Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp Symposium held in The Hague
“The Insolent Waters – Moral Choices for an Endangered Planet” was the title of an international Symposium held on the occasion of Rabbi Awraham Soetendorps retirement as Rabbi of the Liberal Jewish Congregation of The Hague. The event that was attended by around 200 invited guests commemorated Rabbi Soetendorp’s many achievements as Rabbi, Earth Charter Comissioner, Ambassador for the MDGs and committed world citizen.
Among the speakers were The Netherlands’ former Prime Minister and Earth Charter Commissioner Ruud Lubbers, Her Royal Highness Princess van Oranje-Nassau and Dr. Katherine Marshall of the Berkley Center for Religion and World Affairs in Washington DC who is a colleague of Rabbi Soetendorp in the World Economic Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders for Islam-West Dialogue.
Observing the symposium, it was a an exiting moment to meet two remaining relatives of the foster family that took care of Awraham as a baby during Nazi occupation. Awraham has touched the hearts of millions of people by telling his moving life story, the story of having survived the holocaust because of the courage of a German-born Lady that opened her door for a baby in a suitcase that was placed in front of her door. Seeing Awraham who in his first years grew up as “Bobby van der Kamp” embrace the two remaining nieces of his foster mother was indeed a very moving scene.
In his very last official sermon, Awraham reminisced over his inauguration as Rabbi led by his father Jacob with whom he united after the war, remembered special moments of the forty years of service as Rabbi in his congregation in The Hague, and concluded on a line of hope by citing the final lines of the Earth Charter:
“Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle towards justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.”