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28 OBITUARY

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 Mrs Leah Last o”h

To mark her first Yohrzeit, 12th Kislev 5783

Mrs Leah Last o”h was born to Moshe Yehuda Turner and Bluma (née Kosiner) in 1932 in Mother Levy’s Nursing Home (later to be called the Bearsted Memorial Hospital), Highbury, London. She was the younger sister to Reuven (Rudi) and Myer. Leah’s parents were from Germany, where her two brothers were born.

Her parents were visiting family in London when Leah was born, which turned the visit into a long-term stay. This enabled them to invite many relatives to England, by sponsoring them and being their guarantors, thus saving them from the Holocaust.

Until she started school at the age of five, Leah spoke no English, as Yiddish was all she heard at home. She enjoyed a happy and carefree childhood and made many friends easily. This tranquil life came to an abrupt stop when Britain declared war on Nazi Germany for the invasion of Poland.

She would describe how everyone in England would be constantly listening to the radio for news of events. Once war broke out, the whole school was evacuated, so Leah and her brother Myer had to leave home. At the train station they were given a gas mask and a packet of nuts and raisins, whilst with tears, they waved goodbye to their parents and older brother, and were taken by train to a village near Northampton, where a priest’s wife chose Leah and Myer to come and stay with them.

Schooling was soon restarted, and although there were only a handful of Jewish children there, they soon settled down happily. Having been warned before leaving London not to eat any non-kosher food products, they survived on a very meagre diet.

A few months into the evacuation Leah caught mumps, and was sent back to London together with Myer, where they were soon caught up in the London Blitz. There was a shelter in the garden, where they would sleep every night, until a couple of bombs blew up some houses nearby. After that, family Turner sheltered in Manor House Underground Station, together with countless others, which seemed like fun during the day, as they could ride on the trains. But this soon turned to frighten them, as they slept on the cold hard ground, like sardines in a can, whilst hearing the bombs exploding above ground.

Bluma, Leah and Myer were then evacuated to Bradford and were allocated to live with a miner’s family. When he got home and discovered they were Jewish, he had them moved away because he suspected them of being spies.

Meanwhile Leah’s brother Reuven found houses for them, and for several other families, to rent in Leeds. It was there that they formed a close bond with the Shotzer Rebbe, Rabbi Shulem Moskowitz zt”l and with Rav Elchonon Halpern zt”l, who was unmarried and in the UK without any family. In order to have Cholov Yisroel, Rav Halpern arranged to supervise the milking at a local dairy farm, and Leah would often be present.

At 16, Leah was one of the first girls to go to the Gateshead Girls’ Jewish Seminary. Most of the other girls were from France and there were many camp survivors, who had numbers tattooed on their arms. They would not talk about their experiences and were outwardly happy and cheerful girls. Leah admired them for still being able to smile after all their trials and tribulations.

She left Sem an elegant and charming young lady at the age of 18, and Leah got a secretarial job in a charitable organisation.

In 1953 a shidduch was suggested, a larger than life young man from Galicia, Poland - David (Weisel) Last, to a refined, gentle and modest young lady – Leah Turner. What sparked her interest was that he was of good character, and very kind, especially to his parents and to the elderly. They met and later that year they were married at Hendon Adass Yisroel Shul – which at the time was just a portakabin - by Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld zt”l. David and Leah were an amazing devoted couple who complemented each other, and were rarely, if ever, seen apart over the next almost seven decades. They were regularly seen walking briskly together on Shabbos and Yom Tov mornings, from their home in Hendon, all the way across the bridge, to Beis Shmuel Beis Hamedrash (Reb Chuna’s) in Golders Green, always arriving before the start of davening. As was said at various Hespeidim, Shimon HaTzaddik declares in Pirkei Ovos that the world stands on three things: Al HaTorah V’al Ho-Avodah V’al Gemillas Chasodim. David and Leah built a home on these three foundations, never deviating, not even slightly drifting, from all they were taught or instructed by the many Rabbonim they were so close to. It was in such a home that their son and daughter were raised. As David’s business grew and prospered, with Leah’s encouragement he would spend more and more time dedicated to learning Torah. He was also a renowned philanthropist; this too was with Leah’s full support. Together they would sit at the table to discuss the appropriate amount of the Tzedoko donation, and she would write out many of the cheques. Sometimes Leah would comment that although David had allocated a very generous amount, she still felt it was not sufficient, and they both agreed to increase it. When David would come home after a long and tiring day in business, having first gone to Maariv and a shiur, they would often set supper aside in favour of answering the door to the Meshulochim.

Leah and David were beacons of Chesed, and a huge pillar of support to the Mishpocho, and to so many others, without any fanfare. They had a very close connection with all their extended family members, especially nephews and nieces, financially supporting many of them, who all felt the abundance of their genuine warmth, care, love and affection.

Leah was very particular about Hachnossas Orchim, and guests would often frequent the home. No matter who came to her door, from the loftiest Godol to a poor beggar, they were all welcomed and well received, and made to feel most comfortable. She spent many hours carefully indexing audio tapes of the entire shas to make it easier for her husband and others to find straight away. Throughout her life, Leah was dedicated to helping others. She was a close friend of Rebbetzen Halpern o”h, and she assisted her with all her needs. Her son Reb Moishe Halpern Shlita included in his Hesped the Hakorass Hatov that the entire family Halpern owe her. Leah was constantly busy helping other people, particularly by providing them with lifts for their medical appointments and for their shopping. Throughout it all, she always had a cheerful smile on her face, and had a friendly kind word for everyone. She never raised her voice, and had a very calm temperament. She left a lasting impression and was a role model to all who knew her.

Leah volunteered for many causes: as a dinner-lady at Menorah Primary School, which is fondly remembered 60 years later, as well as providing sewing lessons whilst her granddaughters were in the school. She was treasurer of Hasmonean Grammar School for Girls in the 70’s, and also of Bikur Cholim London committee for over 25 years. Bikur Cholim hospital in Jerusalem was especially important to her, and she proudly campaigned and dynamically raised funds to improve the facilities and welfare of its staff and patients. For many years Leah was involved with Emunah, and she also volunteered for Meals on Wheels, helping the vulnerable and elderly in their daily lives, taking people to appointments or going shopping for them. Leah herself was passionate about nature cure and homeopathic remedies, advising countless people. She showed interest in everyone she met, and her actions spoke louder than words, never drawing attention to herself. Leah had a huge heart, a great sense of humour, and a passion for art, music and especially family, from which she was zoche to derive great nachas. Never forgetting a birthday or anniversary, each child, grandchild and great-grandchild would receive a pretty artistic card and useful gift every year. She never missed any of the Chanukah shows, Siddur parties, or graduation ceremonies of her grandchildren and would enthusiastically photograph and applaud them.

Her Tefilloh was of paramount importance to her, and without fail, she davened 3 times a day. To ensure nothing would disturb her Kavonoh and concentration, she would take the phone off the hook, something that was only discovered once the grandchildren were staying over. Indeed, from when she was a teenager, Leah would daven quietly with great diligence and full concentration. This was clearly noticed by the ladies of Rabbi Ferber’s Shul in Dean St, in the West End of London, who remarked “This young girl is destined to be very special indeed!” After the Petirah of her husband, and with her encouragement, Leah’s grandson Rabbi Avi Wiesenfeld, then a Maggid Shiur, opened up a Yeshiva in her husband’s name. A few months later, under his leadership, Yeshivas Beis Dovid in Yerushalayim was founded.

Together, David and Leah were very proud parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, with all their grandchildren following in their footsteps al pi derech Yisroel saba.

Leah was always a source of positivity, a true Eishes Chayil, and with her regal manner, she touched the lives of so many. She is deeply missed by all who knew her. םייחה רורצב הרורצ התמשנ אהת