By: Nomi Kaltmann as seen in Ha’aretz

29 May 2025

MELBOURNE – When Yanying Lu finalizes her Orthodox conversion to Judaism in the next few months, it will mark the culmination of an extraordinary and unexpected journey.

Originally from China, she moved to Melbourne nearly 15 years ago to pursue postgraduate studies in linguistics. While studying, she supplemented her income by teaching Mandarin to Australians, putting her on a path that would ultimately change the course of her life.

One of her students was John Levin, a Jewish doctor who at the time was 82 years old – more than 50 years her senior. Recently widowed and looking for new pursuits, Levin signed up for her classes. Though he quickly realized that Chinese wasn’t for him, something far more meaningful came out of those meetings.

“We became good friends,” says 37-year-old Lu.

Their friendship gradually deepened, and despite the significant age gap between them, they soon became a couple.

Levin was experiencing a difficult period in his life at the time, having recently lost his beloved wife of 66 years. Together, they had three children and 10 grandchildren. He was also struggling financially.

“To me, there was something very genuine about him that captured me,” says Lu.

In 2014, Lu and Levin married in Las Vegas while attending an anti-aging medical conference. They returned to Melbourne to begin their life together, and Lu gave birth to their first child, Gabriel, a year ago.

That was what prompted her decision to convert.

“Apart from me being drawn to Judaism, I want to bring up my child in the Jewish way,” she says.

“John wasn’t suggesting or even encouraging me to do this, but I can see that he really likes it, and I think it also helps him to reconnect with his faith and fill a hollow empty space that wasn’t fulfilled much in the past,” she says.

While he never pressured her to take on his religion, Levin says he was thrilled by her decision. “It made our relationship much closer as we have a lot more in common than we used to,” he says. Today, the couple regularly attend synagogue services, keep Shabbat and celebrate all the major holidays.

Lu says she feels a special connection to Ruth the Moabite – widely considered to be the first and most famous Jewish convert, her story is read on the upcoming holiday of Shavuot.

“Knowing that converts played very important roles in the shaping of Jewish history made me feel more purposeful,” she says.

‘Now is the time’

To outsiders, the relationship between this elderly Jewish man and relatively young Chinese woman might seem unconventional, even improbable. But that never mattered to Lu.

“I don’t care what other people think about me,” she says.

“They can think I got married to John because of his money or because of his status or because he was Australian. People can think all that. I don’t care at all. Making the decision to marry John, I wasn’t really thinking about how other people would judge or look at me. I was thinking about how we can make each other’s lives better.”

At 93, Levin still works part-time as a doctor, while Lu teaches at Deakin University in Melbourne.

Levin’s children were supportive of their relationship, as were his extended family. “Being accepted into the family was very reassuring. It is also reassuring to know that even after John is gone, I will still be able to maintain those connections,” says Lu.

It was through Levin and his extended family that Lu had her first proper exposure to Judaism and was intrigued.

“John’s family, I wouldn’t say they are terribly Orthodox, but they all feel very strongly about their Jewish identity,” she says.

Lu says she opted for an Orthodox conversion because she liked the rabbis she met who were affiliated with this particular movement and who made her “feel very much welcomed.”

Growing up in Nanjing as a young girl, Lu says she already started taking an interest in Jewish culture and history.

“I think I was 10 when I first read about the Holocaust through Anne Frank’s diary, and then I came across other Jewish writers,” she says.

Having heard stories from her grandmother about surviving the Nanjing massacre in China in the 1930s, the suffering experienced by Jews during World War II resonated with her.

“That kind of deep connection was my original curiosity that I had,” she says.

Lu also saw strong parallels between Chinese and Jewish culture.

“There are lots of similarities,” she says. “We are both big on family. Big on education. Our ethics and values are quite similar. We are part of two ancient continuous cultures and also our people both undoubtedly suffered a lot in history, but we share a deep resilience.”

Her family embraced her relationship with Levin. Lu’s father, also a doctor, recognized a kindred spirit in her husband. Both families, she says, placed a high value on tradition, learning and mutual care.

Despite rising antisemitism in Australia, local rabbis are reporting a significant increase in conversions since October 7.

When asked why she chose now, of all times, to become a member of the tribe, Lu’s response is unequivocal.

“There is never a better time than now,” she says. “It’s only through crisis that you realize how precious life is and how much you’re valued as a member of the community. It is precisely because of October 7 that I wanted to be part of the community.”

She adds: “If anyone is considering converting, now is the time.”