Tova Ringer, a Holocaust survivor from Poland, passed away Wednesday at the age of 102.
Ringer, who survived the Auschwitz death camp, was crowned, “Beauty Queen of Holocaust Survivors,” in 2018, at a special pageant held at the Haifa International Convention Center.
She was only 14 when World War II broke out. Her parents and grandmother perished in Auschwitz. Ringer is survived by two sons, five grandchildren, and around 15 great-grandchildren.
The “Yad Ezer L’Haver” association, with which Ringer was deeply involved, described her as one of its most remarkable and inspiring figures. For the past 15 years, she regularly attended the association’s community center, took part in activities, and volunteered to share her testimony with groups from Israel and abroad.
“She was a one-woman advocacy machine,” the organization said. “She spoke in the first person about what she went through — to soldiers, police officers, students, tourists, and women’s groups. Thanks to her command of more than eight languages, she was able to convey her story in a personal and precise way to each and every listener. Tova was a voice of truth with a heart of gold. She didn’t just tell the story — she lived it, driven by a deep sense of mission to ensure that the memory of the Holocaust would never be forgotten.”
Ringer’s funeral will take place Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at the Kfar Samir Cemetery's main gate.