JEWISH GRONINGEN
PERMANENT EXHIBITION
> Synagogue > Permanent exhibition
Stories about Jewish Groningers and Judaism
Discover Jewish culture and the history of the Jewish community in Groningen! The monumental synagogue is a museum, a cultural venue, and above all, a real synagogue. In our permanent exhibition, you'll discover the meaning of holidays, traditions, customs, and stories of and about Jewish Groningen residents. Take a multilingual audio tour or get hands-on with the interactive exhibits. The permanent exhibition invites you to explore the stories that connect history and current events.
In the permanent exhibition, you'll see historical objects that illuminate Jewish life in Groningen. You'll also see numerous photos and videos, and listen to stories. Digital storytelling brings these personal stories to life. Jewish rituals, customs, and celebrations form a common thread throughout the building. The profound impact of the Shoah (the Holocaust) on the Groningen community is told by eyewitnesses who share their own experiences in film and audio clips. Interactive exhibits allow you to experience why Shabbat is celebrated weekly, the meaning of Passover and Chanukah, and how the dietary laws of Kashrut ensure a kosher Jewish household.
Audio tour
Naturally, the building's unique architecture and remarkable history are highlighted. In the audio tour (available in Dutch, English and German), Bertien Minco takes you through moments in her family history when the synagogue on Folkingestraat or the Jewish community in Groningen were present.
Place of meeting
The synagogue is naturally a place of remembrance, in addition to being a vibrant venue for cultural activities and an educational center on Jewish culture, religion, and history. At the same time, the synagogue also serves as a synagogue for the Groningen Jewish Community.
About the creators of the exhibition
In collaboration with the Oude Groninger Kerken Foundation, the owner of the building, the architectural adaptation of the synagogue was completed in 2021. After that, the realization of the permanent exhibition was completed, a long-standing wish of the board of the Synagogue Groningen and the Jewish Community of Groningen.
Historian and exhibition maker Willy van der Schuit has worked out, designed and realized the plans together with Design collective Groningen, consisting of Studio Eye Candy, 212 Fahrenheit, Opmaat3D and JZProdo. The new interior has become part of the striking monument, the permanent exhibition a source for further exploration of the rich history of Jewish Groningen.
The Folkingestraat Synagoge Foundation would like to thank the Foundation's donors and financiers who have made possible the realization of the museum layout of Synagogue Groningen.
