Buildings are more than the sum of their parts. They become meaningful spaces that play a substantial role in our sense of belonging. The large-scale demolition of synagogue buildings during the...Show moreBuildings are more than the sum of their parts. They become meaningful spaces that play a substantial role in our sense of belonging. The large-scale demolition of synagogue buildings during the Holocaust and its aftermath therefore not only destroyed these buildings, but also destroyed the stories these buildings tell and the meanings they conveyed in the past and, potentially, in the future. We can still find Jewish architecture on the Dutch landscape, embodying a certain continuity of a Dutch Jewish past. In this thesis, qualitative research methods reveal the contemporary interactions that take place within these prewar structures. Using two case studies, namely synagogues in Brielle and Delft, this thesis envisions Jewish life in the Netherlands through the lens of Jewish spaces. This spatial approach discloses a richer and more inclusive understanding of contemporary Jewishness, and simultaneously explores the limits of meaning that a synagogue has.Show less