www.latinimmersion.com/spanish-language-course-argentina-buenos-aires.php]. Aside from studying the world's third most spoken language, students exerience the local culture as they learn Spanish in Argentina [http://www.latinimmersion.com/spanish-language-course-argentina-buenos-aires.php].

 Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi (Cochin) � A Divine and Peaceful Place

Introduction

This synagogue was constructed in the year 1568 by the people of Malabar Yehudan on the land gifted by the Raja of Cochin, Raja Varma.  People also known as the Cochin Jewish community.  This place is also referred as Jewish Synagogue as well as Mattancherry Synagogue. The meaning of Pardesi in Hindi language means �foreigners' this is the perfect name for the synagogue as �White Jews' used this synagogue, who were regarded as the high class merchants and professionals. This synagogue was also used by Jews from the place Cranganore, Middle East and the exiles from European countries.

The   Paradesi or Jewish Synagogue is situated at the road ending the Jewish Cemetery in Jew Street.   It also has Malayalam and Hebrew gravestones in the town, which is located in the Old Cochin in the state of Kerala.  The temple walls of Mattancherry Palace and Paradesi Synagogue are the same as both the structure lies besides each other.

This Synagogue is rated as the ancient synagogue by all the 53 country's members of Common Wealth Nations. Therefore, people don't miss their chance to visit this place while visiting Kerala.

Tourist Attraction
The beautifully carved teak art is the most striking attraction of the Paradeshi Synagogue. The pillars of arched brass, crystal chandeliers from Belgium and the Torah gold crowns with sparkling gems are some of the attractions of the synagogue.   The floor of Synagogue is hand painted with blue and white porcelain tile specially ordered from Canton and every one of them exhibit various unique pattern of design.

The Clock Tower' height is about 45 ft and shows only four dials with numbers in Hebrew, Malayalam, and Latin and Arabic language. The synagogue has separate seating arrangements like other synagogues for women and men. 

There are some of the rules, which have to be followed by the visitors or devotees while visiting this Synagogue.

Bare foot - The visitors or devotees should enter the Paradesi Synagogue in bare foot.  Keeping your footwears outside the Synagogue is important to maintain the discipline of the place. 

Dress Code � There are certain compulsory dress codes, which have to be followed and this came into action on 27th of April. The dress code for men is to wear trousers and full sleeved shirts and women are expected to wear long skirt longer than the knees when coming inside the Synagogue.

Video Cameras - There is strict restriction to bring video cameras inside the Jewish Worship place.

Visiting Times - The Paradeshi Synagogue is open from morning 10 to noon 12 and in the evening from 3 pm to 5 pm. The Synagogue is shut on holidays of Jews as well as every Saturdays.

How to Reach Paradeshi Synagogue
You can easily hire a bus or cab from Cochin. You can also book tickets online till Cochin and get a taxi or auto rickshaw to reach here. Tourists can avail online bus booking facility too.

You can also reach Ernakulam by boat and reach here by bus, cab or taxi.  

Pradeep NS
Pradeep NS (Kannan) is a pioneer in transport and tourism with a quarter century of experience and expertise has a network of contacts, who introduced the very first interstate transport in the state of Kerala. Today Megha Tours and Travels has several bus services to major cities of India. After this golden success, we have turned into our dream project of custom designed tour operation in the South India. More information please visit - http://meghatravels.com Pradeep NS (Kannan) is a pioneer in transport and tourism with a quarter century of experience and expertise has a network of contacts, who introduced the very first interstate transport in the state of Kerala. Today Megha Tours and Travels has several bus services to major cities of India. After this golden success, we have turned into our dream project of custom designed tour operation in the South India. More information please visit - http://meghatravels.com

Ohel Leah Synagogue � A Sanctuary Amongst The Sky Scrapers

Author: Caleb Falcon

For more than one hundred years, Ohel Leah Synagogue, the Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Recreation Club have been the epicenter of both religious and social lives of the Jewish community living in the cosmopolitan city of Hong Kong. It's construction commenced in 1901 and the structure is built in the Colonial Sephardic style. It was designed by the architects Leigh & orange. In 1998 it was removed at an estimated US $ six million to bring it back to its original state. The massive overhaul resulted in both its interior as well as exteriors being renovated to its original state. It is located in between Castle road and Robinson road and comprises only of two stories in stark contrast to the other high rise buildings and sky scrapers that this city is better known for.

At the beginning, the community was largely based on people who were descendents from Baghdad. The Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Congregation of London was responsible for the superintendence of the religious premises. However, over time it has become independent and at the present day, it has members from all over the world.

Majority of the Jews living in this city are living in close proximity to this religious place.
If you are wondering about the story behind the name of this synagogue, it is has been named after the mother of Meyer, Edward and Jacob Sassoon brothers who gifted this precious land to build the synagogue on this land. They were amongst some of the earliest Sephardic merchants to have settled down in the city of Hong Kong, coming there all the way from India.

For more than one hundred years, Ohel Leah Synagogue, the Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Recreation Club have been the epicenter of both religious and social lives of the Jewish community living in the cosmopolitan city of Hong Kong.

For visitors who are staying at a Hong Kong Hotel close by this is an ideal place to visit to understand Jewish culture. A number of hotels with excellent Suites in Hong Kong such as the Langham Place Mongkok Hong Kong is located in close proximity to this setting. What is more, there are indeed sweet surprises awaiting those who stay longer at their suits as there are many discounts and benefits that you can receive by simply enjoying your luxurious holiday just a little bit longer at this amazing hotel.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/ohel-leah-synagogue-a-sanctuary-amongst-the-sky-scrapers-6434813.html

About the Author
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
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A Walking Tour of Pragues Jewish Quarter A Fascinating Part of Town
by Arther

One of Prague's key attractions is the Jewish Quarter, the former Jewish ghetto of the city. So on this bright, yet blustery day I strolled from my hotel on Wenceslas Square over to Old Town Square to meet my personal tour guide for the day who would be meeting me for an informative tour of the Jewish Quarter.

I met Richard just after 10 am a few steps away from the Astronomical Clock and learned that he is a political science student who also does tours for Prague Walks, one of Prague's most renowned tour guiding companies. Walking tours with a personal guide are a fantastic way of getting to know this fascinating city.

Standing right in the middle of Old Town Square, Richard started talking to me about Franz Kafka, one of Prague's most important personalities and an important connection to Prague's Jewish history. Born in 1883 to a middle-class German-speaking Jewish family, Kafka's writings became some of the most important literary works of the 20th century, even though during his lifetime only a few stories were ever published.

All of Kafka's famous novels (The Trial, The Castle and Amerika) were published posthumously, a move initiated by his friend Max Brod, who was a famous Czech-Jewish author and the executor of Kafka's will. Brod's decision to publish Kafka's work was actually against Kafka's will. The anguished author had actually mandated that his literary works be destroyed upon his death, something that Brod fortunately prevented from happening.

Kafka's writings are often dark and mysterious, in great part due to his lifetime battles with anxiety and depression. In 1924, Kafka died of consequences of tuberculosis, not even 41 years old. Richard explained that Kafka often met with members of the "The Prague Circle", a secret group of friends and writers, in a building right here on Old Town Square. Kafka came of age during the last stages of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a time that was characterized by an oppressive feeling of government control and surveillance, something that affected Kafka greatly.

A little bit further north, on the other side of the stunning Church of Our Lady, is a magnificent Rococo palace that was built by an aristocrat between 1755 and 1765. During Kafka's youth the Goltz-Kinsky Palace was actually a German speaking grammar school while today it hosts collections of the National Gallery. Richard also pointed out that the building is not in line with the other buildings on this side of the square, rather it is protrudes ahead of the other buildings. Apparently, Count Goltz had bribed several councilmen to secure this prominent position, and by the time the other councilmen noticed it, the building was almost finished and the town council did not want to destroy it.

In the middle of Old Town Square is a monument to Jan Hus, the 15th century priest and religious reformer who was burned at the stake in 1415 after being accused of heresy. Hus was a key contributor to the Protestant movement and strongly criticized the Catholic Church for its opulence and corruption. The execution of Hus eventually led to the Hussite Wars that lasted from 1420 to about 1434. Hussites were an important force in the Czech lands until the Battle of the White Mountain in 1620, the beginning of the Thirty Years War, when this Bohemian Protestant movement was crushed and Catholicism was restored with force. Twenty seven of the Hussite leaders were executed on Old Town Square, and 27 white crosses can still be seen embedded into the cobble-stones of Prague's main square.

The battle for religious freedoms has formed an important part of Prague's history, not just for Protestants but also for Jews. Our actual start to our tour of the Jewish Quarter was a few minutes west of Old Town Square, next to the house where Franz Kafka spent his childhood. Just to the north of this location is the Jewish Quarter, which is a triangular district wedged in between the Vltava River and Old Town.

Richard explained that Jewish settlers had lived in the Prague area as early as the 10th century. The first pogrom against Jews was recorded in 1096, and over the years Jews were concentrated in a walled-in ghetto. During the Middle Ages Jews were forced to wear a yellow star to identify them, and they were not allowed to work in agriculture which made many of them enter careers in banking and money-lending. Regulations also required that they live in segregated neighbourhoods called ghettos. Jews experienced much suffering throughout the centuries, and one of the worst pogroms happened in 1389, when 1,500 people were massacred on Easter Sunday.

One of the most celebrated figures of Prague's Jewish history is Mordecai Maisel, the Jewish Mayor, who became the financial advisor of Emperor Rudolph II. He built the Jewish Town Hall in 1586 in Renaissance style as well as the Maisel Synagogue which opened in 1592. Both of these buildings still stand today.

Around the same time another figure played a critical role in Prague's Jewish Quarter: Rabbi Loew was an important Jewish scholar, mystic and philosopher. Legend says that Rabbi Loew created a golem, a living being, from clay which was intended to protect the Jews from anti-Semitic attacks. Rabbi Loew is immortalized in a statue that adorns the new City Hall of Prague.

Habsburg Emperor Josef II improved the living conditions of the Jews with the Toleration Edict of 1781 which allowed for greater religious freedom, and in the mid 1800s the quarter was renamed "Josefstadt" (German) or "Josefov" in honour of this emperor.

By the late 19th century the hygienic and sanitary conditions in the Jewish Quarter had become unbearable, and the municipal authorities decided to demolish the entire area and reconstruct it with new apartment buildings between 1893 and 1912. Only the Jewish Cemetery, the Old Jewish Town Hall and six synagogues were left of the original Jewish Ghetto.

As a result of this reconstruction, Prague has one of the most stunning collections of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe, along with Paris and Vienna. Despite recurring anti-semitic events, Prague was a hotbed for Jewish artists and writers in the early 20th century Notable authors included Franz Kafka, Max Brod, Rainer Maria Rilke and Franz Werfel. Many of these writers were German speakers of Jewish background who were strongly assimilated into mainstream culture and did not participate in Jewish religious life.

This blossoming of Jewish creativity came to a sudden end in the 1930s when German troops marched into Prague and made the city the capital of the Nazi Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Almost all of the Jewish inhabitants of this region were transported into the Theresienstadt concentration camp (today's Czech town of Terezin) and later to the Auschwitz extermination camp. Of roughly 82,000 Jews that were deported from the Protectorate, only about 11,200 survived.

All over Europe, the Nazis destroyed most Jewish institutions and synagogues, but Hitler decided to leave Prague's Jewish Quarter intact as a "museum to an extinct race". This is the reason why Prague's six synagogues and the Jewish cemetery are still in existence today.

When survivors returned after the war, they often encountered a hostile environment and difficulties in reclaiming their property. As a result many Czech Jews immigrated to Israel and overseas in the post-year wars. Today the Jewish population in the Czech Republic is small, and the Jewish community in Prague only has about 1600 members.

Walking west from the 16th century Pinkas Synagogue, which holds a memorial to the martyrs of the Holocaust, we walked west on Maiselova Street towards the Vltava River where we stopped at the Rudolfinum, a classical building that opened in 1884 and today houses the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Richard explained that the building has phenomenal acoustics and is also home to a gallery.

Surrounding it is the Museum of Fine Arts, and a department of Charles University, one of Europe's oldest universities. A few steps away we stopped at the tall walls of the Jewish Cemetery where there is a small square window that allows you a little peak into the cemetery. Richard indicated that the entire cemetery had to be enclosed by walls and there are very few places where you can catch a glimpse of the cemetery. This little peephole is one of them.

The Jewish Cemetery of Prague was founded in 1478 and held burials until 1787. In some cases people had to be buried on top of one another, up to twelve layers deep. In excess of 100,000 people are estimated to have been buried here. More than 12,000 gravestones can still be seen; most of them are difficult to read and they are densely packed on the small plot of land.

After a walk around the cemetery's perimeter walls we arrived at the Klausen Synagogue which was completed in 1694. This High Baroque structure today houses Hebrew prints and manuscripts and an exhibition of Jewish traditions and customs. The building right next to it is the Ceremonial Hall of the Jewish Burial Society, built in 1906. Richard explained that in the Jewish religion, burials have to take place no later than one day after death. Naturally, the people handling the burials had to be located very close to the cemeteries. A wrought-iron fence between the two buildings allowed for another peek into the Jewish Cemetery.

My guide explained that for about $15 you gain access to the Jewish Museum which includes admission to five difference Jewish locations. Souvenir shops line the street beside the cemetery, many of them selling figures of the legendary Golem. Towards the end of this street is the Old-New Synagogue, with its construction date of 1270 the oldest synagogue in all of Europe. This Gothic building has often granted refuge to Jews over the centuries and is still the religious centre for Prague's Jewish community. Rabbi Löw's chair is an authentic relic used by the 16th century scholar.

Religious services have been held every Friday and Saturday at the Old-New Synagogue for more than 700 years. Just south of the Old-New Synagogue is the Jewish Town Hall, built between 1570 and 1577 by Jewish mayor Mordecai Maisel. This meeting hall is still the location of dinners, get-togethers and festivals. Richard pointed out the clock faces on the building: the upper clock face in the tower uses Roman numerals, while the lower clock face on the building's façade uses Hebrew numerals. The hands of this clock also move in an anti-clockwise direction as Hebrew is read from right to left.

In addition to these historic Jewish buildings I was amazed by the outstanding Art Nouveau architecture. Virtually all the buildings feature extensive Art Nouveau decorations and some also have Cubist details. Richard explained that the Jewish Quarter has become Prague's most desirable neighbourhood because of its central location and spacious apartments.

The High Synagogue is just a few steps south of the Old-New Synagogue and after a short walk we reached one more Jewish prayer house: the Spanish Synagogue was built in the location of the Old School, Prague's first synagogue, and today is a Reform synagogue. It was built in 1868 in the Moorish Revival Style and is the most elaborate of Prague's synagogue buildings. Intricate stucco details on the walls are reminiscent of the Alhambra in Spain. A poster outside illustrated the richly decorated interior of the Spanish Synagogue, referring to it as "the most beautiful synagogue in Europe".

Immediately next to the Spanish Synagogue is a mysterious statue of Franz Kafka: an oversize male metal figure in a black suit without a head that has a smaller man dressed in a suit sitting on its shoulder. The diminutive man on top is Franz Kafka. This bronze sculpture was created by Czech sculptor Jaroslav Rona and was unveiled in 2003.

After this extensive introduction to Jewish history in Prague it was early afternoon and it was definitely time to have lunch. Richard and I headed into another Jewish institution in Prague's Jewish Quarter, the King Solomon Restaurant on Siroka Street, to explore real kosher food. By this time my stomach was growling and I was really looking forward to exploring Prague's Jewish delicacies.

Susanne Pacher is a Travel Journalist specializing in Unconventional Travel you can get tons of great unconventional and unique travel information and tips if you Click Here

Insights into Caribbean Jewish History
from Rabbi Stephen F. Moch, the new Rabbi in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Part I

        People ask me all the time why I chose to accept the position as Rabbi in St. Thomas.   I answer that I chose to come to St. Thomas, because this Congregation exudes its history.  The Congregation today consists overwhelmingly of Ashkenazim from the United States with a smattering from Canada, Israel, Brazil and Chile, but we continue to see ourselves as custodians of a history, of which we feel a part, and of our magnificent Synagogue building, which we cherish as a Sephardic treasure of the Caribbean.   
         Desiring to learn more of that Caribbean Jewish heritage, this past January, I accompanied a past president of my Congregation and fourth generation St. Thomian of Ashkenazic descent, Katina Coulianos, to Kingston, Jamaica.  There we attended a conference titled, �The Jewish Diaspora of the Caribbean.�  It brought top scholars of Sephardic Jewish history and culture and a couple of hundred participants from the United States, Canada, England, France and Israel, including many Jamaicans, both Jewish and non-Jewish.  Judah Cohen, now teaching at the University of Indiana,who wrote, Through the Sands of Time, the history of the St. Thomas spoke at the Conference about St. Thomas� Jewish Community.
       The Jewish Community of Jamaica today, though only about 200 strong, still supports a Synagogue building three or four times the size of ours in St. Thomas,  has an impressive Museum and Cultural Center, a Jewish Home for the Aged and the Hillel School, that runs through grade 12 and includes Jamaica�s International Baccalaureate program.  Jamaica�s only remaining Synagogue also has a sand floor, as do other Caribbean Synagogues, like those in St. Thomas and Cura�ao as well as the one in Paramaribo, Suriname in northeast South America. This Caribbean Jewish custom recalls when those who built these Caribbean Synagogues lived in Portugal and Spain and had to practice Judaism secretly on pain of being burned at the stake.  Those clandestine Jews put sand on the floors of the secret places where they gathered for community prayer, to muffle the sound of their footsteps, lest they be overheard and reported to the Inquisition.

Ainsley Henriquez, conference organizer, standing at the Lector in front of the Aron Ha-Kodesh, introducing the Conference attendees and presenters to the Kinston Synagogue with its sand floor.

        Jamaica�s history goes back to Christopher Columbus to whom the Spanish Crown awarded the Island of Jamaica.  He protected many Conversos, Jews newly converted to Christianity, many of whom practiced Judaism secretly.  The Conference organizer, Ainsley Henriquez, decends from such early immigrants, one of whom may have been the Jewish pirate named Henriquez.       

Edward Kritzler, author of The Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean, addressed the Conference.

         The British took the Island from Spain in 1655 and its openly Jewish history began.  Twenty-one Jewish cemeteries dot the Island, most now overgrown.  The grave stones are written in Hebrew and Portuguese, like many of the monuments in our older Jewish cemetery on St. Thomas.  

 Monument on the left Abraham Henriquez, remembers one of Ainsley Henriquez� ancestors, who died at the age of 41 in 1729.  The Hebrew at the top of the stone is not visible.  The Portuguese inscription is depicted, as well as the very common gravestone motif of a tree being felled by a heavenly axe-wielding hand, representing the cutting off of a life.  This is offset by the skull and dry bones motif in the corners that recalls the vision of Ezekiel of a valley of dry bones, which will be resurrected from death to life again.  The other monument memorializes Ribca, wife of David Mendes, who died at age 21 in 1731, is written in Spanish and depicts a flower being plucked in its prime, recalling the verse from Song of Songs, �My Beloved (God) went down to His garden to pick lilies.�  

         The Jews of the Caribbean were called �the Portuguese Nation� or, as they called themselves �La Na�ao� - �The Nation.�  While the Jews in the Balkans and Turkey speak Ladino (old Spanish) to this day, the Jews of the Caribbean spoke Portuguese for generations.  This resulted from the flight of many Spanish Jews to Portugal, where King Manuel II offered them asylum for a sum of money.  When he decided to marry the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand, they demanded that he expel the exiled Spanish Jews from Portugal.  He avoided having to do that, and loose all those talented immigrants and the wealth they brought, by forcibly converting them to Catholicism and declaring them members of �the Portuguese Nation.�  The King offered these Conversos immunity from �inquiry� of the Inquisition for two decades.  Still in 1506 anti-Converso riots erupted and by 1530 the Inquisition arrived full-force in Portugal.  The king forbade them from leaving Portugal and doing so became very dangerous, but staying would prove more dangerous.  These Jewish converts to Catholicism began to flee to southwest France, to Bordeaux and Bayonne and on to Hamburg, Altona (then in Denmark), Amsterdam and a century later to London, where they emerged as Jews and established sizable synagogues of Portuguese Jews.  They had to recover the Jewish knowledge that had been lost to them during that previous generation when they lived as Catholics.  Jamaican Jewish poet, Samuel Palache in his �A Man of Three Worlds� described a self imposed collective amnesia of a marrano past.  �Their refusal to admit their forced conversion, prevented them from discussing the decision to return to Judaism.  The theme was simply never broached.�  This breach with the Jewish past separated the Portuguese Jews from other Spanish Jews who fled to the Ottoman Empire and maintained an unbroken connection with their past.  
         The Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam soon became the largest Synagogue in Europe and became the mother Synagogue of the new Portuguese communities springing up all over the Atlantic coast of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean islands of Jamaica, Cura�ao and Barbados.  The Cura�ao Synagogue was three fourths its size and imitated its archetecture, but added sand to its floor as did the Synagogues in Surinam in Dutch South America, where the only autonomous Jewish area in the Western Hemisphere sprung up in Jodensavan, an agricultural community deep in the rainforest.

At bottom left, the Current Synagogue, Shaare Shamayim, of the United Congregation of Israelites in Kingston, Jamaica, built 1912.  Top left, the same Synagogue in the same location, built in 1888 and destroyed in the 1907 earthquake.  Center top, Congregation Shaare Shamayim, built 1750, enlarged 1839, destroyed by fire,  Dec.11, 1882. On upper right, Congregation Shaare Yosher, the first Ashkenazic Synagogue, built 1789, destroyed by fire, Dec 11, 1882, rebuilt 1894 and destroyed by the earthquake of 1907.  The current United Congregations of Israelites brings the Sephardic and Ashkenazic Communities together into one.

       Since my return, I find that bits of our rich Jewish past pop in on me in the form of tourists, like the one who came into the Synagogue last week and told me that, though she is not Jewish, her ancestors were Hoheb�s.  Samuel Hoheb was one of the Jews of St. Eustatius arrested and then exiled by Admiral Rodney to St. Kitts in 1781, after they seized the Island from the Dutch.  Upon return to St. Eustatius, Hoheb found his properties auctioned off.  He, along with four other Jews, made his way to London to sue Admiral Rodey without success.  He returned penniless and died on St. Eustatius.  Most of his family, however, with the greater part of the Jewish community, left for St. Thomas, where in the 1782 tax list recorded the presence of Jacob Robles, a �Hoheb,� who had been listed as the Service Reader in St. Eustatius.  
       The very next day, another woman came into the Synagogue to say that she was a Maduro, an important Jewish family that included �Readers� who led our Services in St. Thomas.  She was also related to a former St. Thomas Rabbi, Joshua Piza.  She told me his story.  He was from Amsterdam and received a position as Rabbi in Cura�ao.  He traveled there with his wife, children and sister-in-law.  Upon arrival, the community hosted a feast for them at which his wife � at least according the story told me - saw black servants for the first time and thought them devils.  The sight scared her to such an extent that she died of a heart attack.  Rabbi Piza then married his sister-in-law, at the urging of the Community.  That second wife subsequently died at the birth of their first child.  Then Rabbi Piza married Hannah Sasso, but soon lost his position in Cura�ao due to a dispute about proper pronunciation of Hebrew.  Soon after, he accepted a position here in St. Thomas, until his death in a few months later in 1850.    

Part II �When Our Strength Weakens Us�

       I continue to mull over the insights gained at the Conference on the Jewish Diaspora of the Caribbean that I attended last January in Kingston, Jamaica � or �Jewmaica� as one writer coined it after the Conference.  The Jewish communities of Jamaica, Cura�ao and Suriname each have a continuous Jewish presence that goes back, unbroken to the 1600�s and in the case of Suriname to the 1500�s.  If you count the secret practice of Judaism in the Spanish days of Jamaica, it goes back to 1494, when Columbus settled on Jamaica and apparently allowed �secret� Jews to live more openly than elsewhere under the Spanish flag.  
       In the 17th and early 18th Centuries, Jewish life flourished in the Caribbean.  From Cura�ao, Jews  engaged in commerce throughout the Caribbean, bringing them to Nevis, St. Eustatius and St. Thomas.  They also settled along the Maracaibo coast of Venezuela and engaged in commerce down into the Andes communities of Peru.  In Jamaica and Suriname Jews owned large sugar plantations.  These two more self sufficient agriculturally based communities did not depend on the commerce that carried Curacao�s influence throughout the Caribbean.  Everywhere these Jews settled, including such places as New York, Philadelphia, Newport, Charleston and Savanna, they held high the sacred Spanish Portuguese rite with its grand intonation of traditional prayers, a tradition they carried from secret cellars in Portugal to Amsterdam, London, Bayonne, Bordeaux and on to the west.
       St. Thomas had a small number of Jews from its earliest days of Danish Settlement.  The fourth governor, Gabriel Milan 1683-87) was reported to be of Jewish origin.  He was paranoid and terrorized the local population, then fired on the Danish fleet coming into town.  They took him back to Copenhagen and beheaded him for treason.  The nascent Jewish community purchased a cemetery in 1750, in Savan, where Jews, Catholics and Freed Coloreds lived.  Emigration from St. Eustatius, San Dominque (Haiti) and Morocco through the 1780�s and 1790�s enlarged the community considerably and the Hevre Kadisha, called Gemilut Hasadim, began a minyan in private homes in 1792.  T he Jewish Community requested permission to form a Kehilah or officially sanctioned Congregation and received that permission from the Danish King in 1796.   Kehilah Kedosha Beracha ve-Shalom, the Congregation of Blessing and Peace, began to function  on June 25, 1796 and we have not missed public Shabbat Services from that day until the present.  We flourished and established a proud Jewish Community and built our first Synagogue in 1803, only to see it burn down in a city-wide fire a year later.  Rebuilding of the synagogue began soon after, but a second fire destroyed the building in 1806 before it was completed.  Then, in 1811, the Congregation purchased the property on which the current Synagogue stands, but could not afford to rebuild until 1825.   They renamed the Congregation in its rebuilt Synagogue: Beruach ve-Shalom u-Gemilut Hasadim, Blessing, Peace and Righteous Deeds.  Despite the addition to the name, it too burned down a third time on �Old Year�s Night,� December 31, 1831.  With the help of other Spanish Portuguese communities, notably Shearith Israel in New York City, the Jewish Community here rebuilt their synagogue in 1833, as it stands today.   It remains an architectural gem, built in a magnificent Spanish-Portuguese style that continues to entrance us today.  This time, our community constructed it with thick masonry walls so it would not burn down again and with a structure designed to protect it from both Hurricanes and earthquakes.   

 On the left, the entrance to the St.Thomas Synagogue; center, view of the Bemah with the Lector in front of it, the Bancas (benches), made in 1833 of island grown mahogany, all dove tailed and pegged, one of the Baccarat chandeliers brought from Paris in 1833,  and sand floor; right photo, the Aron Kodesh (Ark) and Torah Scrolls with a freeze of the Ten Commandments above and the Neir Tamid (Eternal Light), rescued from the December, 31, 1831, fire that destroyed the previous Synagogue, built in 1821.

      The Spanish Portuguese character of the Congregation�s members and worship has all but disappeared and has waned throughout the Caribbean.   At the Conference in Kingston, we saw evidence of the past abundance of Jewish life.  Numerous Jewish cemeteries dot Jamaica, largely hidden under the dense foliage.  The oldest Community, Port Royal, lay beneath the waves, destroyed by earthquake and tidal waves in 1696.  The Community continues on and still supports an infrastructure that boasts a Jewish Old Age Home and the Hillel School, Jamaica�s primary college preparatory school, that includes an International Baccalaureate program.  Only a dozen or so of its 700 students are Jewish and they do not enjoy the benefits of a Jewish curriculum.  Many of them would not be considered Jewish by strict Orthodox standards.  Even in Cura�ao and Paramaribo, the surviving Jewish Community of Suriname, the Sephardic rite struggles to survive.  In St. Thomas, the Spanish Portuguese melodies and rites have been replaced by the folk-rock beat of an American Reform Jewish style of worship.  
       One of the Conference presenters, Mordechai Arbell, addressed the disappearance of Spanish Portuguese Judaism.  Arbell, who knows Caribbean Jewish communities, including St. Thomas, hails from Sofia, Bulgaria and lives in Israel.  He has served as Israel�s ambassador to Panama and Haiti.  He addressed us on the topic:  �The Gradual Disappearance of the Spanish-Portuguese Jewish Communities of the Caribbean.�   He commented, �Throughout our long history, Jewish communities have been destroyed by persecution, discrimination, pogroms and genocide. In the case of the Caribbean, where in most places Jews have enjoyed equal rights (and in some instances special privileges), good relations with the local population, high social standing and a comfortable economic situation, we are witnessing a gradual disappearance of Jewish life.�  Arbell challenged us, �Might one reach the bitter conclusion that equal rights and the lack of anti-Semitism and discrimination might be as dangerous to Jewish existence as persecution and murder?  One is reminded of the words of Nahum Goldman, the founder of the World Jewish Congress: �Where it is good for Jews, it is bad for Judaism.��
       Arbell outlines why Jews have slowly disappeared here. In addition to the ease of assimilation, he points to what he calls the �ultra-Orthodox approach and its behavioral modes, which created opposition among the younger generations and alienated them from communal Jewish life.� On the other hand, Arbell points to how �The Reform movement introduced its own prayers and brought in its own religious leaders. Gradually, the Reform began erasing the Sephardi roots and traditions so dear to the Spanish/Portuguese communities all over the world.�  That has certainly been the case here in St. Thomas.  I recently found in the office book shelf a copy of the old Union Prayer Book.  Inside was inscribed the name: Rabbi Moses D. Sasso, testifying to the advent of Reform liturgy during the tenure of our last Sephardic Rabbi.  In the back of the book were pasted the words of the Jewish Hymn in Spanish, �Bendigamos.�  Such attempts at maintaining a frail connection with the past have all but disappeared here, since Rabbi Sasso died in 1977.   
       Arbell suggests that �neither right-wing Orthodoxy nor Reform have found the right way to preserve Judaism in the Caribbean� but believes that �Jamaica and Cura�ao have found the path between the two."        The Holocaust and the destruction of the old Spanish Portuguese synagogues and communities of Amsterdam, Bordeaux, Bayonne, Hamburg and the Sephardic centers of Jewish life in Greece and the Balkans took their toll.  Before the war they gave constant spiritual nourishment to Caribbean communities, supplied rabbis and were places of Jewish study.  Those spiritual centers suddenly evaporated.  Arbell contends that the more recent arrival of Ashkenazim has also led to the withering of the Spanish-Portuguese Caribbean Judaism.  To a certain extent, newer Jewish immigrants �damaged the social standing of the Jews as Jews in society. The Spanish-Portuguese Jews were reluctant to be lumped with the newcomers, and some joined the non-Jewish upper social classes.�   Economic decline and the ascendancy of the United States and post-war Europe has also tended to drain the Jewish communities in the Caribbean of their younger generation, who do not return after university experiences in the United States, the United Kingdom or the Netherlands.  
       Arbell told the story of going with an Israeli film crew to a small community on the coast of Venezuela, where once a flourishing Sephardic Community existed and now only a remnant remains.   They entered the court yard of a home where they understood Jews still lived.   A caretaker confronted them and asked what they wanted.  Arbell told them in Spanish that they were from Israel searching for the remnants of the old Jewish Community.  The caretaker then yelled into the house to the old woman who lived there, �Se�ora, your compatriots have finally come to find you � seventy years too late.�
       I recently buried in our cemetery, the widow of Rabbi David Cardoze�s grandson,  and also the stepson of Rabbi Moses D. Sasso.  She was not born Jewish, but raised seven Jewish children (one died at age four), and was studying for conversion when the Rabbi at the time, Stanley Relkin, left the Island.  Her children, none of them members of the Synagogue, and most of them now practicing Christians, held her funeral in the Catholic Cathedral and buried her with her husband and daughter in the Jewish Cemetery.  I have only one member of the Congregation left from the old Spanish-Portuguese families who built our beautiful Synagogue.  Though we in St. Thomas continue to derive pride from the Sephardic roots of the Congregation, we have not held onto enough traditions.  Today we are slowly reintroducing some of the Spanish-Portuguese melodies, as sung in Cura�ao.  I hope that in the next few years, we can reintroduce a few more of the traditions that were an important part of our Congregation not long ago.