Dutch mayor intervenes after museum cancels 300-year Jewish heritage exhibition - report

Amersfoort Mayor Lucas Bolsius has intervened to reverse a last-minute decision by Museum Amersfoort to cancel an exhibition marking the 300th anniversary of the Dutch city's historic synagogue, The Algemeiner reported Wednesday.

Dating back to 1727, the Amersfoort Synagogue is the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in Western Europe still in active use, preserving a religious tradition rooted in the Jewish communities of Central and Eastern Europe.

The museum announced the cancellation on Tuesday, citing security concerns related to the war in Gaza and broader regional tensions.

The exhibition, titled “300 Years Amersfoort Shul,” had been in planning for five years and was scheduled to open ahead of the synagogue's 300th anniversary in February.

Paul Baltus, director of the nonprofit organization that operates the museum, told the Dutch newspaper AD that organizers “find the tension that this brings with it difficult.”

“As a small, vulnerable organization, I do not want to subject my people to that. Of course, you can deploy security guards or install cameras, but the fact remains that our volunteers have to deal with all kinds of possible reactions,” Baltus said.

The decision was made despite the absence of any specific security threat.

Mayor intervenes following backlash over cancellation

Bolsius assured the local Jewish community on Wednesday that the exhibition would proceed as planned, saying he had not been consulted about the cancellation and that there was no evidence of a security threat to the museum or its staff.

“I am deeply saddened by this decision. Jewish history is an integral part of our city’s heritage and must receive the attention and recognition it warrants,” Bolsius said during a meeting at City Hall. “The cancellation has caused considerable pain within the Jewish community, particularly by reinforcing the feeling that its members are not welcome or even allowed to exist.”

“We want to ensure that the community and the city get to see the exhibition they have been looking forward to for years,” Bolsius continued. “We are therefore entering into discussions with all parties involved to find a way to resolve the situation and make sure the exhibition can proceed.”

Alexander van Dijkhuizen, chairman of the Jewish Community of Amersfoort, strongly criticized the cancellation, arguing that it reflected a broader tendency within the cultural sector to conflate Jewish identity with the actions of the Israeli government.

“Apparently, many struggle to distinguish between Jewish identity and Israel. The reflex to cancel performances in situations like this is becoming increasingly common across the cultural sector,” Dijkhuizen said in a statement.

“It is essential not only to reflect on the past, but also to acknowledge the difficult circumstances facing the Jewish community today. Its population continues to dwindle,” he added.

Jewish events face cancellations in the Netherlands

The controversy follows several boycotts and attempted cancellations involving Jewish and Israeli events in the Netherlands.

In May, a retirement home canceled a concert by Dutch-Jewish singer and Eurovision winner Lenny Kuhr following anti-Israel protests at one of her earlier performances.

Last year, Amsterdam's Royal Concert Hall canceled a Chanukah concert because one of the performers was an IDF reservist, before reversing the decision amid the threat of legal action.