Esther (Ada) Frajman Ofir z"l
- Częstochowa Holocaust Survivor
On 22nd September 2016, during our World Society’s Fifth Reunion, a memorial plaque was unveiled at Stary Rynek 24 (Old Market Square) commemorating the site where, seventy four years earlier, Esther’s family and other Jews went into hiding.
That was the day when the Nazis began the liquidation of the “Small Ghetto”. The cramped, damp basement of that building became the hiding place for twenty seven Jews, the survival of whom became a mission for Esther’s father.
The memorial plaque (above) was unveiled by Esther in the presence of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and was covered by the local media. The plaque honours the memory of her parents and the Jews of Częstochowa who perished in the Holocaust.
Thankfully, for posterity, Esther wrote her memoirs entitled, in English, “Thus Began My New Life”, the PDF’s of which are available to read online, by clicking on one of the three links below
Esther's Memoirs
in English
Esther's Memoirs
in Polish
Esther's Memoirs
in Hebrew
Sadly, Esther passed away on 3rd July 2017.
May her memory be a blessing to her family and to all of us.
During our World Society’s Fifth Reunion in 2016, I had the privilege of being Esther’s Polish-to-English interpreter, as she told her amazing story to a lecture hall full of academics, high school students and Reunion participants.
For me, it was a truly amazing experience. As an interpreter, one needs to concentate on what is being said, without becoming emotionally involved in the content. As Esther told her story, and that of her family, for me, this requirement became quite difficult.
It was an experience which I will long remember.
My thanks go to Alon Goldman, Chairman,
Association of Częstochowa Jews in Israel,
for providing me with the text of Esther’s memoirs in all three languages.