Archives of the Jewish community of Ghent

Collection description

Creator/accumulator:: Israëlitische Gemeente van Gent; Communauté israélite de Gand

Scope and content:: In this fonds we find correspondence from the Jewish community of Ghent (notably with the Central Jewish Consistory of Belgium), lists of members of the community (1950-1960), invitations, attestations of religiousness, minutes of meetings, bookkeeping records and budgets of the community, documents regarding donations, receipts, etc. We also note subject files notably related to Magbit, to the elections for the Zionist congresses, to compensation for the spoliation of cultural goods, to applications addressed to the German federal authorities by the community (1961) and to the Conseil Mondial des Synagogues (1959-1961).

Archival history:: The archives were donated to the Jewish Museum by É. Sperling in 2014.

Administrative/biographical history:: The Jewish community of Ghent (CIGand) was officially recognised by the State by royal decree of February 7, 1876. Around twenty Jewish families lived in Ghent in the Dutch period. The community had a synagogue as well as a cemetery plot since 1847. The CIGand benefited from the attraction of the city’s famous university, which was eager to enrol foreign students. From the late 19th century, but especially during the interwar period, hundreds of Jewish students from Russia and later Central and Eastern Europe would pursue their studies at the University of Ghent. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Jewish community was rebuilt in Ghent. Its members included engineers and doctors, graduated from the University. In the Six Day War, the community organised an impressive mobilisation; its activities centred around the Maison Bloch. Currently only a few dozen Jewish families remain in Ghent; however, a minyan is assembled for the main religious holidays celebrated there. (La Communauté Israélite de Gand http://www.jewishcom.be/wordpress/2009/03/01/la-communaute-israelite-de-gandde-israelitische-gemeenschap-van-gent/)

Subject terms:: Jewish community; Jewish community records; Plunder; Restitution and compensation; Synagogues; Zionism; Zionism--Zionist Congress

Access, restrictions:: Access requires the authorisation of the archivist of the Jewish Museum of Belgium.