Erwin Brugmans

Erwin Brugmans was a Dutch Jewish community leader, peacebuilder, and openly gay member of the Jewish LGBTQ+ community. Deeply rooted in his Jewish faith and identity, he became known for building understanding between Jewish and Muslim communities in Amsterdam while remaining active in Jewish LGBTQ+ organisations. His life reflected a commitment to both his Jewish and gay identities.

Born in Amsterdam on 9 June 1950, Brugmans spent part of his childhood in Australia before returning to the Netherlands. He became a longstanding leader of Sjoel West, a synagogue in Amsterdam, where he helped sustain Jewish communal life for more than three decades. Brugmans was an active member of the Dutch gay community. He participated in COC Nederland and the Jewish LGBTQ+ organisation Sjalhomo, and was a familiar presence on the Jewish boat during Amsterdam Pride. Friends and colleagues remembered him as someone who lived openly as both a gay man and a committed Jew.

He was also involved in initiatives that promoted dialogue between Jewish and Muslim communities in Amsterdam, earning a reputation as a bridge-builder committed to mutual understanding and reconciliation.

Brugmans died in December 2020 at the age of seventy. He is remembered as a devoted Jew, an openly gay man, and a tireless advocate for dialogue and inclusion. His life demonstrated how religious faith and LGBTQ+ identity could be brought together in service of community, compassion, and peace.

(This biographical statement written by Rachael Stockdale.)

Biography Date: July 2026

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