Under A Lucky Star

JOSH PILA was born into a loving Jewish family in Poland in the mid-1930s. As Europe descended into war, Josh's early childhood became a daily struggle to evade capture by the Nazis intent on his extermination. After months hidden in a dark and airless bunker with his baby sister, against all odds, he survived daring escapes and spent several weeks living alone on the streets during a brutal Silesian winter. Finally, by chance, Josh was miraculously reunited with his mother. Under a Lucky Star recounts Josh's inspirational story through the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust, the deprivations of post-war Europe, the pioneering spirit of the newly created State of Israel, and the relative tranquility of life in Melbourne, Australia. Josh's journey tracks a universal Jewish narrative of persecution and redemption. A combination of tenacity, resilience, hope and a liberal dose of luck took Josh from the turbulent depths of the twentieth century to a peaceful life, filled with love, laughter, success and fulfilment.