Tova Friedman, one of the youngest survivors of the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp.
More than 150 of Mrs. Friedman’s family members were killed in the Holocaust — specifically on her mother’s side.
Her book, “The Daughter of Auschwitz,” was a top-selling book in the New York Times for several weeks.
For Yom HaShoah on Wednesday, May 8, at 7 p.m., the Friedman JCC will hold a brief service, followed by Tova Friedman sharing her story.
And Tova's story is truly remarkable.
Tova Friedman was born on September 7, 1938, in Gdynia, Poland, a suburb of Danzig.
Her family was from Tomaszow Mazowiecki, a small town near Lodz, Poland, and returned there when the war began.
After spending several years in a German sanatorium for tuberculosis and Displaced Persons camps, Friedman and her parents came to the U.S. when she was 12 years old.
They settled in Brooklyn, where Tova met and married her husband of 60 years, Maier Friedman.
Tova received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Brooklyn College and a Master of Arts in Black Literature from City College of New York.
Together with her husband, she moved to Israel and lived there for over 10 years, where she taught at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
After returning to the U.S., Tova earned her Master of Arts in Social Work from Rutgers University and became the director of Jewish Family Service of Somerset and Warren Counties. Tova has four children and eight grandchildren.
Tova continues to share her story with students and audiences at public and private schools, at colleges and places of worship across the country.
While driving on Friday, Tova, who had just left one meeting and was heading to another, answered a call from a Times Leader reporter. She stopped her car to answer the reporter’s questions.
As busy as she has been over the years, her schedule has become even busier as she observes the discussions in the U.S. and globally about the Israel-Hamas war.
“Yes, I feel it is extremely important to speak out, especially now,” Tova said. “The current events are very distressing. I can’t just idly stand by. This is a very disheartening time in America for me.”
As expected, Tova holds strong opinions about the situation. She drew many comparisons between the world of 2024 and the pre-World War II era in Europe.
“I want to emphasize, this animosity and these awful demonstrations are not protests — they are encouraging people,” Tova said. “That’s what happened before World War II in Germany. It’s very reminiscent — the animosity, the fury, the bias, the cruelty. I just can’t sit back and not do what I can.”
Tova expressed that the level of anti-Semitism in the world today is alarming.
“It’s so filled with venom and animosity,” she said. “It serves as a reminder of the Holocaust, where millions of people were killed because of their religious beliefs. This is not a repeat of that, but these are very dangerous times for Jews and all people.”
Tova was 5 1/2 years old when she was in Auschwitz. She, her parents, and two aunts managed to survive the ordeal.
Tova said that when she was in Auschwitz, she was almost 6 years old. She was there for six months and every child was fully aware of the situation. She had no knowledge of anything else apart from that.
Tova expressed her determination to send a warning.
Tova stated that she is showing what happened to her and her family, as well as many others, when there was widespread hatred and anti-Semitism. She believes that we are currently living in a very dangerous era where Democracy could be lost, and there are people who want to harm those who are different.
Tova Friedman will be speaking at the Friedman JCC for free, but reservations are encouraged. To make a reservation, call 570-824-4646, or email Barbara Sugarman at [email protected].
