ABSTRACT
It was decidedly symbolic that not Amsterdam but Middelburg, capital of the province of Zeeland, became the first place where a sermon in Dutch was delivered in a synagogue. By an Amsterdammer, incidentally, teacher and preacher of the Portuguese Israelite Congregation: Aron Cohen Carillon. He had advocated preaching in the national language for a long time but was unable to convince his own congregation. He was forced to carry on addressing them in Portuguese, even though a large proportion of his listeners would promptly leave each time, being unable to understand a word. In Middelburg Carillon saw his chance. Fluent in several languages, he had been involved in a case at the law court in Zeeland as a translator and interpreter. He offered to deliver to the Jews of Middelburg a sermon he had given before in Portuguese, but in Dutch this time. They agreed. It was called ‘Leerrede over de tijdsomstandigheden van ons Vaderland’ (A Sermon About the Current Condition of our Fatherland) and it was full of patriotism, affection for the House of Orange and fierce criticism of the rebellious Belgians. It was even published.
