Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz

Parashat Lech Lecha Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz A Father’s Daughter There is something Biblical about the trajectory of my late father’s life. Born in Amsterdam in 1903, in a devout Protestant family, he was the only one of five his siblings not born in Grand Rapids, Michigan (USA). Breaking with a long family tradition to train for the ministry, my father embraced science and reason and studied medicine instead. In the 1930’s my father was an ambitious young family doctor with a dream to become a psychiatrist. My father, Paul Theodoor Hugenholtz in the 1930's with his parents and siblings. He is the man labeled number 5. During the mid-to-late 1930’s, my father travelled to Germany for reasons unknown to me; perhaps they were related to his profession. Family history recounts that he had a chance to witness Adolf Hitler speak and that my father, intrigued by how such a cruel demagogue could sway so many, went to the rally. My father intellectually, morally and ide...

The former church of my ancestors in Amsterdam As a rabbinical student, I engage in interfaith work which I find very important. For previous interfaith work, I have attended conferences (such as L.A.'s interseminarian conference 'InterSem' ) and have written articles and given lectures for both the Dutch Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. One of my more exciting assignments this past month was giving a lecture at the 'Vrije Gemeente', the 'Free Community' of Amsterdam. The Vrije Gemeente originated as a very liberal, 'Unitarian Universalist-esque' Protestant community founded in 1877. Over the centuries, they have held on to their commitment to theological liberalism and humanism. They welcome a wide range of speakers for their Sunday morning activities. Petrus Hermannus Hugenholtz (my father, z"l, had his nose!) I approached the Vrije Gemeente last year because I wanted to do an activity for them. My reasons were rather specific and rema...