Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project

Part 3 brings the reader back into the present day, and back to focus on Liz, Megan, and Sabrina. At the end of February, after inquiring about the location of Irena’s grave, Liz receives an email back from David Weinstein of the JFR informing her that, contrary to her and the others’ belief, Irena Sendler is still alive. He also provides Irena’s address in Poland, and the three girls immediately craft a letter to her, including three dollars for reply postage.

As the weeks pass waiting for Irena’s reply, the girls continue fine-tuning the play and rehearsing for Kansas History Day. After a while, the girls begin to wonder if Irena intends to reply, reasoning that she might not want to be reminded of the war or else just can’t be bothered with three high school girls in Kansas.

The girls finally receive a reply in April; however, the contents—a letter, some photographs, and a certificate—are written in Polish, Hebrew, and French. Mr. C. is able to translate the French parts of the certificate, which is for the Yad Vashem award Irena received from Israel. As he happens to know some university students from Poland, he mails the letter to them to request a translation.