Hendel-Schreier-Oberlander
The annual memorial meeting - remembering those who passed away in 2019 – 2020, held via Zoom on December 24th, 2020.The material was submitted by her son Shlomo Wygodny, Ramat HaSharon
Hadassah Wygodny, the only daughter of Bezalel Hendel and Sophie Schrier, was born on June 5th, 1929 in Berlin. She passed away in Israel on February 28th, 2020. Her grandmother was a Drohobycz native, the youngest of ten children.
In June 1939, a year after her father was expelled back to Poland and while waiting for an immigration certificate to Palestine, Hadassah and her mother went to Drohobycz to say good-bye to the family. The war broke out while they were in Drohobycz, and they were not able to leave.
During the “Russian” period, Hadassah learnt Polish, Russian and Ukrainian in school. With the German occupation, the aktions and atrocities started, and part of the family was destroyed.
Thanks to the efforts of the Righteous Among the Nations, Jarosława and Izydor Wołosiański, a cellar in the former house of uncle Zeifert became a hiding place for Jews. Hadassah was among the first ones to be hidden. With time there were 39 Jews in the hiding place (ten percent of total Drohobycz survivors). They all survived thanks to the generosity and bravery of the Wołosiańskis who took care of them for 22 months.
After war was over the Hendel family returned to Berlin, but Hadassah felt uncomfortable among the “murderers”, and she signed up for “Aliyat Ha’Noar” (youth Aliya) where she met her future husband Michael. They arrived in Israel on the ship “Kahiro” in 1946. Hadassah arrived in the moshav “Moledet” in the Yizrael valley where many spoke German. She felt immediately at home with her adoptive family. Later on she joined the “drafted hakshara” in Geva and the Palmach, and served under Yigal Allon. She was a guard in Cadoorie (an agricultural school), underwent training in Jo’ara and during the War of Independence participated in Operation Matateh (Sweeping Broom) that liberated Tiberias and the Galilee.
After the Aliya of her parents, Hadassah moved to Tel-Gibborim in Holon. She married Michael in 1950 in during the period of austerity in Israel. She was a career woman in a time when this was not that common. She studied accounting and worked many years in the wage department of Ta’as (Israeli Military Industries), and later at Hagor.
The only times Hadassah did not work was when her children were born in 1954 and 1962. Her family was always her highest priority, and she tried to work part-time, so she can be at home for her children when they returned from school. In 1980 she started working again full time in Scitex and the family moved to Ramat HaSharon.
Hadassah and Michael moved to Protea Village as she never wanted to become a burden to her children, but rather to grow old independently. Throughout the years, they traveled abroad frequently, and tried to enjoy life. Hadassah translated books into Braille and received the Presidential Volunteer Recognition.
She was able to renew connection with Sława Wołosiańska, who visited Hadassah at her home a number of times, so that the family could hear the stories firsthand.
Hadassah is survived by two children, six grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren, all of them will always remember her. May her memory be for a blessing.
Submitted by Shlomo Wygodny and his sister, Ramat HaSharon
Hadasah Wygodny’s testimony
Part One
Part Two
Submitted by her grandson, Shlomo Wygodny
Watch Sophia Hendel-Schreier-Oberlander’s testimony to Yad VaShem:
Part One
Part Two
Audio recording of Regina Rivka Oberlander: Submitted by her grandson, Michael Oberlander, who recorded the testimony in 1985 thorough his cousin Shlomo Wygodny.
Bezalel (Salek) and Sophia Hendel-Schreier in Berlin in the mid 1930’s.
Seated - the Schreier sisters. From right to left: Blima, Sophia, Regina (Rivka), Malcia (Amalia). Standing from right to left: the siblings Oscar and Cyla (Zippora), and the cousins Malcia (Amalia) Distler and her brother Isaac Jacob Distler.
See Bezalel Hendel’s documents: Resident registration, work permit and “invitation” to an Aktion.
According to family stories, the naïve Bezalel went there (to the Aktion). On the way he met someone who told him to run away.
