WILLEMSTAD – Dutch designer and former Curaçao resident Marc Numann has completed a detailed LEGO model of the historic Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue in Punda, which will be placed on permanent display at the Jewish Museum Curaçao.
Numann arrived on the island a week ago carrying ten kilograms of LEGO bricks in his luggage. After an intensive week of building, during which he said he did not see the sun or the beach, the model of the monumental synagogue—also known as the Snoa—was completed.
The synagogue, built in 1732, is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere. Numann has a personal connection to the building, having lived on Curaçao as a child and celebrated his bar mitzvah at the synagogue. He described the Snoa as “love at first sight,” pointing to its yellow exterior walls, white sand floor, blue window frames, mahogany interior, and distinctive chandeliers and organ as defining features he sought to recreate in the model.
According to Numann, the LEGO version is meant to be a recognizable tribute for those familiar with the building, while also serving as an invitation for those who have never visited to step inside and experience the calm atmosphere of the synagogue in the heart of Punda.
The model will be exhibited permanently in the shop of the newly opened Jewish Museum Curaçao, which documents the history of the Jewish community on the island. In addition to the large display model, Numann has also designed a smaller LEGO version that visitors will be able to purchase and assemble themselves.
The initiative adds a creative and accessible element to the presentation of Curaçao’s Jewish heritage, linking architectural history with contemporary design and offering visitors a new way to engage with one of the island’s most iconic monuments.
