The Difference between Life and Death: Choices That Saved a Young Boy

From the moment he was born, Arye Ephrath was in danger. His mother gave birth to him with the help of a housemaid in spring 1942 while hiding from the first wave of deportations of Jews from their hometown in Slovakia. Later, a shepherd and his wife took in Arye on the condition they could disguise him as a girl so that he would blend in with their daughters. As the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day, learn how others took risks and sacrificed to help Arye survive the Holocaust.

Eighty years since the Holocaust began, violent antisemitism remains a threat—as we witnessed at a Texas synagogue this month. The lessons of this history have never been more relevant and are an ongoing focus of USHMM’s Facebook Live series.

Guest
Dr. Arye Ephrath, Holocaust Survivor and Museum Volunteer

Host
Dr. Edna Friedberg, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Watch live at the USHMM's Facebook page. You do not need a Facebook account to view their program. After the live broadcast, the recording will be available to watch on demand on USHMM’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

Also on January 26th at 5PM CDT, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum will host a virtual International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration. The event will stream live on January 26th at 5PM CDT and be available afterward for viewing on demand here.