Egbert Assink was born in 1944 in Goor, in the eastern part of the country.  After an academic career as a teacher in the Department of Psychology of Utrecht University, he retired in 2004.   Besides psychology, the study of Hebrew and Arabic including their cultural contexts has been his favourite activity since his youth.  He is a member of the Dutch Society for Hebrew Studies.  His special fields of interest are Jewish and Islamic philosophy and mysticism.  Mediaeval Islamic Spain, the period of fruitful cultural interaction between Jews and Muslims is a beautiful example.  His two grown up children live on their own.  He lives with his wife Ans in Montfoort, a charming medieval village near Utrecht.