the synagogue -- reflection7

ive already been to a jewish synagogue. ive already read a number of books about judaism, jewish persecution, etc. ive already been there, already done that! however, i have not already been to the synagogue of zwolle. i have not already heard the story from the perspective of a dutch jew, nor have i heard the story of the synagogue of zwolle.

some things that i found rather interesting: some traditions get thrown out, while others do not seem to change at all. for example, seating in the synagogue is not the same as it once was. the traditional wedding celebration, on the other hand, is still used today.

memorials of the jews of zwolle who died in the war are presented on the walls of the synagogue. this, ive noticed, is quite common around the world. memorials hang/sit in numerous places to honor the dead. i think it is a good thing, relevent.

one thing i find very interesting, when i think judaism, i think history... but judaism is still followed today. there are still jewish folk suriving in this world today. the changes that have been made in the traditions of the synagogue are most fascinating. traditional style dress and hair is no longer a part of the jewish community. memorizing the torah does not appear to be mandatory any longer, yet the torah is still written by scribes in the original hewbrew characters, and from right to left.

interesting.