For primary and secondary schools, I have developed tours with introductory lessons. I first visit the school to give an in-depth lesson about the Jewish Quarter, Amsterdam’s 750-year history, or World War II in Amsterdam, bringing history to life with old images. Following the lesson, or on another day, I guide the class through Amsterdam to uncover traces of history. I tailor my lessons and tours to the age of the students and the dynamics of the class, building a bridge between the past and the present.
Cost: Starting at €300*
*Discounts for groups – longer tours and special themes available for an additional fee.
Jewish Quarter – Lesson & Tour
One-hour classroom lesson and two-hour walking tour
+ Classroom Lesson with Presentation: In a one-hour lesson, I share stories about Amsterdam’s Jewish community, using a presentation with old photos, prints, and maps to give a preview of what we will see during the walking tour. What is Judaism, and what does “I am Jewish” mean? What did Amsterdam and its Jewish Quarter look like in the 17th century? And how did the city and its people change over the centuries?
+ Walking Tour Highlights: The Ashkenazi and Portuguese Synagogues / Waterlooplein, where Baruch Spinoza lived / Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) / Primary school “De Witte Olifant” (a Jewish school during the war) / Amsterdam’s first liberal synagogue / a “hidden” garden / the Plantage & the Auschwitz Monument / the National Holocaust Museum & the Hollandsche Schouwburg & the Crèche / the home of resistance fighter Tilly de Vries (my great-aunt) / the Holocaust Names Monument.
During my tour of the Jewish Quarter, I will take you on a journey through time, beginning with the arrival of the first Portuguese and Spanish Jews in the neighborhoods around present-day Waterlooplein. From the stately synagogues at Mr. Visserplein, we will walk through Uilenburg and Rapenburg, into the Plantage, and into the 20th century. I will tell stories about the history of Jewish Amsterdam as well as my own family.
+ Tours available in Dutch or English.
Amsterdam 750 Years – Lesson & Tour
One-hour classroom lesson and two-hour walking tour
+ Classroom Lesson with Presentation: In a one-hour lesson, I explain the origins and growth of Amsterdam, using a presentation with old photos, prints, and maps to preview what we will see during the walking tour. What are we celebrating on October 27, 2025? What is the Toll Privilege granted by Count Floris V? How did Amsterdam evolve from a small settlement at a dam in the Amstel River to the most powerful trading city in the 17th century? And what do we know about the diverse inhabitants of the city?
+ Walking Tour Highlights: the Dam / Beursplein and the Beurs van Berlage / Amsterdam’s oldest house / the Old Church / Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder & freedom of conscience / Central Station & Damrak / the Zeedijk / Nieuwmarkt & the old city walls / Waterlooplein & the Jewish Quarter / the Golden Bend / the Rokin.
Amsterdam is preparing to celebrate its 750th anniversary in 2025. On October 27, 1275, a small settlement on the Amstel River and its inhabitants were first mentioned by the Count of Holland. Count Floris V granted them the privilege of traveling through his county without paying taxes. This privilege is considered the foundation for Amsterdam’s rise and prosperity as a trading power in the 17th century. From 1300 to 1700, the city built its renowned and infamous trade network, growing from 1,000 to 200,000 inhabitants while absorbing the customs of its newcomers. Walking through Amsterdam’s historic center, this history is never far away.
During this walking tour, I will take you on a journey through time. Starting at the Dam—the original dam in the river where the first inhabitants settled—we will trace the paths of urban development. We will pass the facades of buildings seen by the likes of Sweelinck, Spinoza, and Rembrandt. We will cross canals dug by generations of builders and explore remnants of both high and low culture, the rich and the poor, slavery and freedom.
+ Tours available in Dutch or English.
