Yanki Jacobs, at The Blogs

Dec 4, 2024, 10:30 PM

Is there a future for Jews in The Netherlands?

Antisemitism Manifestation in Amsterdam.

People ask me almost daily—young people from our Jewish community—if there is still a future for them in the Netherlands. Can I feel secure here in 2025, 2030, 2035? What should I answer? A few weeks ago, Mr. Khatib was...

Nov 10, 2024, 9:28 AM

Through the night in Amsterdam: Chaos and unity

Rabbi Yanki Jacobs providing moral support at the Maccabi NL Emergency Safety Shelter in Amsterdam.

In the early hours of Friday, after a chaotic Thursday night in the city of Amsterdam, my phone rang urgently—a call from a community leader describing the chaos spreading through the city. As I listened, my WhatsApp began filling...

Oct 10, 2024, 6:41 PM

Renew our days as before

Rav Aaron Schuster Synagogue (RAS/Obrecht) in Amsterdam South

As I walk through the deserted streets of Amsterdam-Zuid on this early Shabbat morning, my mind wanders. I’m on my way to the Obrecht Synagogue, a monumental building and a stunning example of architecture, which offers me a weekly...

Sep 2, 2024, 2:53 AM

Pressing Pause on Antisemitism Talks

Minister Eppo Bruin in conversation with a Jewish Student in advance of a Shabbat Dinner.

Last week, at a birthday party, I was approached by one of our young community members. She had just returned from an amazing trip to the Promised Land with Taglit-Birthright, and now that she was back in the Netherlands,...

Aug 19, 2024, 5:56 AM

Apartheid in the Student Encampment?

Apartheid at the Student encampment? Rabbi Yanki Jacobs hoping for dialogue at the Free University in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

A few weeks ago, a protest camp appeared in the courtyard of the Free University in Amsterdam. As a supporter of dialogue and open conversation, I decided to visit, curious to hear the perspectives of the demonstrators. It was...

Mar 15, 2024, 7:08 PM

Dutch Jewish Identity: A Conversation with Royalty

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands in conversation with Amsterdam community leaders.
Credits: Marie Broeckman

In 1602, Rabbi Moses Uri Halevi settled in Amsterdam along with a group of Jews who had fled from Spain. According to legend, these refugees had arrived earlier by boat in Emden, a semi-independent port city in Lower Saxony,...

Sep 8, 2023, 12:16 AM

The choice between old and new melodies goes beyond notes and sounds

Synagogue Chabad Amsterdam South. Credit: www.chabadoncampus.nl

In the intricate world of Jewish law, the Halacha, two crucial principles are anchored: Minhag Hamakom and Minhag Avoteinu. These reflect, respectively, the local traditions and the customs of our ancestors. The former demands adaptation to the local environment,...

Aug 30, 2023, 1:57 PM

From Hippie in Amsterdam’s Vondelpark to Chassid in Paris

Vondelpark Amsterdam. Photo by Chabad on Campus NL

It was in Paris, two weeks ago, when I had a remarkable encounter with a man in Chassidic attire. He recognized my Dutch license plate and asked if I was familiar with the Vondelpark in Amsterdam. Curious about his...

Jul 27, 2023, 7:23 PM

Bridging the Divide

Growing up, I was raised with the notion that the religious would become more religious, and the secular would become more secular. Those were times of polarization, marked by an ongoing struggle between conservatism and liberal thinking. However, the world...

Jun 9, 2023, 11:15 AM

Featured Post

Unraveling the dual nature of Israel’s identity

The bus pulled up next to me, the driver opened his window and I got ready for the expletives he would surely rain down on me

About Me

Yanki Jacobs is an Amsterdam-based rabbi and the 15th generation of Dutch Jews. He offers spiritual guidance to individuals in the Netherlands University Campuses and 'Zuidas,' the financial district of Amsterdam South. In addition to his rabbinical duties, he conducts research and publishes works exploring a range of topics such as ethics, education, leadership, identity, and communal values. Alongside his wife, Esty, he leads the Dutch chapter of Chabad on Campus and as well as the Chabad Community of Amsterdam South.

Contact Me