Hava Ish-Horowicz has written all her life but never thought of herself as a writer. She has been published in the JC and the Jewish Quarterly and, to celebrate her recent 90th birthday, her children have collected her poems, prose and speeches in a book.

Mrs Ish-Horowicz, a member of Wimbledon Reform and Streatham Liberal synagogues, was born in Poland in 1920, but grew up in Palestine. She and husband Moshe moved to Manchester in 1946 and raised their five children there. They moved to south London in 1997. Moshe died in 2007 after 62 years of marriage, and Mrs Ish-Horowicz still lives in Streatham. Her work reflects all aspects of her life, from bittersweet short stories to humorous haggadah extracts.

"I'm pleased that the book contains English and Hebrew writing, so that my friends and family in Israel can also read my work," said Mrs Ish-Horowicz, who received the book at a party attended by family and friends.