Portuguese Synagogue(Amsterdam)

Portuguese Synagogue(Amsterdam)
RABBI:
NUSACH:
ADDRESS:	Mr. Visserplein 3 1011 RD
OFFICIAL CITY NAME:	Amsterdam
CITY:	Amsterdam
STATE:
ZIPCODE:
COUNTRY:	Netherlands
PHONE:	+31-(0)20-6245351
WEB PAGE:
EMAIL:

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Template:SHUL DETAILS The exterior of the brick synagogue faces a busy traffic circle on one side and a square courtyard of brick houses on the other. The courtyard is a popular place for children to play and adults to socialize. The houses now contain the Ets Haim ("Tree of Life") library - one of the oldest in the world - the winter synagogue, a mortuary, the rabbinate, offices and archives. This library is an UNESCO documentary heritage site. The gilded Hebrew inscription over the entrance records the date 1672, when the synagogue was due to be completed, and a verse from Psalm 5:8: "In the abundance of Thy lovingkindness will I come into Thy house."

Inside, the synagogue is designed in the Sephardi style, with the beautiful wooden Ark (1744) and bimah at opposite ends of the interior. The seating (on benches from a synagogue built in 1639) is arranged in two equal halves, which face each other across a central aisle. The floor is covered with fine sand to absorb moisture from shoes and muffle noise.

The women's gallery is supported by 12 stone columns to represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Two large brass chandeliers hold a total of 1,000 candles, all of which are lit during worship services.