Leah Trachtman-Palchan was born in 1913 in present-day Ukraine. Her family emigrated to Mandate Palestine in 1921 and she lived there until she was exiled to Moscow in 1931. She returned to Israel in 1971 and died there in 1995. Nir Arielli is Lecturer in International History and Politics at University of Leeds. Leah Trachtman-Palchan was his Great Aunt.