Yani Halpert

when he looked out the window and noticed something written on the sidewalk. Confused, he asked his father what it meant, and his father quietly explained, “Jews go to Palestine.”

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Despite the rising tensions, the family was able to stay in their home until 1944, thanks to a special exemption known as a "vinenaka." Their business was considered necessary for the German war effort, as they provided clothing for German soldiers.

Their ordeal finally ended in March 1945 when they were liberated by Russian forces while hiding in an underground bunker. After their liberation, the family returned to their home in Bardejov, though life was forever changed.

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In October 1949, Yani immigrated to the United States, where he enrolled in Yeshiva Torah Vodaath.