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Names Not Numbers
Aliza Erber
Aliza Erber
Aliza was born in April 1943 in Holland while her mother was in hiding. She is unsure of the exact name of the town. Her family was heavily involved in the Dutch resistance and underground efforts during World War II. The Nazis occupied the Netherlands in May 1940 when her mother was just 16 years old.
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After the invasion, her mother faced increasing restrictions, such as being banned from parks, school, and social activities. Jewish men were being rounded up, and food became scarce. At 19, Aliza's mother was engaged to Richard Levy, Aliza's father, who was active in the underground. His role was to discover which Jewish families were marked for deportation and smuggle them to safety.
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Aliza's father was eventually caught and sent to Westerbork concentration camp, where her mother was allowed to visit him. During one of these visits, her mother became pregnant. The couple married in the camp before her father was transferred to Theresienstadt, where he contracted typhus. He was later sent to Auschwitz, where he died at 32 years old from the disease. Aliza never had the chance to meet him.
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Her mother continued moving from one hiding place to another. She first stayed with a farmer who had nine children but had to leave once her pregnancy became visible. The Germans frequently inspected the farm, and when they did, Aliza’s mother would hide under the hay in the barn.
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From there, she moved to forests and ditches, constantly evading capture while pregnant. Aliza’s grandfather was also in the underground, helping forge false papers, which may have helped her mother survive.
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When it became clear that the family was on a Nazi deportation list, they dispersed to prearranged hiding places. However, there was no plan in place for Aliza’s mother, who was pregnant. Aliza was born in hiding, and at seven months old, the underground determined she had to be taken away for her safety. She was placed with Righteous Christians in an underground bunker with around 10 other babies.
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Aliza spent two years in the bunker, often with her mouth taped shut to avoid detection. The conditions were dire, and food was scarce—tulip bulbs were boiled to feed the children. Pipes were installed to deliver air into the bunker. She nearly starved and suffered from severe nutrient deficiencies, particularly calcium.
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The bunker was eventually discovered and destroyed. However, Aliza was found elsewhere in another facility. The underground likely intervened, moving her to a safer location. After the war, Aliza’s mother, along with another underground member, searched for her and eventually reunited with her. Aliza's mother married Berthold Erber after learning of her first husband's death in Auschwitz.
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After the war, Berthold Erber joined the Jewish Brigade of the British Army, and the family moved to Israel (then Palestine) when Aliza was almost three years old. Due to malnutrition, she was unable to walk initially, but she gradually recovered. In Israel, Berthold became involved with the Haganah, while Aliza’s mother started working as a cleaning lady before becoming a dress designer. They lived in military housing, and Aliza grew up there.
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At 15, Aliza discovered that Berthold was not her biological father. Her mother rarely spoke of the Holocaust, keeping much of the trauma to herself. The family eventually moved to Holland for a year, and later back to Israel. Due to a spot on her mother's lung, they were initially denied entry to the U.S., as the authorities suspected she had tuberculosis.
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In February 1959, the family was finally allowed to enter the U.S., sponsored by Aliza’s father’s cousin, a concert pianist living in Pennsylvania. Aliza was16 when they settled briefly in Brooklyn, later moving to the Bronx. Her mother worked as a seamstress in a factory, and her father found a job as a salesperson.
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It took Aliza a year to learn English. During this time, she worked at Macy’s as a salesgirl on her days off from school and later taught Hebrew while attending college. Aliza met her husband in college, and after graduation, they married.
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Many of Aliza’s relatives' names are inscribed on the Holocaust monument “The Wall of Names” in Holland. Her grandmother was murdered at the age of 89, possibly in Auschwitz. Dr. Aliza Erber went on to earn a degree from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine.
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She is now a rabbinic pastor, actor, playwright, and adjunct professor at SUNY Purchase College. Aliza has three children and three grandchildren.
Aliza has also expressed her experiences through writing, including a play titled Holocaust Syndrome and various poems. She continues to share her story through her creative work, helping others understand the lasting impact of the Holocaust.
The End
Aliza Erber interview at Clarkstown Middle School, Felix Festa - 2023-2024
Clarkstown Middle School - Felix Festa