Het Engels wordt gevold door een Nederlandse vertaling.
It was high art! I didn’t take notes during the broadcast. I wanted to enjoy the concert. And, I did. My notes here are from memory.
It was majestic. Definitely not a sorry display. Everything looked and sounded wonderful. The number and degree of errors were minuscule.
I noticed a lot of good. It all sounded like a clock. The live broadcast of the recordings went smoothly. Script and direction (a Dutch specialty) were flawless. The variety of styles and genres was also enormous. There were humor and lightheartedness, both in presentation and performance. Which is a great good from a land that often sounds so gloomy. It was truly a Channukah LIGHT concert. Special mention to pianist Maxim Heijmerink.
The bass-baritone sang pitch-perfect. As a low bass, I can tell you that this is rarely the case with basses. But he hit every low note and on the head.
I want to pay special attention to the pronunciation of the Hebrew. Singing often sins against it. Especially with Dutch chazanut, I am very strict because, if even the Dutch don’t sing exactly, who would? Well, 99.99% of all the Hebrew was flawless, and I am grateful for that. Mistakes, to learn from, to improve in the future, not to complain about perfection:
• Maoz Tzur, not Maoss Tzur.
• It is one thing if you don’t want to sing the ngayeen Dutch-traditionally, but don’t make it a Yud: we-al, not: we-yal.
• Me-achar kein, not: me-yachar kein.
• Tzur Yisra’el, not Tzur Yizra’el.
• Adon ‘Olam: kol-yetzeer like one word. It doesn’t mean ‘voice of the creature,’ but ‘every creature.’ Also: na’asa vecheftzo, not: becheftzo.
• The Reish and the Daleth are very similar in shape, but it is amad’ta, not: amarrta (You stood, not: You said).
I give the concert a fat 100.
If you haven’t seen it yet, catching up is ‘mandatory.’
Next year in the illustrious Concertgebouw again. People not living close-by were lucky this year. Even a pandemic can bring good things.
The clip should get English and Hebrew subtitles.
***
Channoeka-licht concert 2020
Het was uit de kunst!
Ik heb geen aantekeningen gemaakt want ik wilde van het concert genieten. Nou, dat is goed gelukt. Mijn aantekeningen zijn uit het hoofd.
Het was majesteus. Absoluut geen zielige vertoning. Alles zag en klonk piekfijn. Het aantal foutjes en de graad ervan was minuscuul.
Mij vielen zoal op: het klonk allemaal als een klok. De life uitzending van de opnames ging vlekkeloos. Het draaiboek en de regie (Nederlandse specialiteit) waren perfect. Er zat humor en lichtvoetigheid, zowel in de presentatie als in de uitvoering. Wat een groot goed is vanuit het land dat vaak zo zwaarmoedig klinkt. Het was waarlijk een channoeka LICHT concert. Speciale vermelding voor de pianist Maxim Heijmerink.
De verscheidenheid aan stijlen en genres was ook enorm.
De bas-bariton zong zuiver. Als lage bas kan ik je zeggen dat dat zelden zo is bij bassen. Maar elke lage noot haalde hij en nog zuiver ook.
Even speciale aandacht voor de uitspraak van het Hebreeuws. Daar wordt bij het zingen vaak tegen gezondigd. Vooral bij Nederlands chazanoet ben ik daar heel streng op want als Nederlanders niet meer precies zingen, wie dan nog wel? Nou, 99.99% van al het Hebreeuws was foutloos en daar ben ik dankbaar voor. Foutjes, om van te leren, om te verbeteren in de toekomst, niet om te zeuren over perfectie:
• Maoz Tsoer, niet Maoss Tsoer.
• Als je de ngajien niet traditioneel wilt zingen is een ding maar maak er geen joed van: we’al, niet: wejal.
• Me’achar kein, niet: mejachar kein.
• Tsoer Jisra’eel, niet Tsoer Jizra’eel.
• Adon ‘olam: kol-jetsier moet aan elkaar. Het is niet de stem van het schepsel maar ieder schepsel. Ook: na’asa vecheftso, niet: becheftso.
• De Reisj en de Daleth lijken veel op elkaar qua vorm maar het is ‘amad’ta, niet: amarrta (Gij stondt, niet: Gij zeit).
Ik geef het concert een vette 10.
Wie ‘m nog niet gezien heeft: inhalen ‘verplicht.’
Volgend jaar weer in het beroemde Concertgebouw. Mensen die niet dichtbij wonen boften dit jaar. Zelfs van een pandemie kan goeds komen.
De YouTube-clip zou Engelse en Hebreeuwse ondertitels moeten krijgen.
MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. *
As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. *
This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Of the 15 (!) books he has in mind, the next two are about homosexuality in Judaism and new rabbinics. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2600 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog that also may contain updates to Times of Israel posts, to which one may subscribe, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. *
He's getting ready to publicize books on: "Free Will, "Judaism and Homosexuality, "His parents in the Holocaust, "Judaism, "A New Torah Translation and "A New Hebrew Grammar, "Co-Counseling, "Vegan Facts, "Immortality, and more. *
Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He agrees that in a post-truth world, that's irrelevant, but then this is for the record. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. *
Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. *
Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. *
He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. *
He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. *
He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. *
His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. His posts are spell, grammar, and style polished by AI, but all written by himself. *
To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. *
His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1
