Tell_ Me Why
LL
toateli
(248)583-1300
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On The Street
Where He Lived
Was Rembrandt really a resident of the
Jewish Quarter of Holland?
Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor
I can't possibly believe this
is true, Tell Me Why, but my
father-in law insists you can
still visit the tombs of
Mordechai and Queen
Esther. Do you know any-
thing about this, and how
reliable is my father-in-
law's information?
Well, to be honest, there is simply
no certainly that the spot actually
constitutes the tombs of the heroes
of the Purim story. In fact, most
scholars seriously doubt it. But the
tradition exists.
The supposed tombs of
Mordechai and Queen Esther are
in Hamadan, which is today west-
ern Iran. In the middle of the city,
once home to a large Jewish com-
munity (believed to exceed
30,000), is a mausoleum said to
contain the tombs.
Modern-day historians may doubt
the veracity of the legend, but Jews
in Iran certainly don't. The few who
still remain regard the spot as holy,
and continue to pray there.
I seem to remember reading
that the artist Rembrandt
lived in the Jewish Quarter
in The Netherlands. What
can you tell me about it?
Rembrandt van Rijn did not live in
the Jewish Quarter, but rather near
it. And it's likely he didn't select the
area, Breestraat, because of its
proximity to the Jewish Quarter, but
rather because many artists were liv-
ing there at the time.
Rembrandt was friendly with many
Jews (and was even rumored to have
Jewish ancestors himself; though schol-
ars today dispute this), and made
drawings of residents of the Jewish
Quarter. However, many question just
how often Jews really were pictured in
his paintings and drawings.
Probably the most prominent
debate focuses on his work, The
Bride, which for years was believed
to show a Jewish wedding. Today,
scholars doubt it.
Some believe Rembrandt may
have briefly met or even known
philosopher Baruch Spinoza. But his
closestJewish friend likely was
Manasseh ben Israel, also the sub-
ject of one of his etchings.
Manasseh ben Israel (1604-
1657) was the founder, in 1626,
of the first Hebrew printing press in
Amsterdam.
Today, nothing survives of the old
Jewish Quarter of Holland, though
the house in which Rembrandt lived
is extant. Fl
Do you have a question for Tell
Me Why? Please mail to Tell
Me Why, c/o The Jewish
News, 27676 Franklin Road,
Southfield, Ml 48034; fax
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include the writer's address and
phone number. We reserve the
right to answer only those ques-
tions of interest to the general
readership.
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