Miriam Sarah Levy

Miriam Sarah Levy was born in 1932 in Warsaw, Poland, into a vibrant Jewish community that would soon face unimaginable horror. At age 7, her childhood ended abruptly when the Nazis invaded Poland. She spent three years in the Warsaw Ghetto before being transported to Auschwitz, where she lost her parents and two younger siblings.

Through a combination of luck, resilience, and the kindness of strangers, young Miriam survived. After liberation in 1945, she was placed in a children's home for orphaned Holocaust survivors. Despite her trauma, she showed remarkable strength and a determination to rebuild her life.

In 1948, Miriam immigrated to the newly established State of Israel, settling in Jerusalem. She completed her education, earned a teaching degree, and dedicated herself to ensuring that the Holocaust would never be forgotten. For over 40 years, she taught history and Hebrew literature, but her most profound impact came through her willingness to share her personal story.

Miriam spoke at schools, universities, and museums around the world, bearing witness to the Holocaust with dignity and grace. She participated in the establishment of Yad Vashem's educational programs and mentored younger generations of Holocaust educators. Her testimony was recorded by the USC Shoah Foundation, ensuring that her voice would continue to educate long after she was gone.

Despite the darkness she had experienced, Miriam chose hope. She married Yosef Levy, a fellow survivor, and they raised three children in Jerusalem. She found joy in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, seeing in them the ultimate triumph over those who had tried to destroy the Jewish people.

Miriam's life was a testament to the power of resilience, the importance of memory, and the strength of the human spirit. She showed that from the deepest darkness, light can still emerge.