“My love for history blossomed at the age of 16, during a trip to the Acropolis. I was captivated, feeling a thrill that resonated deeply within me. My parents came to England in 1939, escaping the Holocaust, but this left me with no extended family. History became my way of connecting to a past that had been lost to me.

My childhood was difficult. My mother suffered from an untreated mental illness, and when I was 19, my brother tragically passed away. That loss sent our family into even deeper grief. At that time, I believed the only way forward was to get married, which I did at a young age. By my late 20s, I had three sons. Yet, it wasn’t until my 30s that I finally returned to my passion for history. I enrolled at The Open University, a lifeline that reconnected me with my intellectual side. From there, I continued my education and studied History at UCL.

At the age of 40, I began working for the first time and spent the next 20 years immersed in my passion. I taught the History of London to international students at Regents College, combining classroom teaching with weekly historical tours. It was incredibly fulfilling to not only teach history but to make it come alive by exploring the very places we discussed. Teaching brought me immense joy, especially watching the course’s popularity grow over the years. It felt like a tremendous achievement, a testament to how far I had come from my 20-year-old self.

At 60, I decided it was time to enjoy a new chapter of life. I left my teaching position to explore other interests, including returning to the Open University to study History of Art. I also joined U3A, where I continue to teach and lead history tours. Retirement, for me, has been anything but idle. Sharing my knowledge and exploring historical sites remains a constant joy. There’s nothing quite like experiencing history firsthand. Some of the most memorable places I’ve visited include:

Petra, Jordan
Entering Petra, built into red rock, through a very long and winding road is a humbling experience. The ancient city makes you feel small, both physically and in the scope of history.

Taj Mahal, India
The beauty of the Taj Mahal is beyond imagination. Its translucent marble captures light in a way that makes the enormous structure seem both monumental and ethereal.

Masada, Israel
I used to visit Israel a lot with my children, and I felt very privileged to be living at a time when Jews had a homeland again. Masada for me is a fantastic Jewish story and I love the synagogue that’s still there.

Ephesus, Turkey
Walking through the well-preserved ruins of Ephesus, you can easily imagine life as it was in the ancient city. It’s one of those places where history feels incredibly tangible.

Auschwitz, Poland
At the age of 72, I faced a deeply personal chapter of my history. I visited the ghetto where my grandparents had been and then travelled to Auschwitz, where they perished. The experience was unforgettable in the saddest of ways.

I’m now looking forward to my next trip with Circle Square members to visit the Cairo Genizah. The Genizah, which loosely translates as a hidden storage space, is where many historical documents from the 11th century onwards were discovered in Cairo, and later brought to Cambridge. The texts are in various languages, mostly Hebrew, Arabic, and Aramaic, and document almost 1000 years of social and economic life in the Mediterranean region. They include both religious and secular writings, the latter includes shopping lists, marriage contracts, school exercise books and items written by Maimonides. There’s so much we can learn from them, and I find great pleasure in sharing this knowledge with others.

The biggest misconception about ageing is that life slows down or loses meaning once you stop working. But there is so much left to do, to learn, and to experience. Age is no barrier to living fully, and I feel fortunate to continue my journey through history with each new chapter of my life.”

Circle Square Member Q&A

What 3 words best describe you? Resourceful, people’s person, generous.

If you could offer your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be? To believe more in the future. That was very difficult for me to do when I was young.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? Bringing up three sons, who are all leading full lives.

Which person (dead or alive) would you most like to invite to dinner?Theodore Herzl. I’d love to chat with him about the time he lived in, and what he achieved.

How has age strengthened your advantage? Ageing has allowed me to feel more confident about stepping into unfamiliar spaces.

What inspired you to join Circle Square? I was introduced to Noam and felt very drawn to the ethos of Circle Square as he explained it.