Edith’s smile lines, framing her sky-colored eyes, reflect her beautiful and blessed life on a day when the sky is the most delicate shade of blue. Edith’s name means wealth or prosperity, yet her most prized possession was her ability to keep a simple life, despite being a Jewish girl born less than a decade before the start of World War II.
“I had wonderful parents. They protected me in all the ways a daughter can be protected, and my father saved our lives,” said Edith.
Edith Esther Rosenberg was born in a three-family home in Antwerp, Belgium, to Sarah and Israel. She had a brother; however, he died in an accident when she was young.
Edith described her father as a brilliant businessman who kept himself well-informed about the world through the family’s radio kept in their living room. She also explained that her mother taught her how to be a radiant woman, reflecting her Yiddish name “Hannah,” which means grace. “My mother always used to tell me, ‘Wherever you go, go with a smile, even though you may hate the people around you. When you go amongst people, you don’t know how they behave or who they are, but you do know yourself, and it doesn’t cost anything to be nice,’” said Edith.
Living in Belgium prior to the war as a young girl, Edith followed a habitual routine. She would wake up every morning, recite her morning prayer, and then proceed to go to school every day, accompanied by her parents. After school, Edith would come home and eat a meal with her parents. “I never eat a meal before saying a blessing,” said Edith. On Sundays, her mother would take her to her friend’s house, which had children her age.
She spoke Yiddish at home, recited prayers before meals, and went to synagogue on Shabbat, which is observed from a few minutes before the sun sets on Friday evening until the appearance of three stars in the sky on Saturday night, or an hour after sundown.
As World War II erupted when Edith turned eight, her father, a perceptive man and a man well-acquainted with the world, foresaw the looming threat of Nazi Germany. Acting with rare foresight, he swiftly devised a plan to protect his family before the invasion of Belgium.
In a race against time, just before the Nazi forces overran Belgium, Edith and her family embarked on a perilous journey to the border. They reached the English Channel, the narrow strip of water between Belgium and England, clinging to the hope of a safe passage.
Against all odds, fortune smiled upon them. With remarkable luck, the family secured a spot on a boat poised to navigate the Channel Tunnel, ferrying them straight to London. This timely escape not only preserved their lives but also marked the beginning of a new chapter amid a world plunged into chaos.
“In London, I took life as it came,” said Edith. Despite the challenge of not knowing a word of English, her transition was smoothed with a fortunate turn of events. Upon her arrival, Edith was promptly enrolled in school and would walk 20 minutes from her flat to the schoolhouse. Fortunately, during her time in Belgium, she picked up French. With a stroke of “good luck,” which seemed to be a common theme in her life, her teacher in London was also fluent in French, allowing Edith to fit right in and bridge the language gap with ease.
She also picked up English as the year progressed. As a young Jewish girl, she explained she never felt discriminated against during the war in London. She said, “There were two other girls who had similar backgrounds to me. I found from a young age that a few good friends are a lot better than a lot who don’t care about you.”
As the war progressed in London, the Rosenberg family received a ration card to account for their meager share of household staples and food. However, she said, “My parents always made sure I had three meals each day.”
