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The Disappearing Joods of Friesland
From a thriving community before the Second World War to a dwindling handful, they constitute a unique chapter of history.
Slipping into shopping mode comes naturally on the Naauw, the Kelders, Kleine Kerkstraat and in the Sint Jacobsstraat.
These are narrow streets (along the canal) with the best boutiques in the center of Leeuwarden, the vibrant capital city of the province of Friesland, a semi-autonomous region in the north-western part of the Netherlands. It is not only about the big brands and labels, but also the many souvenir shops selling locally manufactured handicrafts and products.
While some of these shops are housed in buildings of historical importance, some even enjoying the status of a rijksmonument — a national heritage site of the Netherlands — it is when you move further away from these bustling streets that you give yourself a chance to understand the diverse history of Friesland.
I came across one such interesting chapter near the joodse Dusnus-school, or Jewish Dusnus School (1886–1943). It is the monument in the photograph that you see above that grabbed my attention initially, and ensured I culled out all the related details eventually.
