The Concertgebouw concert hall in Amsterdam has canceled its annual Hanukkah concert scheduled for December after organizers insisted that IDF Chief Cantor Lt. Col. Shai Abramson take part, Dutch media reported.
The concert, traditionally held to mark Hanukkah, was set for December 14. Discussions are now underway about holding it at another venue if the Jewish community cannot compel the hall to host it through legal action.
The Concertgebouw said Abramson’s role as the IDF’s chief cantor contradicts the venue’s mission “to connect people through music.” It noted that Abramson, who has served as a civilian employee of the Israeli military since 2017, frequently performs at memorial ceremonies. The hall added that it would be “inappropriate” for him to appear as an open representative of the IDF amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Simon Reinink, the hall’s general director, told DutchNews: “We only depart from our principle of artistic freedom in the most exceptional cases. Unfortunately, this is one of them.”
The foundation organizing the concert said it plans to challenge the decision in court, claiming it violates freedom of religion. It also accused the hall’s management of deepening “the sense of isolation felt by members of the Jewish community in these times” and taking “a divisive and extremist step.”
Doron Sanders, president of the Mizrachi movement in the Netherlands, condemned the cancellation, saying, “The situation in the Netherlands is beginning to resemble the 1930s. More and more venues are refusing to host events involving Israelis because of their connection to a state they claim is committing genocide. The atmosphere right now is very difficult, and it’s unclear what the future holds. Despite the ceasefire, things don’t seem to be improving here.”
In a December 2023 interview with Ynet, Abramson described the emotional toll of recent months. “In all my years as the IDF’s chief cantor, I have never experienced such an intense emotional whirlwind,” he said. “I feel like I’m on a roller coaster with great highs of excitement and deep lows of sorrow. That’s why it’s so important now, more than ever, to keep doing, to find the points of light and strength within us, to hold on to them, reveal them and amplify them. Everyone can contribute in their own way to this struggle, which is not only military but also about advocacy. We must broaden the circles of support and solidarity with Israel, and in the spirit of Hanukkah, continue to keep the flame of Jewish spirit burning.”
Abramson has not commented on the matter.