‘The Jewish faith is very strong’

It was 1938 when 16-year-old Stokkink and her father fled over the border into Holland, where her mother already was waiting for them.
The next two years were wonderful. "I was a regular person," she said. "I was no longer dirty trash or an outcast."

That peace didn't last long, however. By 1940, the Nazis invaded Holland. Most Jewish residents were rounded up and moved to a ghetto in Amsterdam, she said, but for about a year and a half the family hid in the attic of a business acquaintance.

The two-room living space included a small bed for her and a couch for her parents. A closet stored potatoes and turnips, and once a week the family would purchase a big loaf of rye bread from the black market.

Going underground Although Holland was forced to surrender, many residents continued to fight against the Nazis.

Holland Fresh Group expand again at Fruit Logistica

The Holland Fresh Group return again with exhibitors from all over Holland to this years Fruit Logistica exhibition in Berlin. Again this year, they have increased in numbers to present a truly dramatic presence. In the UK, we first met the group at The World Fruit & Vegetable Show held in London. This year in Berlin the stands will total 2241 m2 of floor space, including 52 booths and 84 companies.

When asked about the major representation that the Holland Fresh Stand now makes within Fruit Logistica, Ger van Burik proudly commented that “The floor space of our group has grown by 100% from 2005 to 2009."

Exhibiting personnel will total over 500, all working on the beautifully presented stands, full of fantastic produce from the Dutch companies.

Moroccan organizations in Holland agree to attend Auschwitz memorial

Finally, I can submit a positive article about my country!

Moroccan groups decided to attend the ceremony after a direct invitation from Dutch Integration Minister Eberhard van der Laan called on Thursday.

Van der Laan emphasized the need for Jews and Muslims to "come together by understanding each other's pain and suffering."

"Muslims should understand what al-Nakba is for Muslims, the Shoah is to Jews, and vice versa." van der Laan said.

But not everything will be positive about this message, because Dutch MP Harry van Bommel of the leftist Socialist Party will not be present at the Auschwitz commemoration.

He was filmed calling for an "intifada" (uprising) against Israel during a pro-Palestinian rally where protestors also shouted explicit anti-Semitic slogans.

His announcement in the next days that he would be present at the Auschwitz commemoration caused fury among Dutch Jews.

Netherlands: More new houses built, fewer building permits granted

The decline was most prominent in the province of North Holland. The largest increase was recorded in the provinces of South Holland and Utrecht.
The number of building permits issued gives an indication of the number of houses to be built in the near future. On average, it took 22 months for a new house to be finished after the building permit was issued.

By the end of September 2008, the stock of unfinished dwellings was nearly 189 thousand, more than 1 percent up on one year previously. With 42 thousand, the largest stock was recorded in South Holland, the smallest in the province of Zeeland (3.7 thousand). .

Montreal Museum Presents Art Of Kees Van Dongen

In the light of new research and previously little-known works, the artist's career will be traced from his early days in Holland to his move to Paris and his participation in the famous Salon d'Automne of 1905, which established Fauvism as a new movement in modern art. Arresting paintings of nudes and flirtatious women that retain the sumptuous colours and rich impasto of his Fauvist works will be examined through the themes of exoticism, spectacle and Orientalism. The show will also include an impressive selection of large society portraits of the most celebrated personalities of the Roaring Twenties, which will illustrate his mature period. After Monaco and Montreal, the exhibition will travel to Barcelona's Picasso Museum.

The Montreal presentation will present, for the first time in North America, the outstanding collection of works by Van Dongen recently acquired by the Nouveau Musee national de Monaco, including the magisterial Spotted Chimera (1895-1907) and the Tabarin Wrestlers (1907-1908), an astonishing canvas that has not been exhibited for over fifty years, and Tango of the Archangel (1922-1935).

Holland America Line Committed to Culinary Excellence

Have you ever heared about the Holland America Line? This cruise ship is a duplication of the legendary Holland America Line, a ship that sailed between Holland and America in the early 50's.

Holland America Line has opened a new Culinary Training Program, designed in cooperation with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), at its training center in Manila, the Philippines, to train shipboard culinary staff for its expanding fleet of premium cruise ships. Trainees will live at the facility while completing a three-week immersion culinary course.

"Holland America Line is renowned for its culinary expertise and extraordinary food presentations in the dining rooms and many specialty restaurants," said Richard D. Meadows, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. "Our new culinary training program in Manila will ensure that our culinary and beverage staff continues to raise the bar as we provide outstanding meals and service to our guests."

The curriculum was designed by the CIA under the direction of a Holland America Line Culinary Operations team lead by Steve Kirsch, director of culinary operations, and Rudi Sodamin, master chef.

Dutch Statesman Wilders accused

2008 was a restless politic year in Holland. Dutch Statesman Geert Wilders released his Fitna-movie, full of criticism of religion, namely Islam.

The decision has inflamed a long-running debate in Holland about free speech and the criticism of the Islam, with critics from across the political spectrum questioning the bounds of the country's defamation laws.
However, the harsh nature of Wilders' comments and his association with the far-right Freedom Party in Holland have grouped him with an increasing number of European politicians who have used fear and resentment of Muslim immigrants to garner influence.

Although the charges against Wilders are the first to emerge from a European court, it is not the first time he has faced prosecution for his comments. In September, a Jordanian court in Amman issued charges of blasphemy and defamation against Wilders and 11 Danish editors for the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad.

[Soccer] Manchester City complete £15m signing of Dutch midfielder

Ok, as you all may know, soccer is the most favorite sport in Holland. During a game of the national team, it becomes very quiet on the streets. And one of our national players, Nigel De Jong, has made a transfer from the German HSV to Manchester City lately.

The midfielder has confirmed he will join the club after agreeing personal terms and he will make his debut against Newcastle at home on Wednesday next week.

De Jong had an escape clause in his Hamburg contract stipulating he could leave for 2.5million euros ($2.35m) at the end of this season.

City chiefs decided they did not want to wait that long and stunned Hamburg with their offer last week.

Sensing they could make even more of a killing, Hamburg announced they would consider it over the weekend in a tactic which succeeded in extracting at least another 2m euros from City's seemingly bottomless transfer kitty.

De Jong turned down the opportunity to sign a new $55,000 a week deal at Hamburg.

The German club's boss, former Spurs manager Martin Jol, intends to use City's money to bring in three new players.