Beth Haim of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel

The Beth Haim of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel^[a] is the oldest Jewish cemetery in the Netherlands.^[2]

Beth Haim
בית חיים
Grave markers in the cemetery's southwestern corner, facing Ouderkerk's historic drawbridge over the Bullewijk branch of the Amstel, 2005
Details
Established	1614; 411 years ago (1614)
Location	Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
Country	Netherlands
Coordinates	52°17′43″N 4°54′15″E
Type	Jewish
Size	4 hectares (9.9 acres)
No. of interments	28,000+
Website	www.bethhaim.nl
Rijksmonument
Designated	15 December 1970
Reference no.	31967

History

Jewish Cemetery, outside Amsterdam, c. 1670 etching print

The land was purchased for use as a burying ground by the Jewish community of Amsterdam in 1614 and is located in the village of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, in the countryside near Amsterdam.^[3]

The Jewish population of Amsterdam are sephardic from the Iberian Peninsula who arrived in Holland during the 17th century.^[4]

Facilities

Monuments

In addition to its age, the graveyard is interesting because the tombstones have inscriptions in three languages, Portuguese, Dutch and Hebrew, and because, unusually for a Jewish cemetery, many of the tombstones are carved with elaborate scenes including human figures.

Visitation

The cemetery is open to visitors and is free of charge.

Notable burials

Famous people buried at the Beth Haim include:

Grave of Menasseh Ben Israel

• Samuel Pallache (ca. 1550–1616), Moroccan diplomat^[5][6]
• Joseph Pallache (c. 1580 – 1638/1648/1657) merchant and diplomat
• numerous members of the Pallache family (subsequently known as: "Palache") descendants of brothers Samuel and Joseph Pallache
• Menasseh Ben Israel (1604–1657), rabbi and friend of the artist Rembrandt van Rijn
• Joseph Pardo (ca. 1561–1619), Italian rabbi^[7]
• David Pardo (ca. 1591–1657), Dutch rabbi and son of Joseph Pardo^[8]
• Eliahu Montalto (1604–1657), personal physician to Maria de Medici (of the Medici family)
• Joseph Pardo (ca. 1624–1677), English hazzan^[9]
• the philosopher Baruch Spinoza's parents (16th–17th centuries)
• Maup Caransa (1916-2009), real estate developer

In culture

The Jewish Cemetery, one of the paintings by Jacob van Ruisdael

Further information: The Jewish Cemetery

Two paintings by Jacob van Ruisdael were inspired by Beth Haim. Although the paintings are usually called in English "The Jewish Cemetery at Ouderkerk", the artist felt free to add picturesque elements, and they therefore do not closely resemble the actual location.

See also

• History of the Jews in the Netherlands