Born in Nevarėnai (Nevaran), Lithuania
Masha was born as the youngest of four children. Her father passed away before she was born and the family moved in with her mother’s family.
Attended women’s teaching college in Telšiai
Masha continued to post-secondary education in the only women’s teaching college in Lithuania. Curriculum generated at this college was used across the world (used in Israel 30 years later when her daughter went to teaching college.)
Kindergarten teacher in Šiauliai (Shavli), Lithuania
After getting her teaching degree, Masha got a job on Shavli as a teacher and nanny.
Soviet occupation of Lithuania
On June 15, 1940 the Soviets occupied Lithuania and annexed Lithuania in August of 1941.
German invasion of Lithuania
Operation Barbarossa, the Axis attack on the Soviet Union included an attack into Soviet occupied Lithuania.
Šiauliai (Shavli) Ghetto initially formed
The initial orders to forms the ghetto:
- Any Jews who escape from Šiauliai have no right to return to the city. Those who return, will be arrested.
- All Jews are required to wear a yellow Star of David on the left side of their chest.
- All Jews are only allowed to be seen in public spaces from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- All Jews must liquidate their homes and immovable objects
- All Jews must move into the sites indicated by the Šiauliai City Government
Šiauliai (Shavli) Ghetto Massacre
“If there is a hell on earth, this was it.”
– Kalman Lurie
Large scale action in the Ghetto by Ukranian and Lithuanian sympathizers:
- Gathered 579 children, 191 elderly, 26 handicapped
- Brutally ripped children from parents and caretakers
- All shipped to Auschwitz where they were all killed.
Escaped to forest
Escaped from ghetto and hid in forest for 6+ months.
Lived in barns, pigstys, charcoal pits and in the forest.
Soviet Liberation of Lithuania
The Soviet Army liberated Lithuania in July of 1944. Masha and Aryeh come out of hiding in the forest and help support a group of orphan children in their studio apartment in Šiauliai.
Arrive at refugee camps in Italy
Masha and Aryeh travel as refugees to Italy with a final goal of emigrating to Palestine, where Masha’s older sister Elka already resided.
Shifra born in refugee camp outside Milan, Italy
In a refugee camp outside of Milan, Shifra was born.
More Information:
- Šiauliai Ghetto
- Shtetlinks: Shavli
- Interview of child hidden during the massacre of children in the Shavli Ghetto
- Interviews with survivors of Shavli Ghetto
- LitvakSIG (Lithuania-Jewish Special Interest Group)