The entanglement of things: perceptions of the sacred in musealised synagogue space

Open Access
Authors
Publication date 2022
Journal Jewish Culture and History
Volume | Issue number 23 | 3
Pages (from-to) 240-261
Number of pages 22
Organisations
  • Faculty of Humanities (FGw) - Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research (AIHR) - Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture (AHM)
Abstract

Across Europe, Jewish museums are housed in former synagogues, representing Jewish religious life through exhibits of ceremonial collections. Besides the absences of active communities of users and liturgical practices, the multi-layered meaning of these spaces and objects contribute to these narrative environments’ ambiguity. Based on an interdisciplinary review of literature in the fields of Jewish studies, material religion studies and museum and heritage studies, this article proposes three sensitising concepts as a tool to further explore the religion-heritage entanglement at these sites: (1) practices of sacralisation, (2) practices of transformation, and (3) practices of representation.

Document type Article
Language English
Related publication The <i>Jewish religious heritage continuum:</i> Jewish religious communities’ interactions with synagogues and ceremonial objects in Amsterdam
Published at https://doi.org/10.1080/1462169X.2022.2098635
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