Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation

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Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation

Inspiring the next generation through the history and life lessons of the Jewish partisans.

06/05/2026

Esther Ass Klug (z"l) was born on June 5, 1928, in Novogrudok, Poland. German forces entered Novogrudok on July 4, 1941 and occupied the village. The Jews of Novogrudok and its surrounding area were murdered in mass killing operations from July 1941 to May 1943. In December 1941, a ghetto was established where Jewish laborers and their families were concentrated. The Ass family worked outside the ghetto on nearby farms.
When the Germans conducted an Aktion in August 1942, Esther’s sister, Rochel, was tragically killed. The remainder of the Ass family survived.
Esther's brother was the first member of the family to escape the ghetto and join the Bielski Brigade, an all-Jewish partisan group. Each family member left the ghetto on the pretext of fetching water. They removed their identifying badge and fled. Esther escaped the ghetto in September 1943 and became a member of the Bielski Brigade.
Read more of Esther's remarkable story of survival and resilience, newly published at: https://www.jewishpartisancommunity.org/part.../esther-klug/
Photo: Postwar portrait of the Ass family. From left to right are Chana Chamanovitch (their adoptive daughter), Beila, Itka, Yaakov Menachem, Yosef, and Esther

06/04/2026

Join JPEF for the Summer Institute for the California Teachers Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education, June 21-24, in Los Angeles. California Educators - there are still ten spaces available for this amazing opportunity. Transportation, lodging, and meals are provided at no cost. Apply today at: https://cateacherscollaborative.org/summer-institute-2026-application/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Learn more about the Collaborative here: https://jewishpartisans.blogspot.com/2026/06/jpef-helps-lead-californias-premier.html

06/02/2026

Born in Novogrudok, Poland, Samuel Zelwin came from a respected Jewish family of kosher butchers. When the N***s invaded Poland, Samuel and his family were forced into the Novogrudok Ghetto. After nearly 5,000 Jews were murdered in December 1941, Samuel made a decision: escape or die trying.

He fled into the forests of Belarus and joined the Bielski partisans, one of the largest Jewish resistance groups of World War II. There, he met Chaike Duszkin, who would later become his wife, Ida. They were married in the forest on February 12, 1942.

Together, Sam and Ida risked their lives daily to help others survive. Sam helped secure food for the partisan community and took part in resistance operations against those responsible for the persecution and murder of Jews. Despite unimaginable hardship, the couple never lost their faith, their compassion, or their commitment to helping others.

Their courage saved lives. Their legacy endures.

Today, Samuel and Ida's family includes children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and beyond—a living testament to Jewish resistance and survival. From two young partisans who refused to surrender came generations of life.

The N***s sought to erase them. Instead, Samuel and Ida built a legacy that continues to grow.

That is the power of resistance. That is the power of defiance.

05/28/2026

Stan Felson (Zalman Feigelson) (z''l) escaped the massacre of most of the 5,500 Jews of his hometown of Glubokie, Poland by fleeing into the forests. He then joined a partisan unit under the command of a Russian partisan named Markov.
Stan later returned to the Glubokie Ghetto to rescue his family, convincing his younger brother Don to join the partisans. In the spring of 1943, they joined the Panomorenko Otriad. There Stan led a combat group of 20 men that sabotaged German transportation and communication lines. They were liberated by the Russian Army in 1944.
Read more about Stan’s incredible life here: https://www.jewishpartisancommunity.org/.../zalman.../

05/27/2026

Join the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation and the Institute for Curriculum Services on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 4-6 PM PDT online for an interactive workshop that bridges the gap between the ancient origins of antisemitism and the heroic defiance of the Jewish partisans during World War II.

Educators will trace the 2,000-year trajectory of antisemitism through primary sources before diving into powerful lesson plans on wartime resistance and ethical decision-making. Participants will leave with classroom-ready materials (in both English and Spanish) designed to help students navigate the complexities of the Holocaust through the lenses of resiliance, survival, and the vital history of those who fought back.

Registration Link: https://tools.icsresources.org/registration/?ID=5817155000093959018

This workshop supports the Common Core Standards for History and Social Science content for the State of California.

05/26/2026

Jewish partisan Sonia Orbuch (z''l) was born Sarah Shainwald in the Polish town of Luboml. Just 16 years old in 1941 when the N***s invaded and imprisoned all Jewish residents in a ghetto, Sonia and her family feared that the rumors of death camps and mass exterminations were true and fled into the woods.
After a year spent hiding in the forest, Sonia joined the Soviet partisans together with her parents and uncle. Pressed into service as a doctor’s aid on the front lines, bullets flew by her head during a mission to blow up train tracks – but Sonia was determined to fight. Capture by the enemy was not an option and Sonia carried two hand grenades with her at all times, “One for the enemy, and one for myself.”
We commemorate Sonia's Birthday on May 24th.
Read more about Sonia's incredible story here: https://www.jewishpartisans.org/partisans/sonia-orbuch
http://jewishpartisans.org/soniaorbuchblog

05/25/2026

On Memorial Day, we honor the courage and sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the fight against hatred, tyranny, and oppression.

Among them were Jewish partisans and soldiers who resisted the N***s during World War II. They fought not only for survival, but for freedom, dignity, and humanity itself.

Their stories remind us that resistance can take many forms: defending others, standing against injustice, and refusing to remain silent in the face of hate.

Today, we remember all who made the ultimate sacrifice and recommit ourselves to preserving their legacy through education and remembrance.

05/21/2026

Tonight at sundown, the holiday of Shavuot begins.

Groups such as the Bielski partisans created hidden communities in the forests where Jews celebrated holidays, cared for one another, and even established schools for children. In the midst of war and genocide, they understood something powerful: preserving education, tradition, and identity was itself an act of resistance.

The concept of the “mitzvah of education," the belief that learning renews and sustains Jewish life, remained alive even in the partisan camps. While resisting the N***s through sabotage and armed struggle, Jewish partisans also continued teaching, studying, and celebrating holidays like Shavuot, determined that Jewish culture and faith would survive for future generations.

Chag Sameach!

During this time of reflection and study, explore the stories of Jewish resistance and resilience through the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation’s resources:
www.jewishpartisans.org

05/20/2026

Silvio Ortona (z"l) was born on May 24, 1916 in the Piedmont region of Italy. Silvio was already a practicing lawyer when he became a member of the Italian partisan brigade Fratelli Bandiera. This group of partisans eventually started Radio Liberta, an underground radio channel.
After the war, Silvio married another former partisan, Ada della Torre, and the two settled in Turin. Their children would become student organizers in the Italian protests of 1968.
Learn more about Silvio here: https://www.jewishpartisans.org/partisans/silvio-ortona

05/18/2026

Jewish partisan Boris Kot (z"l) was born on May 8, 1925, in Kovno (Kaunas), Lithuania. At the of age 18, Boris was the only surviving member of his family after Jews in the Kovno Ghetto were forced to assemble and a selection took place.
In 1943, Boris narrowly escaped from the ghetto to join a Russian partisan group, where he faced anti-Semitism. He went on missions to sabotage German trains, railroads, and bridges, cut communication lines, and also helped gather food for the group.
With the help of Bricha, an underground Jewish organization, Boris eventually went to Germany, where he stayed in a Displaced Persons camp in the American Zone for three years. In 1949, Boris arrived in Massachusetts, where he lived until his passing on January 28, 1997.
Read more about Boris' incredible life here: https://www.jewishpartisancommunity.org/partisans/boris-kot/

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2266 California Street
San Francisco, CA
94115

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http://www.jewishpartisans.org/, https://www.jewishpartisancommunity.org/

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