American Sephardi Federation is pleased to inform you of this upcoming program at the Edmond J. Safra Synagogue.  Congregation Edmond J. Safra presents:

One Foot in America

Eugeen Van Mieghem (1875-1930) and the Jewish Emigrants of the Red Star Line

 A lecture by Erwin Joos

Founder and President of the Eugeen Van Mieghem Foundation and the curator of the Eugeen Van Mieghem Museum in Antwerp.

The city of Antwerp was the New York of the sixteenth century. Together with Venice it was the most important world port of that period. When the Protestant city fell in 1585 to the Spanish army the very important Jewish community of Sephardic Jews left, mostly for Amsterdam (Holland) and Ferrara (Italy).

Eugeen Van Mieghem’s works depicting emigrants bears artistic witness to the greatest mass migration in the history of Antwerp. His paintings and drawings that depict Jewish emigrants provide a sensitive visual record of Jewish immigration from Europe on Red Star Line ships.

Nearly 300 years after their departure the port of Antwerp once again became a center of Jewish migration. Between 1873 and 1934, the Red Star Line transported ca. 2.5 million emigrants from Antwerp to North America. Some of those who departed include Golda Meir, Irving Berlin and Albert Einstein.

Eugeen Van Mieghem (1875-1930) lived in a tavern owned by his mother, opposite the Red Star Line warehouse. He encountered the flood of Jewish emigrants on a daily basis and his compassion is reflected in an impressive series of drawings and paintings. In his works he gave them respect and dignity. He became a sympathetic observer for the world on his doorstep.

Tuesday, October 12 at 8:00pm

Edmond J. Safra Synagogue

11 East 63rd Street, New York City

Admission is free

American Sephardi Federation is pleased to inform you of this upcoming program at the Edmond J. Safra Synagogue Congregation Edmond J. Safra presents One Foot in AmericaEugeen Van Mieghem (1875-1930) and the Jewish Emigrants of the Red Star Line

A lecture by Erwin JoosFounder and President of the Eugeen Van Mieghem Foundation and the curator of the Eugeen Van Mieghem Museum in Antwerp.

The city of Antwerp was the New York of the sixteenth century. Together with Venice it was the most important world port of that period. When the Protestant city fell in 1585 to the Spanish army the very important Jewish community of Sephardic Jews left, mostly for Amsterdam (Holland) and Ferrara (Italy).

Eugeen Van Mieghem’s works depicting emigrants bears artistic witness to the greatest mass migration in the history of Antwerp. His paintings and drawings that depict Jewish emigrants provide a sensitive visual record of Jewish immigration from Europe on Red Star Line ships.

Nearly 300 years after their departure the port of Antwerp once again became a center of Jewish migration. Between 1873 and 1934, the Red Star Line transported ca. 2.5 million emigrants from Antwerp to North America. Some of those who departed include Golda Meir, Irving Berlin and Albert Einstein.

Eugeen Van Mieghem (1875-1930) lived in a tavern owned by his mother, opposite the Red Star Line warehouse. He encountered the flood of Jewish emigrants on a daily basis and his compassion is reflected in an impressive series of drawings and paintings. In his works he gave them respect and dignity. He became a sympathetic observer for the world on his doorstep.

Tuesday, October 12 at 8:00pm Edmond J. Safra Synagogue11 East 63rd Street, New York CityAdmission is free.