Penina Zeitchik's Journey: From War-Torn Europe to Israel

Penina Zeitchik, an 86-year-old Holocaust survivor, recently fulfilled a lifelong dream by immigrating to Israel on February 18, 2023. Born Penina Falchuk in the Polish town of Lubieszow, she fled with her family as the Nazis approached in 1941. The family initially sought refuge in the Soviet Union, navigating through Uzbekistan amidst extreme hunger and disease, before eventually moving to Germany after World War II.

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Lubieszow, once home to a vibrant Jewish community, was devastated during the war. Following the Nazi invasion, a ghetto was established, where approximately 2,000 Jews were confined. By 1942, most of the ghetto's inhabitants were executed, leaving only a handful of survivors. Zeitchik's family, having lost many relatives, found their home destroyed upon their return after the war. This loss propelled them to continue their journey westward through Poland and into Germany.

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In Germany, the Falchuks spent four years in Displaced Persons camps, hoping to immigrate to what would become Israel. Zeitchik recalls the challenges they faced, including the rejection of their attempt to board the Exodus, a ship carrying Holocaust survivors to Palestine. After the establishment of Israel, a letter from a relative led them to settle in New York in 1951, where Zeitchik pursued education and a career as a teacher.

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After decades in the United States, Zeitchik and her husband contemplated moving to Israel following her retirement in 2008. However, her husband's illness delayed their plans. Following his passing, she decided it was time to realize her dream. Now residing in Hashmonaim, a West Bank settlement, Zeitchik has faced the challenges of living in Israel during a time of conflict, including spending time in bomb shelters due to the ongoing war with Iran.

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As she prepares to observe her first Holocaust Remembrance Day as an Israeli citizen, Zeitchik reflects on her family's history and the legacy of survival. She recalls her uncle Shaya, who fought against the Nazis as a partisan. Zeitchik views her immigration to Israel as a form of revenge against the horrors her family endured during the Holocaust. “This is our own victory, this is the revenge,” she stated, emphasizing the significance of her new life surrounded by family.

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Zeitchik expressed her excitement about being with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in Israel. Despite the challenges posed by the current conflict, she remains resolute in her decision to return to her ancestral homeland. “I did not like to be woken up by sirens, but everything was okay,” she remarked, showcasing her resilience in the face of adversity.

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• “When I come here, and I look around, and I see my family, and I see this country, I say to myself, isn’t this the greatest revenge that we could ever have taken,” — Penina Zeitchik, Holocaust Survivor

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• “The Nazis kept coming behind us, so we wandered for quite a while, until we got to Uzbekistan,” — Penina Zeitchik

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• “My mother and her sister would take turns standing in line all night for bread.” — Penina Zeitchik

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• “I remember one time I was talking to my best friend Rachel and asked her if she was going to come to Palestine with me, and she answered that she needed to ask her mother for permission,” — Penina Zeitchik

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This narrative encapsulates Penina Zeitchik's remarkable journey from a war-torn childhood to her long-awaited homecoming in Israel, highlighting the resilience and determination of Holocaust survivors.

Times of Israel