Ostend Synagogue (Oostende Synagogue)
Exterior views of Ostend Synagogue. All photos by Johan Westenburg.
Interior views from entrance (left) and women's gallery (right).
Detail of stained glass window featuring the Star of David.
Dedication plaque listing the founders of Ostend Synagogue.
Crumbling plaster and damaged mikveh in Ostend Synagogue.
Satellite map of Ostend Synagogue. For a larger view,
see our Ostend Map or Google Earth download.
Ostend Synagogue is an early 20th-century synagogue in the seaside town of Ostend (Oostende), Belgium. It was built during a happy period when European Jews were among the international elite who enjoyed the leisure culture of Ostend in the early 1900s. Most of the Jewish community is gone now, but the elegant little synagogue remains.
History
Judaism has been officially recognized in Belgium since the country was founded in 1831. Belgium's Jewish population began to grow significantly after 1880, when Eastern European Jews fled persecution and settled in Belgium. By World War II, more than 100,000 Jews lived in Belgium.
As an international port and seaside town with fine beaches, Ostend became a popular destination for the European elite by the turn of the 20th century. These elite included European Jews, who not only enjoyed the leisure culture of Ostend but contributed to its landscape with the founding of restaurants, luxury hotels, shops and galleries.
The Ostend Synagogue was built in 1911 at the height of this heyday. Built by Jozef de Lange, it was modeled on the synagogue in Frankfurt but incorporated all the technological innovations of the early 20th century. In the following decades the synagogue was the focal point of the Ostend Jewish community, hosting weddings and receiving visiting dignitaries.
Sadly, it all came to an end with the rise of the Nazis in the 1940s. Thankfully the synagogue itself was spared, for reasons that aren't entirely clear. But the Jewish community was scattered and many of Ostend's Jews fled to America.
What to See
The synagogue is once again in use by a very small Jewish community. It retains its original form, which includes fine stained glass windows, a women's gallery and mikveh.
Ostend Synagogue is a listed monument of Belgium, but it is low on the list of priorities for the city and is in serious need of restoration. The women's gallery has been badly damaged by termites and the mikveh is not usable.
Donations towards restorations can be sent to Rabbi Armand ben-Izri, Oostende Synagogue, Filip van Maestrichtplein 3, 8400 Oostende.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Ostend Synagogue; Oostende Synagogue |
| Type of site: | Synagogue |
| Faith: | Judaism |
| Dates: | 1911 |
| Address: | Filip van Maastrichtplein 3, Oostende, Belgium |
| Phone: | 32-59-80-24-05 |
| E-mail: | Rabbi Armand ben-Izri: benizri@swing.be |
| Hours: | No set hours, but generally open during the day. The rabbi is often at the synagogue and is very welcoming. |
| Services: | Held for some High Holy Days |
| Cost: | Free |
Sources
- Personal correspondence from Johan Westenburg, who summers near the synagogue.
More Information
- Oostende Travel Forum - TripAdvisor
- Synagogues of Belgium - Kosher Delight
