Jewish Eindhoven - After The War

After The War

After the war, the Jewish community immediately started to reconstruct its synagogue in the Kerkstraat (Church Street), which had been severely damaged during a German bombardment on September 19, 1944. On May 22, 1947, it was again put into use. However, due to plans to broaden the Kerkstraat in 1953, the synagogue eventually had to be demolished. This happened in February 1959. On November 17, 1958, a new synagogue was inaugurated in a residential home in the Hendrik Casimirstraat (Hendrik Casimir Street) - it has served as the synagogue for the Jewish community since then. Nowadays, the community is led by M.L. Witsema (not the rabbi of the community); chairman of the community is the 40-year old Max Loewenstein. The community consists of approximately 70 individuals, although the total number of Jews in Eindhoven and surroundings (including Israeli expats) is thought to be more than twice that number (some 200); however it is believed that several Jewish families in Eindhoven do not wish to visit the (Orthodox) synagogue in Eindhoven, but instead visit the (Progressive) synagogue in Tilburg, Aree Hanegev located approximately 35 kilometers northwest of the City. The Jewish community is part of the Orthodox Nederlands Israëlitisch Kerkgenootschap (NIK). Regular weekly services are not held at the synagogue due to the absence of enough adult Jewish men within the community to form the minyan of ten adult men every week, which is required within the Orthodox stream. During the High Holidays services are held, due to the larger number of individuals (including enough adult men) who visit the synagogue during these days.

Number of Jews in Eindhoven and surroundings:

• 1809 - 186
• 1840 - 212
• 1869 - 274
• 1899 - 339
• 1930 - 431
• 1940 - 561
• 1941 - 638
• 1945 - approximately 300
• 1951 - 210
• 1971 - 164
• 1998 - 102