Love, Migration, and Stories That Echo Across Generations
Alison Marshall in conversation with Sita Brand
Wednesday 17th June | 7pm | The Joinery, Settle and Online | £20 (includes signed book)
In a drawer somewhere, there are letters. Faded ink on fragile paper. Words written across oceans, across decades, across the chasm between one life and another.
Join us for an intimate evening as Sita speaks with Alison Marshall about Journeys of Hope: The Letters of Meyer and Sonia , a powerful true story of migration, family, and survival.
The Story:
Meyer Fortes and Sonia Donen grew up in a Jewish immigrant community in South Africa, where they fell in love. In 1927, Meyer set off alone to study in London. Sonia stayed behind. Their letters chart their hopes, fears, disappointments and successes as Meyer struggles to make a life and prepare for Sonia’s arrival.
Their story braids with others: Meyer’s father, Nathan’s journey to Memphis and Leeds, half-sister Annie’s incarceration on Ellis Island, Sonia’s escape from the Russian Civil War. The letters offer unique insights into universal challenges, drawing moving parallels between their 1920s experience and the migrations that came before and after, including contemporary stories unfolding in Eastern Europe today.
In this conversation, explore:
- The moment of discovering letters that rewrite your family story
- Love tested by distance, danger, and uncertainty
- Why migration patterns echo across generations
- What gets carried (and lost) when we cross borders
- How researching the past reveals present-day witness
- Reading both what letters say and what they cannot say
Your ticket includes:
- Intimate conversation guided by Sita’s warmth and wisdom
- Signed copy of the book (“I couldn’t put it down”)
- Time for questions and reflection
For:
- Anyone exploring their own family’s migration story
- Writers and storytellers working with heritage narratives
- History lovers curious about early 20th century Jewish diaspora
- Those seeking to understand migration with greater nuance and humanity
About Alison Marshall:
Living in Settle, Alison discovered her grandparents’ letters and began a journey of research and travel through eastern Europe. This first book combines family memoir, travelogue, and cultural history. She’s involved with local refugee support, bringing contemporary witness to timeless patterns of migration.
About Sita:
Founder of Settle Stories, Sita creates spaces where stories build bridges between cultures and beliefs. She brings Buddhist wisdom traditions and deep curiosity to conversations that go deeper than you expect and stay with you longer than the evening lasts.
Limited to 30 participants for an intimate conversation
Letters are like threads; they connect what was to what is, carrying voices across time and distance. Hear a story that echoes across generations and discover what it might reveal about your own.
