The Phoenix of Amsterdam: Sephardic Resilience in a 1612 Siddur

Unknown

1612

The Jews of Amsterdam founded a thriving community after living almost a century as New Christians in Portugal. Their experience of religious oppression and Inquisitorial persecution shaped many aspects of the Jewish society they chose to build in their new home. They decided on the symbol of the phoenix, a mythic bird of fire that continually rises from its own ashes, as one of the main icons of their community. Here we see the phoenix on the title page of the second volume of a prayer book with the liturgy for the holidays of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. The title of the book reads, in Spanish: “Second part of the Siddur. Contains the holidays of Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot, and Shemini Atzeret (lit., eighth day). With all the things that, in them, one must say, at home and in the synagogue.” Surrounding the illustration of the phoenix are the words: “Who is like You?” (Exodus 15:11) and “Neve Shalom,” the name of the congregation for which the siddur was printed. Neve Shalom was one of three Sephardic congregations in Amsterdam. It was founded sometime between 1608 and 1612 and merged with the other two in 1639.

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Credits

From Segunda parte del Sedur (Amsterdam: Isaac Franco, 1612), title page.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why would this prayer book be in Spanish? What does that tell you about the community that used it?

  2. Can you think of other Jewish communities that maintain a separate Jewish vernacular language? 

  3. Why is the phoenix an apt symbol for this community? What events in their historical experience would resonate with it? Is it an inspiring image for the community?

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