Cousins Meet at Last in a Healing Reunion 80+ Years After the Holocaust Shattered Their Families

Earlier this year, we shared the remarkable story of Adriana Turk, a 74-year-old Australian who grew up believing that her father’s family had been murdered in the Holocaust. After the death of her only brother left her without any immediate family, Adriana took a MyHeritage DNA test. The results set in motion a discovery that transformed her life: she had more than 50 relatives she had never known existed.

With help from MyHeritage researcher Naama Lanski, Adriana was connected with her second cousin Raanan Gidron in Israel. When Adriana and Raanan first saw each other during a video call arranged by MyHeritage, the connection between them was immediate.

We are delighted to share that in August 2026, Adriana traveled around 14,000 kilometers from Australia to Israel to meet Raanan and her newfound family in person.

Raanan was waiting for her at Ben-Gurion Airport. When they saw each other, they embraced, overcome with emotion.

“Here is my long-lost cousin,” Adriana said. “Here you are.”

Watch the moment Adriana and Raanan met in person for the first time:

Although it was their first time together in person, the meeting felt instantly familiar. Raanan described it as “magical,” like meeting a family member he already knew.

Raanan and Adriana

During her visit, Raanan introduced Adriana to more of her Israeli relatives. Adriana was especially moved by the family resemblance. “When I look at the family in Israel, I can see my father’s face in them,” she says.

They spent time getting to know one another, sharing meals, and talking about their family history. Adriana especially appreciated the opportunity to speak openly about the Holocaust and the impact it had on their family. Their parents’ generation had found it difficult to talk about those experiences and losses. Now, the cousins could begin piecing together what had happened and share the emotions that came with it. She described the experience as a kind of “international group therapy”: for the first time, she said, she could cry with other members of her family about the Holocaust.

Adriana and Raanan also visited us at the MyHeritage headquarters in Or Yehuda. Our team had followed their story from its earliest stages, and it was deeply moving to welcome them in person and see the relationship that began on a screen become such a warm and natural family bond.

Adriana and Raanan at the MyHeritage headquarters

The reunion has changed Adriana’s sense of her place in the world. Before taking the DNA test, she felt overcome by grief and isolation. Now, she says, being surrounded by her cousins has given her a new sense of connection and possibility. “I feel like I’ve been born again through this experience,” she says.

The relationship will continue long after Adriana’s journey home. Her Israeli relatives now have an open invitation to visit her in Australia, and the younger members of the family are already showing interest in taking her up on it.

Adriana spent most of her life believing that no one remained from her father’s family. Today, she is part of a growing circle of relatives who have welcomed her with open arms.

“This new family is healing me,” she says.

We could not be more honored to have played a part in bringing Adriana and Raanan together, and we wish them many more years of shared memories, visits, and family connection.

Have you also made an incredible discovery with MyHeritage? We’d love to hear about it! Please share it with us at stories@myheritage.com.