Testimony of Malka Levitan (Faktor), born in Sarnele, Lithuania, in 1942, regarding her being born in hideout and life in hiding until end of war.

Testimony of Malka Levitan (Faktor), born in Sarnele, Lithuania,in 1942, regarding her being born in hideout and life in hiding until end of war. Family background; well off haredi family owning fur factory; grandfather was a rabbi and a ritual slaughterer; outbreak of war; Lithuanian neighbours collaborating with Germans; taking people among whom many relatives of mother to forest Grolaye and murdering them by shooting; mother was at beginning of pregnancy and begged for her life and her children's life ( Malka's 2 brothers and one sister) to old Lithuanian client called Yoses Straupitz, who had connections with authorities; he agreed to her request and that same night he came and took out her family and more relatives (16people) and he gave them to a neighbour, Yoses Karpautis; their hiding in hideout in bunkers that had been prepared in advance in the village Sarnele,where he possessed land; their life in bunker; under a cowshed where there was not much air and conditions were extremely difficult; food and care were given to them by Lithuanian peasant ,his wife and children; at night they would get out of hideout in order to breathe air; keeping kashrut all the time; the father helped with birth of Mlka who was sent for a while to another Lithuanian family and later was given back; another baby was born in hiding, was given to a Lithuanian family though his fate is unknown;difficulty to keep quiet with another baby born in hiding and other young children; kissing the mezuza that was given to Malka when she had high fever; it kept her quiet and it became their miracle; searches and gunshots of the Germans; father's request to add to their hideout a cousin and a couple of doctorswith their baby daughter who was taken out in a suitcase and sent to another Lithuanian family; during German searches they would get a warning and hide in forest; they stayed in hideout together with everybody for 3 and a half years until end of war; help of a priest called Tachkona during hiding period; after war,Malka moved with her family to Alsedzai; moving to Klaipeda; life under communist regime; moving to Kaunas; iability to migrate to Israel; aliya permit in 1972; aliya and absorption.