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

Amersfoort Mayor Lucas Bolsius intervened to reverse Museum Amersfoort's cancellation of an exhibition marking the 300th anniversary of the city's historic synagogue, which the museum had canceled citing security concerns related to the Gaza war. The mayor said there was no evidence of a security threat and pledged to ensure the exhibition proceeds.

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. Dating back to 1727, the Amersfoort Synagogue is the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in Western Europe still in active use. 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. Museum director Paul Baltus told the Dutch newspaper AD that organizers "find the tension that this brings with it difficult," adding that as a small organization, he did not want to subject volunteers to possible reactions, despite the absence of any specific security threat. Bolsius assured the local Jewish community on Wednesday that the exhibition would proceed, saying he had not been consulted and that there was no evidence of a security threat. "I am deeply saddened by this decision. Jewish history is an integral part of our city's heritage," Bolsius said. Alexander van Dijkhuizen, chairman of the Jewish Community of Amersfoort, criticized the cancellation as reflecting a tendency to conflate Jewish identity with Israeli government actions. The article notes similar cancellations in the Netherlands, including a retirement home canceling a concert by Lenny Kuhr and the Royal Concert Hall canceling a Chanukah concert before reversing.