Jewish sacred architecture in the Spanish and Portuguese diaspora

Abstract

Upon first seeing the Esnoga, the great Portuguese Synagogue of Amsterdam, one is struck by its sheer size and prominence (Fig. 12.1–12.5). Instead of be- ing hidden down a quiet alleyway, or being tucked behind an unassuming fa- çade, as so many pre-modern European synagogues, the Esnoga stands tall, elegantly proclaiming the arrival of these former Conversos1 from Spain and Portugal into the bustling metropolis of Amsterdam. The structure tells us as much about the Jews who built it and prayed within its walls as it does about the larger Dutch society. The Esnoga of Amsterdam served as a model for the synagogues of Amsterdam’s satellite communities throughout the Western Sephardic Diaspora and is a prism through which to appreciate the internal religious world of these Jews and their self-presentation to their host societies