Jodenbuurt in Amsterdam

1 October 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Museums, Exhibitions Reading Time:  6 minutes

© flickr.com - Paul Arps/cc-by-2.0

© flickr.com – Paul Arps/cc-by-2.0

The Jodenbuurt (Dutch: Jewish neighbourhood) is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. For centuries before World War II, it was the center of the Dutch Jews of Amsterdam — hence, its name (literally: Jewish quarter). It is best known as the birthplace of Baruch Spinoza, the home of Rembrandt, and the Jewish ghetto of Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.   read more…

Dirndl

28 September 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  8 minutes

© Adam Jones, Ph.D/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Adam Jones, Ph.D/cc-by-sa-3.0

A dirndl is a feminine dress which originated in German-speaking areas of the Alps. It is traditionally worn by women and girls in Austria, Bavaria (south-eastern Germany), Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Alpine regions of Italy (South Tyrol). A dirndl consists of a close-fitting bodice with a low neckline, a blouse worn under the bodice, a wide high-waisted skirt and an apron.   read more…

Grindel in Hamburg

10 September 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Hamburg, Universities, Colleges, Academies Reading Time:  10 minutes

Hamburg Kammerspiele (theatre) © Martin Petersen/cc-by-a-3.0

Hamburg Kammerspiele (theatre) © Martin Petersen/cc-by-a-3.0

The Grindel is a quarter in the Hamburg-Rotherbaum district with its centre at Allende-Platz (formerly: Bornplatz) and the area of ​​Grindelberg to the north, which today belongs to the Harvestehude district. Documentary mentions of the former forest and wetland west of the (later built) Dammtor can be found from the 14th century onwards. The main building of the University of Hamburg is located near the Dammtor train station, not far from the main campus (Von-Melle-Park) with the Hamburg State and University Library Carl von Ossietzky, the Audimax and several other teaching buildings. On the other side of Grindelallee, other teaching buildings are grouped around Martin-Luther-King-Platz. The Geomatikum near the Schlump underground station forms the end in the west.   read more…

Beit Shemesh in Israel

30 July 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  8 minutes

from the southwest © Davidbena/cc-by-sa-4.0

from the southwest © Davidbena/cc-by-sa-4.0

Beit Shemesh is a city located approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Jerusalem in Israel‘s Jerusalem District, with a population of 154,694 in 2022. The city is named after and located near the remains of ancient Beth Shemesh, a biblical city in the territory of Judah. Its ruins can be found today at the archaeological site of Tel Beit Shemesh.   read more…

Balat in Istanbul

19 July 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  8 minutes

© flickr.com - Moyan Brenn/cc-by-2.0

© flickr.com – Moyan Brenn/cc-by-2.0

Balat is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Fatih, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its population is 11,656 (2022). It is in the old city on the European side of Istanbul, on the western shore of the Golden Horn, sandwiched between Fener and Ayvansaray. Historically, it was the center of the Jewish community in Istanbul.   read more…

Bagel

14 July 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon appétit, New York City Reading Time:  8 minutes

Bagel with sesame © Shisma/cc-by-4.0

Bagel with sesame © Shisma/cc-by-4.0

A bagel (Polish: bajgiel; Yiddish: beygl; also spelled beigel) is a bread roll originating in the Jewish communities of Poland. Bagels are traditionally made from yeasted wheat dough that is shaped by hand into a torus or ring, briefly boiled in water, and then baked. The result is a dense, chewy, doughy interior with a browned and sometimes crisp exterior.   read more…

Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in Manhattan

30 March 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, New York City Reading Time:  6 minutes

© David Shankbone/cc-by-sa-3.0

© David Shankbone/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Congregation Shearith Israel (lit.: Congregation Remnant of Israel), often called The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue located at 2 West 70th Street, at Central Park West, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States.   read more…

Anne Frank House in Amsterdam

27 January 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Museums, Exhibitions Reading Time:  11 minutes

Anne Frank in May 1942, two months before she and her family went into hiding © Photo collection Anne Frank House, Amsterdam

Anne Frank in May 1942, two months before she and her family went into hiding
© Photo collection Anne Frank House, Amsterdam

The Anne Frank House (Dutch: Anne Frank Huis) is a writer’s house and biographical museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank. The building is located on a canal called the Prinsengracht, close to the Westerkerk, in central Amsterdam in the Netherlands.   read more…

Theme Week Armenia – Ararat City

26 January 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

Ararat City entrance from the M2 highway © Armineaghayan/cc-by-sa-4.0

Ararat City entrance from the M2 highway © Armineaghayan/cc-by-sa-4.0

Ararat is a town in the Ararat Municipality of the Ararat Province of Armenia, located on the YerevanNakhchivan highway, 42 km (26 mi) southeast of the capital Yerevan and 19 km (12 mi) south of the provincial centre Artashat. In the 2011 census, the population of the town was 20,235. As per the 2016 official estimate, the population is around 20,300.   read more…

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