Stories preserved with care
Esther Shaya is an Amsterdam-based author of narrative non-fiction. Her work is dedicated to preserving and sharing stories from the Jewish community in the Netherlands.
She is the author of two acclaimed Dutch-language books, Harry & Sieny: Overleven in Verzet en Liefde and Het veelbewogen leven van Henriëtte Pimentel, written with Frank Hemminga.
From 2015 to 2025, Shaya served as a board member, editor and author for the Jewish Houses Foundation. She contributed eight historical narratives to the foundation’s annual publications, documenting the lives of Dutch Jewish families before the Second World War.
Shaya has been interviewed on Dutch national radio and television and has spoken in the Netherlands, the United States and Australia. She lives in Amsterdam.
Research and approach
Add an extended explanation of Esther’s process: archival research, interviews, family records, source verification and the responsibility involved in writing intimate histories.
Speaking and media
Use this section for a concise account of lectures, conversations, interviews and subjects Esther can address. Include approved recordings or a downloadable speaker sheet when available.