By means of this youth magazine, the Betsalel (under God’s shadow) association produced a publication “voor het opkomend joodsche geslacht in de Nederlandsche joodsche gezinnen in binnen- en buitenland” (for the rising Jewish generation in Dutch Jewish families at home and abroad).

Special serials, many of them written by Clara Asscher-Pinkhof, were a standard part of the magazine. The Jewish youth magazine also included poems and riddles. Much space was devoted to matters regarding the Jewish religion, culture and history. There were, for instance, features on Jewish dietary laws and special holy days as well as Hebrew lessons, prayers and passages from Jewish scripture. Every issue mentioned the times on which the next Sjabbos (Sabbath) would begin and end. Children were given the opportunity to submit their own compositions for publication. The youngest readers had a special section: ‘Voor onze kleuters’ (for our little ones). It is striking to see that almost half the magazine was filled with advertisements.

The men and women who contributed to De Joodsche jeugdkrant: Betsalel took a most positive stance toward the Dutch royal family; the Netherlands were regarded as the country that gave hospitality to Jewish refugees throughout history. Although the current events of the 1928-1935 period were not mentioned explicitly, the magazine may well be seen as a poignant document of historical interest because of the noticeable menace of advancing Nazism. This was particularly manifest in the ‘questions box’, although the letters themselves were unfortunately not printed.

Digitized: vol. 1 (1928) – vol. 7

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