Menasseh ben Israel Instituut voor Joodse Studies

Edwin Seroussi offers a general outline of synagogue music in the Netherlands, describing several aspects of the uniquely Dutch synagogue musical traditions, while at the same time pointing out the characteristics it shares with the traditions of other Jewish centers. The essay questions some established paradigms in this field of research, such as the sharp distinction between Sephardic and Ahkenazi traditions and the emphasis on the unique character of Dutch synagogue music, concluding that the music of the Dutch synagogues reflects the history of the Jews in the Netherlands and their relationship to the culture surrounding them.