Holocaust Survivor Shares Hope 81 Years After Liberation

When Ernest Rubinstein stepped onto the stage at Yeshiva University to share his Holocaust story, he did something remarkable. He spoke of unthinkable suffering with clarity, humor, and an unwavering sense of gratitude that left students both moved and inspired.

On April 14, 2026, Rubinstein sat down with his grandson, Jonathan Schwab, for a Yom Hashoah memorial event at Stern College. The 91-year-old survivor walked students through his journey from a small town in Czechoslovakia to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and finally to freedom in America.

Born in 1935 in Nitra, Rubinstein was only six years old when he crossed the border into Hungary with his mother and sister. They lived in his grandparents' shed for two years before being forced into a ghetto, then transported to Austria on suffocating freight trains.

In Austria, the undernourished boy was forced to do a grown man's work on an apple orchard. But Rubinstein called it luck. "That was our mazel, we went to Austria," he said, his optimism shining through decades later.

The family was later sent to Bergen-Belsen, where one slice of bread had to last three or four days. Rubinstein recounted, with tears, how his mother carefully rationed food to keep him and his sister alive despite the lice infestations and brutal conditions.

Liberation came on April 13, 1945. The moment that stuck with Rubinstein most was when an American Jewish soldier stood on a car and spoke Yiddish to the prisoners. Hearing his native language from a liberator brought indescribable relief after years of terror.

After reuniting with his father, Rubinstein traveled to England, had his bar mitzvah in Dublin, and eventually settled in America with his family. He built a full professional life and raised a family, ending his talk with practical advice and humor that had students laughing.

Why This Inspires

Rubinstein's ability to speak about trauma with composure and even jokes shows the power of human resilience. Student Tzivia Plotzker said he "brought his world into the room" in a way that felt deeply personal. His story proves that survival isn't just about enduring but about choosing hope, gratitude, and life on the other side of darkness.

The evening closed with students and staff singing HaTikvah together, a fitting tribute to a man who embodies hope itself.