Mick Hartley

From the JC:

A concert hall in Amsterdam has called off its Chanukah show because the IDF’s chief cantor was due to perform.

Shai Abramson, who represents the IDF at official events, was set to sing at the Concertgebouw for the annual event organised by Chanukah Concert Foundation.

However, the decision was taken to cancel the production, with the hall’s director, Simon Reinink, saying that Abramson’s presence would be “opposed to our mission”.

“Making this decision was extremely difficult,” Reinink said. “Only in very exceptional circumstances do we make an exception to our important principle of artistic freedom. It is with great sadness that such an exception has now arisen.“

Because Israel. Because Jews are fine in their place, but when they assert themselves and fight back to preserve their homeland from annihilation – that’s where we draw the line.

And the venue went on to insist that Jewish performers more generally would be welcomed, saying: “In a time of rising antisemitism, we believe it is important to emphasise that the Concertgebouw will always remain a place where the Jewish community is welcome.”

Some other Jew, maybe. Just not that Jew. Remember, we make the rules round here.

However, the foundation told Dutch News: “The Concertgebouw is effectively asking us to replace our religious leader, which is not within its authority.

“[It is] an isolating and polarising step [for] the sense of isolation currently felt within the Jewish community.”

Three-quarters of Dutch Jews were murdered during the Second World War. In other Western European countries such as Belgium and France the numbers were far lower. So no, this is not a good look.