I am so sorry to learn of the death of Debbie. It is purely by chance that I have come across this site as I had not been in touch with her for some 40 years. She and I were at school together in London from about 1968 to the early 70s, when she returned to Australia to live. For a few weeks she even stayed with me and my family, in Paddington, while her mother and stepfather were on an extended trip overseas. I still have the hundred year calendar she bought me as a gift from India! At the time, we were best friends, though went our separate ways when she returned home. I have, however, never forgotten her and am very sorry not to have had the chance to see her again. She was funny, smart, and someone you really wanted to have as your friend - even at that young age. I would like to send my sincerest condolences to her family and friends.
I first met Debbie in 1977 at an apartment in Williams Rd South Yarra. She was incredible attractive Debbie had long dark hair a stunningly beautiful face an olive complexion beautiful hands and fingers.
She was relaxed very self assured. I immediately summed up Debbie as one of those kids that had everything going for them….rich, beauty, brains I thought!
Debbie Masel had the world at her feet but the one thing that was for ever constant in Debbie was she was an extremely unpretentious person.
Debbie had a new Toyota but did not care to drive and always insisted on being driven she never mastered the art of parking nevertheless she never had an accident and could safely navigate herself around. I grew up being indoctrinated, thinking all Jews were “Jewish” when it came to money. Debbie managed to change my way of thinking….We would go out for dinner often around the corner to the Tok H or Giadino’s pizza across from the South Yarra library.
Debbie never knew how much money she had in her purse, in fact she used to have a series of unopened pay packets in her hippy bag.
To pay a bill at dinner she’d open one and had over $10 note and also ask politely would this be enough? She left me wondering how anyone could not be bothered to open one’s pay packet. I don’t recall any conversations about material things with Debbie.
It was customary to spend new years eve with the same group of friends year in year out or it seemed that way and shortly after mid night I’d hear this voice shouting out next year “Jerusalem”.
I’d hunt down the voice and then listen into Debbie making a pact with a girlfriend and I’d hear her say next year we’ll meet at such and such a place near Saint Germaine de Pre at mid night.
One day that pact happened. Debbie called me, she said that “she was sick of Melbourne and South Yarra”, I listened to her…. reasoning ……I’m going to live with my people in Israel….I was in shock I knew then that my friend Debbie was off in search of a new life, I knew then I was going to miss my good friend Debbie. David and Helen the moguls of Toorak as Debbie jokingly called her parents, had systematically managed to buy every single block of flats that weren’t on a strata title and turn them into individual apartments and sell them off over a ten year period. David was unassumingly brilliant too I used to admire him and think here is a man a doctor and he does not work he just buys and sells apartments?
In 1983 I contacted Debbie who by then had established herself in Jerusalem…she was I working in a library and still writing for the Jewish news, (they loved Debbie)
Debbie had met a man, Shimon he was in the army (who wasn’t) he didn’t speak much English and Debbie was kinda of in love with him, I seem to remember that they may have even been engaged.
Debbie had made new friends and had established herself in Israel David and Helen had a brilliant home high up on a hill with this massive balcony that faced the West Bank. It was Passover time and I remember sitting around a table with David, Helen and Debbie mapping out where Debbie was to take me sightseeing. Helen was not into cooking but was one of those really capable people that could turn their hand to anything she produced wholesome meals and was the family rock.
Debbie kept her promise she took me everywhere, she joked she had even learned to drive left handed (Israel is left hand drive) we went to visit the Dead Sea, Masada, the Mount of Olives, Bethlehem, Jericho the old city of Jerusalem.
Debbie was brilliant she was an enthusiastic tourist guide we learnt together she was the most sharing person. Helen managed to get us invited to a friends wedding in the old city of Jerusalem, we were both excited at this prospect it was going to be an experience… at the wedding people turned out in their Sunday best the food was slow and as the waiters carried out platers people literally high jacked the food before it could be served we looked at each other in amazement.
Debbie was so brilliant that she used to send herself up…she would pretend to not be able to play monopoly properly or pretend she didn’t understand how the real estate market worked.
She was so humble and so self assured that she had nothing to prove..
I’m not sure when Debbie returned from Israel but circa 1988 we began to spend weekends away together I think we were both lonely as our friends had all paired off by now and were married.
Debbie and I spent many weekends making pottery with a couple that lived in Elsternwick we listen to Bob Dylan and Debbie was always entraining with her conversations on current affairs, music, women’s rights and the like. Our friends moved to Sydney in 1990 and the house was gone together with the pottery lessons and soon after we both met our respective partners.
Needless to say I will miss you again my friend
I first met Debbie in 1977 at an apartment in Williams Rd South Yarra. She was incredible attractive Debbie had long dark hair a stunningly beautiful face an olive complexion beautiful hands and fingers. She was relaxed very self assured. I immediately summed up Debbie as one of those kids that had everything going for them….rich, beauty, brains I thought! Debbie Masel had the world at her feet but the one thing that was for ever constant in Debbie was she was an extremely unpretentious person. Debbie had a new Toyota but did not care to drive and always insisted on being driven she never mastered the art of parking nevertheless she never had an accident and could safely navigate herself around. I grew up being indoctrinated, thinking all Jews were “Jewish” when it came to money. Debbie managed to change my way of thinking….We would go out for dinner often around the corner to the Tok H or Giadino’s pizza across from the South Yarra library. Debbie never knew how much money she had in her purse, in fact she used to have a series of unopened pay packets in her hippy bag. To pay a bill at dinner she’d open one and had over $10 note and also ask politely would this be enough? She left me wondering how anyone could not be bothered to open one’s pay packet. I don’t recall any conversations about material things with Debbie. It was customary to spend new years eve with the same group of friends year in year out or it seemed that way and shortly after mid night I’d hear this voice shouting out next year “Jerusalem”. I’d hunt down the voice and then listen into Debbie making a pact with a girlfriend and I’d hear her say next year we’ll meet at such and such a place near Saint Germaine de Pre at mid night. One day that pact happened. Debbie called me, she said that “she was sick of Melbourne and South Yarra”, I listened to her…. reasoning ……I’m going to live with my people in Israel….I was in shock I knew then that my friend Debbie was off in search of a new life, I knew then I was going to miss my good friend Debbie. David and Helen the moguls of Toorak as Debbie jokingly called her parents, had systematically managed to buy every single block of flats that weren’t on a strata title and turn them into individual apartments and sell them off over a ten year period. David was unassumingly brilliant too I used to admire him and think here is a man a doctor and he does not work he just buys and sells apartments? In 1983 I contacted Debbie who by then had established herself in Jerusalem…she was I working in a library and still writing for the Jewish news, (they loved Debbie) Debbie had met a man, Shimon he was in the army (who wasn’t) he didn’t speak much English and Debbie was kinda of in love with him, I seem to remember that they may have even been engaged. Debbie had made new friends and had established herself in Israel David and Helen had a brilliant home high up on a hill with this massive balcony that faced the West Bank. It was Passover time and I remember sitting around a table with David, Helen and Debbie mapping out where Debbie was to take me sightseeing. Helen was not into cooking but was one of those really capable people that could turn their hand to anything she produced wholesome meals and was the family rock. Debbie kept her promise she took me everywhere, she joked she had even learned to drive left handed (Israel is left hand drive) we went to visit the Dead Sea, Masada, the Mount of Olives, Bethlehem, Jericho the old city of Jerusalem. Debbie was brilliant she was an enthusiastic tourist guide we learnt together she was the most sharing person. Helen managed to get us invited to a friends wedding in the old city of Jerusalem, we were both excited at this prospect it was going to be an experience… at the wedding people turned out in their Sunday best the food was slow and as the waiters carried out platers people literally high jacked the food before it could be served we looked at each other in amazement. Debbie was so brilliant that she used to send herself up…she would pretend to not be able to play monopoly properly or pretend she didn’t understand how the real estate market worked. She was so humble and so self assured that she had nothing to prove.. I’m not sure when Debbie returned from Israel but circa 1988 we began to spend weekends away together I think we were both lonely as our friends had all paired off by now and were married. Debbie and I spent many weekends making pottery with a couple that lived in Elsternwick we listen to Bob Dylan and Debbie was always entraining with her conversations on current affairs, music, women’s rights and the like. Our friends moved to Sydney in 1990 and the house was gone together with the pottery lessons and soon after we both met our respective partners. Needless to say I will miss you again my beautiful friend
I first met Debbie in 1977 at an apartment in Williams Rd South Yarra. She was incredible attractive Debbie had long dark hair a stunningly beautiful face an olive complexion beautiful hands and fingers. She was relaxed very self assured. I immediately summed up Debbie as one of those kids that had everything going for them….rich, beauty, brains I thought! Debbie Masel had the world at her feet but the one thing that was for ever constant in Debbie was she was an extremely unpretentious person. Debbie had a new Toyota but did not care to drive and always insisted on being driven she never mastered the art of parking nevertheless she never had an accident and could safely navigate herself around. I grew up being indoctrinated, thinking all Jews were “Jewish” when it came to money. Debbie managed to change my way of thinking….We would go out for dinner often around the corner to the Tok H or Giadino’s pizza across from the South Yarra library. Debbie never knew how much money she had in her purse, in fact she used to have a series of unopened pay packets in her hippy bag. To pay a bill at dinner she’d open one and had over $10 note and also ask politely would this be enough? She left me wondering how anyone could not be bothered to open one’s pay packet. I don’t recall any conversations about material things with Debbie. It was customary to spend new years eve with the same group of friends year in year out or it seemed that way and shortly after mid night I’d hear this voice shouting out next year “Jerusalem”. I’d hunt down the voice and then listen into Debbie making a pact with a girlfriend and I’d hear her say next year we’ll meet at such and such a place near Saint Germaine de Pre at mid night. One day that pact happened. Debbie called me, she said that “she was sick of Melbourne and South Yarra”, I listened to her…. reasoning ……I’m going to live with my people in Israel….I was in shock I knew then that my friend Debbie was off in search of a new life, I knew then I was going to miss my good friend Debbie. David and Helen the moguls of Toorak as Debbie jokingly called her parents, had systematically managed to buy every single block of flats that weren’t on a strata title and turn them into individual apartments and sell them off over a ten year period. David was unassumingly brilliant too I used to admire him and think here is a man a doctor and he does not work he just buys and sells apartments? In 1983 I contacted Debbie who by then had established herself in Jerusalem…she was I working in a library and still writing for the Jewish news, (they loved Debbie) Debbie had met a man, Shimon he was in the army (who wasn’t) he didn’t speak much English and Debbie was kinda of in love with him, I seem to remember that they may have even been engaged. Debbie had made new friends and had established herself in Israel David and Helen had a brilliant home high up on a hill with this massive balcony that faced the West Bank. It was Passover time and I remember sitting around a table with David, Helen and Debbie mapping out where Debbie was to take me sightseeing. Helen was not into cooking but was one of those really capable people that could turn their hand to anything she produced wholesome meals and was the family rock. Debbie kept her promise she took me everywhere, she joked she had even learned to drive left handed (Israel is left hand drive) we went to visit the Dead Sea, Masada, the Mount of Olives, Bethlehem, Jericho the old city of Jerusalem. Debbie was brilliant she was an enthusiastic tourist guide we learnt together she was the most sharing person. Helen managed to get us invited to a friends wedding in the old city of Jerusalem, we were both excited at this prospect it was going to be an experience… at the wedding people turned out in their Sunday best the food was slow and as the waiters carried out platers people literally high jacked the food before it could be served we looked at each other in amazement. Debbie was so brilliant that she used to send herself up…she would pretend to not be able to play monopoly properly or pretend she didn’t understand how the real estate market worked. She was so humble and so self assured that she had nothing to prove.. I’m not sure when Debbie returned from Israel but circa 1988 we began to spend weekends away together I think we were both lonely as our friends had all paired off by now and were married. Debbie and I spent many weekends making pottery with a couple that lived in Elsternwick we listen to Bob Dylan and Debbie was always entraining with her conversations on current affairs, music, women’s rights and the like. Our friends moved to Sydney in 1990 and the house was gone together with the pottery lessons and soon after we both met our respective partners. Needless to say I will miss you again my friend
My Step-Sister Debbie died sometime last night of cancer on the other side of the world.
I suppose I knew Debbie best when we were both teenagers. I don’t actually remember first meeting her, but for a while she lived in London with David, Helen, Danny and later Aviva. She was only fifty miles from where I was living in Cambridge and I got to see quite a lot of her.
Thinking about Debbie brings back a raft of memories of the flats in Moscow Road; the constant sound of dripping water out the back, and the city smells and sounds of Bayswater. Inside the flat the smell of last night’s whisky and cigarettes.
For about six years Debbie was a big part of my life, and in some ways, despite being a younger sister was very influential to me. I think her easy friendship and sense of fun helped me out of a rather grim part of my life and brought a bit of sunshine to my disposition.
I had lived a rather sheltered life for a teenager, and Debbie introduced me to the importance of Jeans, the music of Cat Stephens, and I’m not sure about this, but I think also encouraged me to play guitar which I still enjoy to this day.
I have many happy memories of staying in Moscow Road, and Debbie and I would take Aviva to the park so that we could smoke surreptitious cigarettes.
I have always felt that Debbie grabbed life and extracted happiness from it. She was creative, and I remember her poetry and writing, but she was also adventurous. She had a lot of friends who she was happy to share.
Later, when the family moved to America, I spent a very happy summer with her and Karen Swirsky in Leonia, Debbie again sharing her friends and spurring the two of us on to adventures.
Sadly, we have been separated by continents much of the rest of our lives. I have seen her on, I reckon, three occasions in the last thirty years, but when we have seen each other there has always been an instant reconnection.
I feel I know her quite well from her books, which I feel express her in a stark and honest way.
The last time I saw Debbie was eleven years ago, she was a bit fraught over some domestic difficulty, and we took the dog for a long walk and I was happy to be her sounding board.
I love Debbie, and I am sad that she has died and that there won’t be another chance to take the dog for a walk and have a chat.
Jonny
