Dear Stephen and James, Deeply, deeply saddened to read your email, it feels very strange, wrong to speak or write of Marina in the past tense. Only last month she and I corresponded and, as always, her emails were full of life energy and life-giving energy. Marina was, is, a force for the good and[…]

Sometimes in life you only need to meet someone once for them to touch your heart and make a deep impression. Marina certainly did that. I was fortunate enough to meet Marina several years ago when our son visited Beth Shalom as part of his pre-Barmitzvah preparations with Bushey Synagogue. I had heard many stories about Marina and the incredible Smith[…]

When I was a happy little six year old in pre-war Holland, a visit to my lovely granny was a highlight. She lived by the seaside in Scheveningen. Whilst playing with my bucket and spade , I asked granny who was sitting in one of those wicker chairs, knitting in Dutch “What’s on the otherside[…]

“Why do you want to work at Beth Shalom?” – this was the beginning of the conversation I had when meeting Marina in 2006. I can’t remembered how I answered, but the answer now would be profoundly different to back then because of everything I have learnt. I have been beyond honoured to have worked for[…]

I visited the Holocaust Center, Bet Shalom, because I got to know Stephen, and was immensely impressed by the originality of the concepts (plural!) that inspired the work there. The fact that it lies next to a village which maintained the medieval traditions seemed to me to be an ideal combination of past, present, and[…]

My heart is broken with the saddest news of the passing of your darling mother Marina I am blessed to have known her over the last 6 years and especially blessed to have been able to say goodbye to her last week when as always she made me feel so special and as always all[…]

“The life of one we love is never lost. Its influence goes on through all the lives it ever touched”. Thank you for your immeasurable service to humanity. May the hearts and minds you touched and inspired through your work, carry on your legacy. You will be missed, Marina. Rest in eternal peace. Sincere condolences[…]

Marina provided me with the most profound strength and love from a recent message she sent me after the sudden death of my partner aged only 37 which broke me. Her words, wisdom and deep felt love within that correspondence carried me through a terrible time. I am forever in her debt and she will[…]

What a sad day for all of those of us who knew and loved Marina and the humanitarian work to which she dedicated her life. The last time I saw Marina was on 10 October last year at the reunion of friends and family of Beth Shalom. As the attached photo of Marina and Frances[…]

What beautiful photos – the overwhelming emotion shining through them is love. So much love for family, for Eddie & for nature. And so much love being showered on Marina. How fortunate you have all been. And how fortunate for the rest of us to have been touched by Marina’s big heart.

Its with a mixture of Joy and sadness I write this and even with tears in my eyes of gratitude and thanksgiving – on the one hand joy that Mrs Smith is with her Lord whom she loved and served so vigilantly and carefully all her life; what a reward she will deservedly receive…. Well Done[…]

Marina was a very special lady. You could not help but love her and know that she loved you. My brother, Geoffrey Wigoder, helped to found Beth Shalom, and since then she has been in close touch with me, praising and encouraging me in every way. I have such happy memories of my visits to her and Eddie in[…]

This message comes with love to someone who has been truly a part of my life for so many years Marina, we shared the same Scorpio birthday which added to our super close kinship as mothers and `mates` in many ways. I know that you are now at peace and wish Eddie Stephen and James[…]