I have been to two museums today, enjoying them both
Visiting the Portuguese Synagogue this afternoon. The Portuguese Synagogue has one of the oldest Jewish libraries in the world, filled with original and rare texts and constantly called upon for academic and rabbinical research.
It was founded in 1616 and has been housed in the historical complex of the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam since 1675. In 1889 the private library of the then librarian David Montezinos was donated to Ets Haim, and the library has been known since then as Ets Haim/Livraria Montezinos.
In the 1940s, the library's contents were shipped to Germany by the Nazis, but the books were returned to the Netherlands after the war; the books were sent to Israel in 1979 and returned to Amsterdam in 2000.
In 2003, the library, totalling 500 manuscripts and 30,000 printed works, was added by UNESCO to the Memory of the World International Register, which recognises documentary heritage of global importance.
In 2014, in partnership with the National Library of Israel, a majority of the manuscripts were digitized, making the catalog available online and free.
It was founded in 1616 and has been housed in the historical complex of the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam since 1675. In 1889 the private library of the then librarian David Montezinos was donated to Ets Haim, and the library has been known since then as Ets Haim/Livraria Montezinos.
In the 1940s, the library's contents were shipped to Germany by the Nazis, but the books were returned to the Netherlands after the war; the books were sent to Israel in 1979 and returned to Amsterdam in 2000.
In 2003, the library, totalling 500 manuscripts and 30,000 printed works, was added by UNESCO to the Memory of the World International Register, which recognises documentary heritage of global importance.
In 2014, in partnership with the National Library of Israel, a majority of the manuscripts were digitized, making the catalog available online and free.
