Eight Holocaust survivors go light torch for Yad Vashem 2026 remembrance

Na so eight Holocaust survivors go stand for front this year for Yad Vashem state ceremony wey dey hold for Israel. Dem go take key roles for the remembrance event wey go hold Monday evening 8 p.m. Six go light torch, one go speak on behalf of all survivors, and one go recite the prayer for the souls of the departed El Maleh Rahamim.

Their stories cover different places wey the Holocaust touch. From Lithuania, Ukraine, Netherlands, Poland, Libya, Hungary, and Romania. Each survivor get their own painful journey wey dem survive and later come settle for Israel.

Take Saadia Bahat for example. Him born for 1928 for Alytus, Lithuania. Him family life scatter when Nazi invade. Dem force am enter ghetto for Vilna. Him papa dem kill for one of the Aktionen. As teenager, Bahat volunteer for deportation to labour camps for Estonia, thinking say if enough Jews show face, Germans fit stop attacking the ghetto. Instead, dem push am enter brutal chain of camps wey him chop tree, lay railway tracks, work for swamp, and suffer cold and hunger.

At one point, him shoe tear finish and him dey walk barefoot for snow. Him survive repeated selections, dem transfer am to Stutthof, later to submarine yard wey him work as welder for tight condition. As war near end, dem force am go death march while him dey sick with typhus.

Him and two others dem leave behind for hut, thinking say death don near. “We lay there dying and waited. Four days later, the door opened to reveal a Soviet soldier. We were liberated!” Bahat recall. Him reach Mandatory Palestine for 1946, join Haganah and Palmach, fight for Harel Brigade, and get wound for War of Independence.

Later, him study for Technion and spend 37 years for Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, collect major honours including Israel Defense Prize. “I couldn’t look my grandchildren in the eye if I wasn’t contributing my all,” him talk about him work. After retirement, Bahat start second career as sculptor.

Another survivor na Michael Sidko. Him born for 1936 for Kyiv. Him papa na non-Jewish Ukrainian, him mama come from Jewish family wey their head na rabbi. Before war, him childhood dey full of small family gatherings, Shabbat candles, and pigeon wey him older brother Grisha dey raise.

When Germans invade for 1941, the family almost escape. Dem enter evacuation train, but Grisha suddenly remember say him forget to open pigeon enclosure for house. Him run go back so the birds no go die. Their mama and siblings follow am comot from train. The train leave without them.

Soon after, Sidko and him family catch for events wey lead to Babi Yar massacre. One building custodian inform on them, dem arrest them and carry them go the ravine. Sidko and Grisha dem separate from their mama, younger sister, and baby brother – and dem watch as dem kill them.

From there, Sidko survive largely because Grisha keep am alive. The brothers dey move between hiding places, dey find food, and try make dem no show face. Dem nearly betray by relatives; dem hide for cellar of their old building; and dem arrest again before dem manage convince Gestapo say dem no be Jews.

Their survival also depend on two women for the building wey dem dey hide, Sofia Krivorot-Baklanova and her daughter Galina, wey repeatedly tell German soldiers and police say the boys be their own family. Both women later Yad Vashem recognise as Righteous Among the Nations.

Sidko later reunite with him papa, serve for Red Army, work as engineer, and immigrate to Israel for 2000. Him story remain one of the starkest for this year group – child survivor of one of Holocaust most infamous killing sites.

Miriam Bar Lev, born Daisy Van Cleef for 1936, enter world for Tel Aviv but spend her childhood for Netherlands after her family relocate to Amsterdam. Her mama come from Germany to Mandatory Palestine as Zionist pioneer, and her papa na Dutch. By the time Bar Lev old enough to remember her surroundings clear, Europe Jews don already dey corner.

After Nazi occupation, six-year-old Daisy dem order to wear yellow star. She later recall wearing it “with pride,” because e make her feel older, before she understand wetin e truly mean. As deportations escalate, her family survive repeated raids by hiding for shower, with neighbours, and behind sign for door wey warn of “infectious disease.”

Eventually, dem catch them and send them to Westerbork, and from there to Bergen-Belsen. Bar Lev and her mama dem separate from her papa, wey dem force into labour and later die after him fall sick. Dem endure hunger, cold, overcrowding, and endless roll calls wey people dey collapse for their front.

After two years for Bergen-Belsen, dem put them aboard wetin later become known as “Lost Train,” one of war final, chaotic deportation transports. “I thought it was the end of us,” Bar Lev talk. During one stop, she and her mama find potatoes wey dem intend for animals, but German guards stop them from eating them. Typhus spread through the cattle cars. Many die before the surviving prisoners dem liberate by Red Army near Tröbitz for April 1945.

Bar Lev and her mama later return to Mandatory Palestine, where she settle for Kibbutz Ginegar, take name Miriam, serve for IDF, study nursing, and work for years for healthcare and schools.

Moshe Harari born Monek Greenberg for 1934 for Polish village of Paprotnia, where him family na the only Jewish family for the area. Dem live among orchards, fields, and farm buildings, and him papa dey trade produce and other goods with local farmers. E be isolated Jewish life, but no be protected one.

After dem force them enter Mordy ghetto, the family initially stay alive through Harari papa wey dey slip out to work with farmers and bring back food. For August 1942, as German soldiers and Polish policemen round up Jews for murder, the Greenbergs escape enter forest. After months of wandering, dem reach Polish farmer wey dem call Lipinski, wey agree to hide them in exchange for payment.

The family first hide behind straw bales for barn attic and later conceal for pit under granary floor, where dem only fit crouch or lie down. The farmer daughter, Wanda, bring them food while pretending to feed chickens. Dem whisper to avoid discovery. Dem cover with lice. Harari get only two books to read, and him read them again and again.

Liberation for 1944 follow by different kind of terror. Returning home, Harari family encounter lethal antisemitism. Him papa disappear and dem presume say dem murder am. Armed Poles attack the family house, wound him mama badly and shoot Harari. Later, when mob break into house where Jews dey stay and kill 10 people, Harari survive only because him hide with him mama and sister beneath floorboards.

The surviving family eventually reach DP camp for Kassel, board Kaf Tet B’November to Mandatory Palestine, and, after detention for Cyprus, make am to Israel. Harari later work for decades for Israel military industry.

Ilana Fallach born for 1937 for Benghazi, Libya, into traditional Jewish family. Her papa na tailor, her mama dey sew jalabiyas, and the family live alongside Muslim neighbours for setting wey different from European landscapes wey people dey associate with Holocaust. Her inclusion for this year ceremony na important reminder say the catastrophe reach North Africa as well.

For 1940, British bombing strike Benghazi and kill members of her family. Her papa, British citizen, flee to Egypt as Italian authorities begin target those wey link to Britain. For 1942, Fallach and her relatives dem deport in truck under brutal conditions.

“It was boiling hot during the day, and freezing cold at night. They didn’t let us get off to eat or go to the toilet. We did everything inside the truck,” she recall. Her sister Yolanda die for the journey and dem bury am by roadside.

The family dem take to Giado concentration camp for Libya, where deportees dem pack into barracks wey dem divide only by hanging blankets. Hunger, lice, disease, and death become daily realities. Bedouin come to fence and trade food for jewelry. Fallach go climb fence to barter until soldier kick her and break her leg. Later, typhus kill another sister, Allegra.

After liberation by British for early 1943, the family return to Benghazi only to find their home occupy. Fallach nearly lose her leg to infection and only survive because dem give her penicillin. Soon afterward, anti-Jewish riots break out, Jewish homes and businesses dem attack, and the family flee to Tripoli. “During our time in Tripoli, we celebrated the State of Israel‘s first Independence Day,” she recall. Dem immigrate to Israel for 1949.

For Israel, Fallach work from young age to help support her family and later open hair salon. She since dedicate herself to speak to educational groups about Holocaust of Libyan Jewry.

Avigdor Neumann born for 1931 into Satmar hassidic family for Sevluš, then part of Czechoslovakia, and today for Ukraine. Him be one of seven children for religious household wey head by papa wey dem know for both trade and communal generosity.

That life scatter for 1944 when Germans occupy Hungary, and the family dem expel from their home during Passover. Him papa dem torture. The family dem deport to Auschwitz-Birkenau for packed cattle car. On arrival, Neumann dem separate from him mama and siblings and push into men line. Him survive selection only by telling Mengele say him older and trained as mechanic.

The next day, him learn say him mama, sisters, and brothers don already murder. Him papa and one surviving brother later die elsewhere for camp system. “From the moment they tattooed me with a number, I no longer had a name,” him later talk.

Neumann scavenge for food while dem assign am to garbage collection. At one point, him discover say him eldest sister still dey alive and shout to her over fence: “I’m 13 years old today! It’s my bar mitzvah!” Other prisoners risk their lives to obtain tefillin for am.

Him survive multiple selections, death march, Mauthausen, and Gunskirchen, where US Army liberate am. Him later make him way to Mandatory Palestine after British detention for Cyprus, and go fight for Israel wars until Yom Kippur War, when dem wound am.

Today, Neumann still dey talk about Holocaust and dey participate for project wey connect Holocaust survivors with survivors of October 7 massacre.

This year ceremony go also feature remarks on behalf of survivors by Haviva Burst, born Luba-Chaya Hochlerer for 1930 for Wojsławice, Poland. She be eldest of four children for traditional Jewish household. Her papa na trader and shopkeeper; her mama raise the family.

After German invasion, Burst mama and three younger brothers go into hiding and disappear without trace. She remain with her papa, wey believe say her Polish appearance and language fluency fit improve her chances of survival. The two first hide for pit for forest. Later, as snow make concealment more difficult, her papa pay Christians to hide her and move her whenever danger grow too great. The last time she see her papa, she run after am and beg am make e no leave her behind. Him hug her and walk away.

Only later she understand say this na the act wey save her life. Him dem murder for forest.

For one hiding place, she live behind wardrobe, stretching her limbs only at night. When money for her concealment run out, Burst flee and wander alone through Polish forests, sleeping for stables among rats and mice, scavenging for food, and moving on whenever she fear say she don arouse suspicion. One day, man stop her, interrogate her, and force her to admit say she be Jew. She expect say dem go hand her over or kill her. Instead, him take her home and treat her as family.

After war, dem gather her with other child survivors, reach Selvino for Italy, board Haim Arlozorov to Mandatory Palestine, and after detention for Cyprus, immigrate to Israel. She later serve for Nahal Brigade and become one of founders of Kibbutz Tze’elim.

Menachem Neeman wey go recite El Maleh Rahamim this year born for 1938 for Romania and raise for Câmpulung Moldovenesc. Him be youngest of five children for religious home. Him papa na shochet and teacher. One of him older brothers, wey dem send to relatives for Hungary, later murder for Auschwitz.

For late 1940, Menachem and him family dem deport by cattle train to Atachi, then ferry across Dniester into Shargorod ghetto. There, hunger and disease dominate daily life. “After the hunger we suffered in the Holocaust, to this day there is nothing I won’t eat,” him talk.

Typhus spread rapidly. The family spend much of their time removing lice from one another. Him papa dem send out daily for forced labour and once whip am for trying to bring back vegetables for family.

Even so, Jewish life continue for fragments. On holidays, Jews still gather to pray. On Passover, dem try avoid bread. On Shavuot, him mama somehow manage make noodles from small flour and water. “Mother, promise us that you will make us noodles every Shavuot,” the children ask.

After liberation by Red Army, the family eventually immigrate to Israel for 1949. Neeman later become vice-president of Haifa District Court, lecturer in family law, and chairman of supervisory nominating committee of Company for Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims’ Assets.

Him also remain deeply connected to Jewish liturgical music, first for choir of Military Rabbinate, and later through recordings of cantorial music.

Together, these eight biographies represent broad cross-section of Holocaust experience: ghettos, camps, mass shootings, hiding, forced labour, deportation, and postwar displacement.

Dem also reveal the beauty for lives wey dem build afterward for Israel – for military, courts, healthcare, education, industry, and public testimony. Na dis kind group dey stand for centre of this year Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony.