The Keepers of their Stories
September 2026 Yvonne Rado, her sister Debbie and brother Jonathan are my second cousins once removed. Both their parents, Tom and Marysia Rado, have sadly died — Marysia in 2020 from pancreatic cancer, and Tom, in December 2025, after falling while pruning a tree. They were both special people in their own way, and I caught up with them regularly. Coincidentally my mother and their mother shared the same name, Marysia. Yvonne’s grandmother, Tobcia Faitlowicz, was my father
Jane
Sep 14 min read
✨ Full of Stars in Our Eyes ✨
August 2026 Łódź Ghetto Commemoration 2026 Last month I received a call from Mel, the granddaughter of Łódź Ghetto survivor Tuvia Lipson. She was organising this year’s Łódź Ghetto commemoration. She told me that six Lodz ghetto survivors living in Melbourne had died this past year and, for the first time, there weren’t enough survivors left to light the memorial candles, a yearly tradition. As a tribute to the six survivors, she asked a family member of each to make a short
Jane
Sep 13 min read
Goodbye Marysia, goodbye our angel
June 2026 It has been over a month since my mother, Marysia Kohn, passed away on 20/5/2026 at the age of 102. For those who were unable to attend her funeral, I wanted to share her eulogy together with photos from her remarkable life. Mum & Dad, Munich 1945 Thursday 21/5/26 Springvale Jewish Cemetery Welcome everyone I’ve been thinking about this moment for a very long time - how to find the right words to honour our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend —
Jane
Jun 2711 min read
And so, mum died
May 2026 Yes she finally died. Marysia Kohn died I’m trying to take it in, to fathom it. That human being — my mother — with so much goodness inside her, so much love to give, and such deep gratitude for life, is dead. I was there when she breathed her last breath. I was holding her hand while talking on the phone to Gil. He was across the road at my place. We were organising a roster so someone could stay with her throughout the night and the coming week. We knew she was dyi
Jane
Jun 153 min read
Eunji’s story: : What's life all about?
1/4/26 For the past two weeks, I have been translating about 70 letters written in Polish by Jane’s parents, Marysia and Adolek. The letters span fifty years -- from 1949, when they first arrived in Australia, to 1999, when emailing took over handwritten letters. They were sent to Adolek’s sister, Madja, and her husband, Rafal, who had settled in Palestine after WW11. I used AI to help decipher the handwriting and language, but understanding the stories behind the letters req
Jane
Apr 155 min read
✨The magic of Eunji✨
March 2026 When Eunji arrived in mid-February, she had already spent a year travelling around New Zealand, and six months of it sleeping in her car. Hosting a new WWOOFer always comes with a mix of excitement and nerves. I am Jewish and have a strong connection to Israel. I lived there for 17 years and raised my family there. Today, my daughters and grandchildren still live there, along with many dear friends and relatives. Each time a new traveller arrives, I never quite kno
Jane
Apr 93 min read