How 150 Czech Jewish Teens Escaped the Holocaust and found each other again, 70 years later by Lilah White

Who was involved?

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-07 18:36:10 UTC

This topic involves 150 teens who escaped the Holocaust. Their ages ranged from 14 to 16 years old.

The Legacy of Henrietta Szold: Youth Aliyah's Founding Story

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-07 18:40:52 UTC

When did this take place?

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-07 18:47:55 UTC

This event took place in 1933. This is also when Youth Aliyah was founded.

How did the teens escape?

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-07 18:51:52 UTC

The teens escaped by following the plan of the Youth division of the Jewish Agency. They boarded a train in Czechoslovakia leaving their family behind while they headed for Denmark.

Refugees and their Families Reuniting

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-07 19:03:07 UTC

What is Youth Aliyah?

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-07 19:12:39 UTC

Youth Aliyah is a group that was founded in 1933. The group was able to save lives of many by sending groups of teens to safer places around the world. It also gave the teens a vital escape route.

Dagmar Pollakova's Quote

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 17:29:58 UTC

"The brave ones were our parents"

"They were so brave to say goodbye to us, only children, never to know id they were going to see us again"

Matyasova Quote

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 17:31:43 UTC

"There are more Czech teens who were saved by Denmark during the war, and I want to find them all"

The Czech teens riding their bikes

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 17:34:10 UTC

The Teens in the National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 17:35:29 UTC

Where did some of the teens end up working?

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 17:40:00 UTC

Some of the Czech teens ended up working in Natural Science or on large farms.

What happened in 1943?

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 17:42:17 UTC

In 1943, the Nazis suddenly announced that the Jews in Denmark were no longer free. The teens were smuggled out onto tiny fishing boats to Sweden.

Accomplishments of Youth Aliyah

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 17:48:23 UTC

Some teens were able to find their parents after the war, and were also spared the fate of so many other Jews during the Holocaust.

What did the teens do upon arrival?

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 17:50:09 UTC

The teens lived in foster homes and worked on farms. They also grew a closer bond with each other.

The Czech teens playing with each other through the fence

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 17:58:10 UTC

Sources:

lilahwhite1 — 2025-03-10 18:08:08 UTC

Shmulovich, Michal. “How 150 Czech Jewish teens escaped the Holocaust and found each other again, 70 years later.” The Times of Israel, The Times of Israel,

https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-150-czech-jewish-teens-escaped-the-holocaust-and-found-each-other-again-70-years-later/. Accessed 4 March 2025.

“Youth Aliyah” Jewish Virtual Library, American- Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/youth-aliyah. Accessed 4 March 2025