Rachel Falconer

Rachel Ellen Juliana Falconer (nee Galperson), Holocaust Survivor b. 4th October 1933.

We announce with profound sorrow the death of Rachel Ellen Juliana Falconer, the beloved wife of the late Dr. Errol Linton Falconer, devoted mother of Karen, Janet, Julian, Shelley, David, Marc and Elizabeth. Rachel passed away peacefully on 20th May in her 92nd year, as she would have wished, surrounded by her family.

Rachel, born in the Polish town of Lwow, (now known as Lviv and part of Ukraine), was the eldest of two children of Julian Jukel and Tania Galperson, later Pollak and nee Goldstern. As a child Rachel lost much of her family to the Nazis including her father, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. She went into hiding at the age of 9 for 3 years in the home of an academic Polish couple, separated from her family, never setting foot outside the apartment. During these isolated years, Rachel developed a thirst for knowledge reading her hosts books on her own in the apartment throughout the bombings whilst other members of her building hid in the bomb shelters below.

She survived the war alongside her mother, her Aunt Miriam and her younger sister Esther - who died of diphtheria shortly after the war's end. At the age of 14, Rachel arrived in Canada with her mother as Jewish immigrants, where they began a new life together in Montreal.

A keen academic, Rachel studied English Literature and Economic History at McGill University, where she met Errol. They married in 1953 and remained devoted partners for more than six decades, raising seven children together. Rachel took care to preserve her Jewish identity and heritage and maintained close ties to her extended Jewish family that had scattered across Canada, Argentina, and Israel. Recently, she contributed several chapters to a 'Family History' book, detailing her memories and experiences and ensuring that the history of the Falconers, Galpersons, Goldsterns, Pollaks and Gordons back to the 19th century, is preserved for her children and grandchildren. Age was never a limitation for Rachel. She never stopped learning, studying towards degrees in history, economics, literature, law and Jewish studies. In 2013, she became the oldest student in the history of York University to graduate with a Masters degree.

Rachel was never one to stay silent. She had strong opinions and an unshakeable belief in reason, justice and Judaism. A voracious reader and spirited debater, her home was filled with books, discussion, and a commitment to learning and truth.

She and Errol raised their seven children in an environment that championed education, self- expression, and intellectual honesty. Rachel took deep pride in her family, constantly challenging, supporting, and loving them.

Rachel found immense joy in her grandchildren: Alexander and Emmanuel Athanassakos, Tristan, Lindsay and Quentin Gigon, Benjamin and Justin Falconer, Sarah and Joshua Berman, Talia and Ryan Falconer, Clara, Theo and Tom Falconer, and Jackson Falconer Rosenberg. Her legacy endures in their courage, curiosity, and compassion.

Rachel Falconer will be remembered as a woman of courage, intellect, and integrity. Her life was a testament to survival, strength, and the enduring power of intellectual pursuits. She was deeply loved and will live on in the memories and values of those she shaped and inspired.

In her memory, donations may be made to Ve'ahavta, https://veahavta.org/