“My grandparents and father were among the millions of Jews killed in the Holocaust. My mother survived because she joined the partisans and refused to hide; she fought instead.” — Chanit Roston Born in 1939 in what is now Slovakia, Chanit Roston was a hidden child during the Holocaust. At just four years old, she lived in a potato cellar, knowing that she could not go outside. She remembers seeing other children playing and wondering, “How come I can’t go outside?” Her grandfather tried to explain why she had to remain hidden, but at such a young age, Chanit could only understand that life was difficult and that she was different from the children she saw outside. Chanit survived because of her mother’s foresight. Her mother found a Christian family willing to hide her, giving her a chance to survive while her family faced unimaginable danger. Her mother herself survived by joining the partisans and fighting rather than hiding. Today, Chanit is grateful to still be here. She taught herself Hebrew and English and has also found a powerful way to express her experiences through art. An accomplished artist, Chanit’s paintings reflect a life shaped by survival, resilience, and gratitude, and her artwork is featured in this video. Through the Survivor Speakers Bureau, Chanit shares both her story and her perspective so that future generations can hear firsthand what it meant to survive the Holocaust. Invite a Survivor Speakers Bureau speaker to your school, organization, or community and hear directly from those who witnessed history firsthand. Learn more and request a speaker: claimscon.org/speakers/ #VanishingWitnesses #SurvivorSpeakersBureau #HolocaustEducation