Jadzia Mendelson on holidays in Greece

This is a picture of my sister, Jadzia Mendelson, nee Beitner, taken on holiday in Greece in the 1980s.

After we left Poland for Israel my sister Jadzia, who was living near the airport, took us in. We stayed with her for some two months. And then we went to Ulpan near Netanya. It was a Hebrew school together with accommodation, food, everything.

So we didn't have to worry about cooking, shopping, especially since we didn't have any money. We didn't have to pay for accommodation, for food. We spent some five months there. I was in the same class with my son, so I had to try hard not to embarrass myself.

We were also allotted an apartment then. And immediately after our arrival, we didn't yet have time to settle down, we received notification that we have to pay back the credit.

It was very difficult for us financially. We borrowed money from one sister, then from the other one and then we paid it back

We spoke Polish at home, until the end, always. And with my sisters, after some time, I started speaking Hebrew. Not always though.

When Jadzia visited me recently we spoke Polish, so she would remember it, because she was only a child during the occupation. But when Zosia calls me from Israel we speak Hebrew, because it's easier for her.