Leerdam
Jews settled in Leerdam as early as the seventeenth century.
From 120 on, the local lending bank was leased by Jews a number of
times. The Jewish population of Leerdam grew as the eighteenth
century progressed. New arrivals included Jews from the town of
Middelburg.
In its early years, the Leerdam community prayed in a rented hall. In 1827, the community constructed a synagogue of its own, located in the Nieuwstraat. The building served the community until 1854, when it was replaced by a new synagogue that remained it service until 1935.
The Jewish community of Leerdam made use of several cemeteries over the course of its history. Seventeenth century sources refer to the presence of a "Jodenkerckhoff" (Jews' Cemetery) in Leerdam but do not specify a location. Beginning in 1767, the Jews of Leerdam buried their dead at a cemetery located near the Hoogpoort. In 1832, the community purchased a section of Leerdam's public cemetery. In 1845, the Leerdam community purchased land for a new cemetery on the Lingedijk following the rejection of their application to expand the Jewish section of the non-confessional cemetery. The Lingedijk cemetery is still in existence; the two older ones were cleared away during the 1960's. The remains of a small, privately-owned Jewish cemetery still can be found in the village of Asperen, just outside of Leerdam. The cemetery, located on the Appeldijkje, contains seven gravestones from the years 1870 to 1911. Today, the Lingedijk cemetery is maintained by the municipality of Leerdam and the Asperen cemetery by the municipality of Lingewaal.
The Jews of Leerdam worked as cattle dealers, butchers, watchmakers, silversmiths, and traders in furniture, textiles, and rags. The community maintained a number of religious, social, and welfare organizations both for men and for women. The community also retained a teacher to provide religious instruction to its children and inaugurated a new religious school in 1907. During the twentieth century, as the Jewish population of Leerdam fell, Jewish life in the town slowly faded away. By 1934, the Leerdam community applied to the central consistory of Dutch Jewry for permission to dissolve itself and be absorbed into the Jewish community of Gorinchem. Permission was granted.
Jewish population of Leerdam (including Asperen and Heukelum):
| 1809 | 69 |
| 1840 | 50 |
| 1869 | 56 |
| 1899 | 58 |
| 1930 | 16 |
Collectie en mediatheek
Glas
1926
De inscriptie in dit herinneringsobject verwijst naar het 25 jarig
jubileum van het Joods Nationeel Fonds in Nederland.
Collectie > Museumstukken > 07629
Besamiembus
1916-1917
Zilveren besamiembus in de vorm van een suikerstrooier. Op de voet, deksel en hals
een parelrand. De kegelvormige deksel is geperforeerd met ronde gaatjes.
Collectie > Museumstukken > 10675
Fotoalbum
Twee losbladige fotoalbums met 148 kleurenfoto's van joodse
begraafplaatsen in Nederland, jaren '80.
Collectie > Fotos > 40006664
meer treffers in Collectie > Fotos
Dossier
Dossiers (158) van de Commissie voor Oorlogsschade mbt 155 joodse
gemeentes (Amsterdam en mediene), 1945-1950.
Collectie > Documenten > B0005954
[Binnenland] : Benoemingen
Benoemingen door de Permanente Commissie in diverse schoolbesturen.
Collectie > Joodse pers > 20031865
meer treffers in Collectie > Joodse pers
Asielzoekers en asielverleners
1999
Asielzoekers en asielverleners.
Collectie > Literatuur > 12007469
