Kristine Hoover said Fig Tree makes world better

 

Kristine Hoover, director of Gonzaga University's master's in leadership studies, felt honored to help address The Fig Tree's theme about sharing wisdom and connecting generations for its March 8 Benefit Lunch.

"A big thank you to The Fig Tree for bringing us together today and each month with stories that do just that—bridge the gap between generations and share valuable insights," she said.

Kristine explained that one way she resonates with the 2025 benefit theme, "Sharing Wisdom: Connecting the Generations" is through her work with Clement Lye creating the documentary, "Carla the Rescuer," which premiered in January.

"The Fig Tree played a role in spreading the word about the film," said Kristine, telling of messages from Fig Tree readers who learned about it through several articles.

"Carla Peperzak's story began in 1923—101 years or four generations ago. She continues to make news today with her inspirational leadership," she said.

"The Fig Tree has been a constant presence in our community, introducing audiences to Carla over the decades with more than two dozen stories highlighting her efforts," Kristine said. "She has spent countless hours being interviewed by The Fig Tree and has long supported its important role in our community."

Kristine said the documentary connects generations as a story about sharing the history of WWII and the Holocaust with generations today.

"It reflects on how a sophisticated country like Germany became the breeding ground for Nazism. Hitler didn't come to power through genocide and murder, but in a time of resentment, using extreme nationalism and scapegoating," she said.

Carla's story reveals the personal toll this time had on her family and many others—her father lost his business, and entire groups were excluded from professions like teaching and medicine. During the Holocaust, 6 million Jews and more than 3 million others were murdered because of their ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, disability or sexual orientation.

"The film is a story of generations," Kristine continued, "because Carla is most proud to have 54 members of her family today. Antisemitism took three-quarters of her family and many friends. Today, the story of her family's survival is told by four generations—including her great-granddaughter, Aubrey, who is now the age she was in WWII.

"Carla embodies leadership, showing us self-awareness, moral courage and a deep sense of community. She was a medical student who was fluent in German and became involved with the Dutch Resistance. During unimaginable hardship, she transformed from being a typical teenager to a resilient, aware individual who understood her own power rather than feeling helpless," added Kristine, aware that even those who have not seen the documentary may know much of her story from reading The Fig Tree.

Carla still shares her story.

"We must appreciate The Fig Tree's work to provide us with these important stories. They help us reflect on what is right and wrong, inspire us with lives of purpose and service, and keep inviting us to promote unity and action for the common good," Kristine said.

"Thank you to The Fig Tree for your unwavering commitment to help us move toward healing and making our world a better place, spreading hope and calling us to action. Through The Fig Tree's stories, we're reminded that, together, we can make a difference," she said. "Our supporting The Fig Tree, a community treasure, amplifies the hope and positive change we can create."

The 2025 Benefit videos are available on Youtube through the links on this Benefit 2025 page.