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Cecile was born on October 4, 1931, in Brussels, Belgium. Her father, Abraham Rojer, worked as a leather goods manufacturer, her mother was Geshewa Rojer. Cecile had an older sister, Anny, born on December 25, 1929, and a younger brother, Charles Louis, born on December 6, 1934. Germany invaded Belgium in May 1940 and began rounding up Jews two years later. The Rojer family remained in Brussels until January 1943.
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In January 1943, Cecile's parents were arrested. Cecile recalls her last meal with her mother—a typical Belgian lunch of steak, mashed potatoes, and Belgian endives, a dish she hated. While she was away for voice lessons, her parents were arrested and deported to Auschwitz, where they perished on January 18, 1943. After their arrest, the three children went into hiding.
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Cecile and Anny first hid in a rehabilitation hospital in Woluwe St. Pierre for two months, then moved to Baron d'Muart's Chateau de Voneche until August 1943. From September 1943 until April 1945, the girls stayed at the Couvent de la Misericorde in Louvain, where Cecile was baptized. Charles, their younger brother, was hidden in Villa Irene in Francorchamps for most of the war.
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In April 1945, Anny and Cecile were liberated by American troops. After the war, the girls lived in Le Home des Hirondelles, a children's home in Anderlecht, until they immigrated to New York in June 1948 to live with relatives. Cecile's education had been interrupted by the war, but after arriving in the United States, she earned her high school equivalency diploma.
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Later, she became a ballroom dancing and aerobics instructor. On November 6, 1955, Cecile married Simon Jeruchim, a child survivor from France. Together, they had two daughters and six grandchildren. Cecile’s life story reflects resilience and the ability to rebuild after the horrors of the Holocaust. Her journey from wartime survival to a fulfilling life in the U.S. serves as a testament to her strength.
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Cecile Jeruchim interview at The Moriah School - 2023-2024
The Moriah School
