June 2019-My Grandmother
My grandmother, Naomi Niederman was born Etta Lefkovits in February 1927 to Regina and Markus of Vysoka Nah Uhom, Czechoslovakia. Etta was the second oldest of six children and had close family in the neighborhood.
Naomi (as she has been called since well before I was born) loved school until grade five, when Jews weren’t allowed to go to school anymore. Seems like in 1942, my grandmother’s life took a turn that I cannot even fathom. When she was 14, Naomi was hidden by family and taken across the border to go into hiding in Ungvar, Hungary.
From there, Naomi was put in a jail where she was tortured, deprived of food, sleep and any humanity a 14 year-old girl could have. Her life got worse when she was transferred to the infamous Margit Korut prison. From what I know, we are all lucky that she survived.
“Luck” had her transferred to an international work camp, Riche, in Hungary for a year. She worked hard from morning until night – it was not easy by any means, but she was not singled out or beaten.
The next year, she was placed in a girls’ Jewish orphanage in Budapest. The girls were treated well and from there, Naomi was moved to the Red Cross Station where she worked in the kitchen – she made sure to make herself as helpful as possible at work – and sneaked food out to take it to other girls in hiding. She was liberated there and met her future husband (my grandfather Asher) two days after liberation, while looking for water.
Naomi stayed with the Zionist organization for over a month. Life was different—
she was free and with Jewish friends. She and Asher Niederman travelled with the group for about a year, making their way through Italy to Palestine, staying at various DP camps along the way.
My grandparents started a beautiful life together once they settled on a Kibbutz Ma’agan. They worked, enjoyed beautiful scenery and eventually had two sons (my father Arie and uncle Meir). They made their way to Newark, New Jersey in May of 1959 and eventually settled in Springfield, NJ where they still live today. They are happily married with a loving family that includes four grandchildren and four great grandchildren who all love them very much.
My Grandfather
Asher Niederman, my grandfather, was born on November 18, 1926 in Uzhorod, Czechoslavakia. Asher had three sisters and was actively part of the Zionist organization since he was six years old.
Asher’s mother passed away in 1938 and he spent much of his time with his uncle, where he worked in his uncle’s bakery, learned the trade that saved his life, and with the Zionist Organization, a social setting where he learned, talked about and raised money to go to Israel.
During the war, my grandfather worked in a bakery in Budapest from 1941 – 1944, when he was sent to a work camp in Jazberany and worked in the kitchen there. He was able to escape from the work camp, found an old boss and worked in a bakery again until the Iron Cross took over the government of Hungary.
In the fall of 1944, Asher went to the Zionist underground where he was literally hidden in a bunker under a house, with a certificate to go to Israel. The Hungarians found them and my grandfather was taken to jail. The Zionist Organization came to his rescue and they escaped to safe houses set up by the Swiss Consulate until liberation.
As part of the Zionist group, he traveled to Romania for a month. When he was sent back to Budapest to bring another group down, he met my grandmother Naomi Niederman (Etta Lefokovitz) for a second time. He asked if she wanted to go to Romania with the group, and this time, if she wanted to be his girlfriend. She did and they have been together ever since.
From Romania, my grandparents travelled through Italy for a year to get to Palestine, staying at various DP camps along the way. When they arrived in Palestine, they settled in Kibbutz Ma’agen. My grandfather left the organization in 1947, moved the family to Tel Aviv and then went into the Israeli Defense Forces for two years.
Asher and Naomi worked hard, enjoyed beautiful scenery and eventually had two sons (my father Arie and uncle Meir). They made their way to Newark, New Jersey in May of 1959 and eventually settled in Springfield, NJ where they still live today. They are happily married with a loving family that includes four grandchildren and four great grandchildren who all love them very much.
