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Month: January 2013

  • Belgian Jewish Life in the different Belgian archives

    The Antwerp City archive is only one of the many archives which has useful files for researchers on Jewish topics

    Just as in other countries, Jews also left traces (and still are leaving traces) in Belgium: The oldest trace is a gravestone in the Flemish city Tienen (French: Tirlemont) of a girl who was known as Rebecca, daughter of Mozes. She passed away in the Jewish year 5016 which corresponds with the Gregorian calendar as 1255-1256.

    Other traces of Jewish life are to be found in:

    • documents: from the Middle Ages through the French Revolution up until now, documents by occupiers of the country (decrees and edicts for the general population or against the Jews specifically), documents by resistance fighters, documents by Governments, documents by the Jewish communities, etc.
    • biographies
    • chronicles like ‘Maagel Tov’ (see http://hebrewbooks.org/21838) by Rabbi Chaim Joseph David Azulai who was also known as the Chida (1724 – 1 March 1806) , whose travels took him also to Belgium
    • gravestones
    • photo’s
    • etc.

    I found it exciting to read about a project by some academics and the Belgian State Archives who have been working for some months on the compilation of a Guide to Archives related to Judaism and the Jewish population in Belgium in the 19th-20th century. The makers of the guide intend to (more…)

  • An old Jewish man and a young Jewish man are traveling on the train

    An old Jewish man and a young Jewish man are traveling on the train. The young man asks: “Excuse me, what time is it?” The old man does not answer.
    “Excuse me, sir, what time is it?” The old man keeps silent.
    “Sir, I’m asking you what time is it. Why don’t you answer?!”
    The old man says: “Son, the next stop is the last on this route. I don’t know you, so you must be a stranger. If I answer you now, I’ll have to invite you to my home. You’re handsome, and I have a beautiful daughter. You will both fall in love and you will want to get married. Tell me, why would I need a son-in-law who can’t even afford a watch?”
    (Source: The European Synagogue Ohel Eliezer, www.theshul.eu – Weekly E-letter, Vol.VI No.17 – Tevet 29, 5773 / January. 11, 2013)