Anetta Tikhonov, a Holocaust survivor, shared her story about Passover as she received support through our dental care sponsorship program. 

Recently, she had become the victim of a scam — her bank account was emptied and is now frozen. This happened in the midst of an extensive dental treatment plan, which included multiple implants, crowns, bone augmentation, and sinus lifts, with a total bill of around 25,000 NIS. As a result of the scam, her treatment had to be put on hold.

One of our coordinators, Uliana, reached out to check in on Anetta just before Passover. Right away, Uliana could sense that something was wrong. When she heard Anetta’s story she was able to connect her with our dental project. 

Thanks to our dental project, we were able to step in and help cover her outstanding bill so that she could continue her much-needed treatments.

When Anetta heard the news, she said, “Wow, this is like a weight lifted from my soul!” It was a deeply moving moment.

Anetta’s Story

While speaking with Uliana, Anetta also shared her personal story — and since Passover was approaching, she reflected on how her family preserved their faith and traditions despite the horrors of the Holocaust.

She recalled how her mother would tell stories about their family’s hardships. In the 1920s, Anetta’s grandmother was forced to flee Warsaw with her own mother and other relatives due to persecution by the White and Red Armies against the Jewish community. They found refuge in Varshlavgrad, now known as Lugansk. It was there that Anetta was born and spent her childhood.

When World War II broke out, they had to flee once again. Anetta’s grandmother was initially hesitant, unsure about leaving the new apartment they had just moved into. But her mother insisted, gathering the family and squeezing them onto the last available cattle wagon available. Tragically, all those who stayed behind, trusting that the Germans would not harm the Jews, were executed. Not a single Jewish person survived.

Anetta’s family survived thanks to her mother’s courage — she was only 28 years old at the time.

On her father’s side, the tragedy was severe. All of his relatives were persecuted and executed in Uman. 

Anetta’s family eventually ended up in Barnaul, Siberia, where they lived in extremely harsh conditions: six people crammed into a tiny 9-square-meter room with no furniture. Despite their circumstances, Anetta’s mother kept their traditions alive, secretly baking matzah in a large shared furnace and hiding it from the other residents of their communal building, where several families shared a single kitchen.

Her father was a deeply religious man, observing every holiday and fasting each year for Yom Kippur. He led all the prayers and gathered a minyan — a prayer gathering of ten men — for services whenever possible. When they were one person short, he would even bring Anetta’s younger brother to complete the group.

After immigrating to Israel, Anetta continued these traditions. She prepared stuffed fish and other classic dishes for Passover, always setting a beautiful table for the Seder.

“Я фаршировала всегда рыбу. Накрывала стол. Седер накрывала.”
“I always stuffed the fish. I set the table. I prepared the Seder.”

But after losing her husband several years ago, something inside her heart broke. Now, she quietly marks the holiday, celebrating Passover with a neighbor.

Anetta’s story is a powerful reminder of the resilience, faith, and enduring spirit passed down through generations — and how even small acts of support can help lift heavy burdens.