Parasha of the week

The weekly Parasha by our shulrabbi Dovi Pinkovitch. For other weeks click here.

Vayishlach

RAV KATZ

"Shalom and welcome''

Our shul might not be the biggest in Amsterdam. Its task however is one of the greatest most important and far reaching a shul can have. The area of our shul used to be the bustling center of Jewish life and commerce in Amsterdam.


The Gerard Dou Synagogue is now the only remaining shul with the Amsterdam ashkenaz minhagim in the centre of what used to be “Mokum Alef”. We believe in what Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch once said. Every shul is a piece of a whole building. But every shul has in its genes and in its soul everything that makes up the whole building. We are therefore a proud community and we are a dedicated community. We welcome everyone whoever he or she is and wherever he or she comes from. We believe in giving anyone first a smile, a Shabbat shalom and then a seat. 

Rav katz

The task of proudly and happily preserving the old, means that it is holy and sacred and that it has to be respected as well. Please share that respect with us as well. In our community you will also find chesed, loving kindness tell us please what you need and we will do our utmost to accommodate you. You can taste this spirit of kindness in shul but also at our Kiddush after the services where you can meet with everyone.


Tora is part of our kehilla, it is its cornerstone. On the bottom of this page you will find a link so you can ask me on anything Jewish. Be it halacha, something that pertains to your stay in our city, to something personal or to a philosophical aspect of our religion. I am there for you. Every service in our shul is adorned by an inspiring dvar tora, we arrange shiurim regularly but the halacha is also something in which we mirror our day to day life. You may want to meet me face to face... Please send me a message and we will make an appointment.


And be sure no one in our shul is driven by money jealousy or kavod. There is one purpose to be there for hashem and the Jewish people. Come therefore join us and make us grow. And remember our shul is located at 238 Gerard Dou straat. 238 is the numerical value of the word Rachel. Rachel took care of the sheep. We will take care of you!!!!"