Holocaust Survivor Testimony: Michael Bar-On

Michael Bar-On will be one of six survivors lighting torches at the State Ceremony opening Holocaust Remembrance Day at Yad Vashem.
Born Michael Brownfeld in 1932 in Kraków, Poland, Michael was the youngest of his Hasidic family's 8 children.
In 1941 the family was incarcerated in the Kraków ghetto before they were transferred to Międzyrzec Podlaski, where they lived in a stable. When a typhus epidemic broke out there due to overcrowding, contamination and hunger, almost all of the Brownfelds contracted the disease. After Michael’s parents succumbed to typhus, his cousin Bronka came to Międzyrzec Podlaski posing as a Christian, and smuggled Michael and his siblings to her hometown of Brzesko. Michael, his brother Elimeleh and their sister Aliza survived the Holocaust by fleeing to various locations, including the Bochnia ghetto, Pivnička and Košice (Slovakia), Budapest, Nagyvárad and Bucharest. The three youngsters succeeded in boarding a boat that sailed from Romania to Istanbul, where they boarded a train and reached Eretz Israel (Mandatory Palestine) via Syria and Lebanon in July 1944.
Michael studied at the Agudat Yisrael educational institution in Magdiel, became a counsellor for young Holocaust survivors and enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces. After 25 years in the IDF, he retired with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Michael and his wife Haya have 3 children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
For more details: www.yadvashem.org/remembrance...

[@dougfreeland6957]

Through the pain of grief and sadness, inspiration to others 🇮🇱

[@lisalarosa4546]

Such a brave young man! I'm so glad he survived to give his testimony!

[@thomashunter5707]

That was one brave boy and you can hear in his voice it still affects him so so sad I hope he had a good life😢😢😢😢

[@yaelelerner3544]

Very grateful for your testimony. Aware that it’s painful for you to recall thoses terrible times but your testimony is essential for the following generations. And for me, it’s a treasure.

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

TY FOR HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

TY FOR YOUR SERVICE

[@petejames1326]

my grand parents and great grandparents lived in borislaw, ukraine, my grandparents survived, my great grandparents, and all their relatives were killed in belzec

[@yaelelerner3544]

My whole family-in-law was murdered at Belzec as well. My husband alone survived as a kid from Warsaw ghetto by escaping by night. He survided out of 357 members of his family.

[@amelitafolkmeier1293]

❤️🇮🇱

[@257rani]

❤🇮🇱❤

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

SHALOOM

[@eileentobin9321]

I would have liked to hear him talk about how he escaped.

[@belbrighton6479]

I need to know more about the daring escape! It is wonderful that he survived. It is important during this time of war with Gaza (which should stop) why the sanctity of Israel needs to be preserved. As a land of safety and of joy for Jews. These stories help illustrate why Israel must exist, we shall never forget them. ❤

[@udarpavarota396]

😢

[@martell203]

How do they feel about the Haavara Agreement??

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

POOR FELLOW PEOPLE WANT TO KEEP THESE PHOTOS A SECRET

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

CAN ONLY SPEAK AND READ ENGLISH TY FOR TRANSLATING TESTMONY 2024

[@janklaas6885]

📍2:09

[@user-ez8es8gm8q]

Краков это страшно.

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

Tell Fellow Pres TrumAn may 14 1949 Israel a state 2024 still. WAR