Following days of public backlash in Amsterdam, the prestigious Concertgebouw concert hall and the Central Jewish Board of the Netherlands (CJO) have reached an agreement allowing its annual Hanukkah concert to take place at the venue—albeit in a modified format.
According to Dutch outlet Telegraaf, IDF Chief Cantor Lt. Col. Shai Abramson will now perform at two closed events, likely limited to members of the Jewish community.
The Concertgebouw’s initial refusal to allow the chief military cantor to perform had sparked outrage within the Dutch Jewish community and in Israel. Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli intervened personally, sharply criticizing Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema over what he described as a discriminatory policy toward Israel and the Jewish community.
In a joint statement, the Concertgebouw and the Organization of Jewish Communities in the Netherlands announced that instead of the originally planned midday concert, a new public event will be held “with which both parties can identify”: a concert open to all ages focusing on the theme of unity surrounding the Festival of Lights. Dutch conductor Jules van Hessen will lead the performance, which will not include Abramson.
However, on the evening of December 14, two closed Hanukkah events will take place at the Concertgebouw, open to invited guests only. Abramson will perform at these gatherings in his role as chief IDF cantor. According to the hall’s management, proceeds from these private bookings will be donated to “an organization working to strengthen social cohesion in the city.”
Chikli welcomed the outcome. “This is an important victory following a determined struggle," he said. "I’m glad that the public pressure we exerted—together with the Jewish community in the Netherlands and Dutch non-Jewish activists who stood against the blatant discrimination—led to a reversal of the decision. The lesson is clear: we must never remain silent or accept antisemitism and discrimination against Jews.”
Earlier this month, the Concertgebouw had said that the participation of the IDF's chief cantor contradicted the hall’s mission of “connecting people through music.” Notably, the chief cantor often performs at national memorial ceremonies.
The venue also said it would be inappropriate for Abramson, a civilian IDF employee since 2017, to take part in the event as an open representative of the Israeli military, especially amid the war in Gaza. Simon Reinink, the Concertgebouw’s director, told DutchNews: “We deviate from our artistic freedom policy only in extremely rare cases. Regrettably, this is one of them.”
The decision drew sharp condemnation from the Jewish community in the Netherlands and in Israel. Chikli sent a strongly worded letter to Amsterdam's mayor, claiming that “the city’s decision constitutes surrender to extremists and a normalization of the rising antisemitism in Europe.”
In response, Halsema firmly rejected the accusation: “I categorically and unequivocally reject your insinuations that this is antisemitism on the part of the city of Amsterdam or the Concertgebouw. Furthermore, I consider the comparison between this case and the persecution and extermination of Jews during World War II to be utterly repugnant. History demands precision and integrity—not manipulative use.”