The Anthropologist Deconstructing Antizionism
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Pearl Hinda just turned 102 years old, survived the Holocaust, and rebuilt her life from nothing. Here are the seven lessons she wants you to know.
Born in 1924, Pearl Hinda Nagel endured unimaginable suffering. She lost her father as a child and her mother in the Lodz Ghetto. She survived forced labor, hunger, and the concentration camps, and then rebuilt a family and a life from nothing.
Having witnessed both the worst and the best of humanity, she believes that kindness is the greatest legacy any person can leave behind.
As Pearl Hinda celebrates her 102nd birthday and begins her 103rd year of life, she offers timeless wisdom earned through resilience, faith, and a lifetime of rebuilding.
Pearl Hinda had every reason to surrender to despair. Instead, she chose hope every day. Even in the labor camp, she believed Gd had not abandoned her. Hope became the strength that carried her through the darkest moments.
Despite living with constant hunger, she shared her soup with another girl who needed it even more. After experiencing horrific cruelty, she refused to let it define her.
After the war, Pearl Hinda returned to her old apartment building. The janitor’s wife gently urged her not to go upstairs because it would pull her back into the past. She carried her memories with her, but she chose to build a future instead of remaining trapped by yesterday.
Orphaned, alone, and surrounded by death, Pearl Hinda maintained an unwavering connection to God. Her faith became an anchor when everything else had been taken away.
The author with Pearl Hinda
The Nazis tried to wipe out the Jewish people and erase Jewish life. Pearl Hinda answered by marrying, raising children, welcoming grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and passing on her faith and values. Every new generation became her greatest victory.
As she begins her 103rd year, Pearl Hinda says she understands the value of time more than ever. Life is precious because no one knows how much of it we are given. Cherish your loved ones, do good while you can, and never take a single day for granted.
Suffering does not have to define the rest of your life. After losing nearly everything, she still speaks about gratitude, family, and hope. While you cannot choose every chapter of your life story, you can choose how to write the continuation of the story.
Pearl Hinda reminds us that purpose does not retire with age. As long as you are alive, you have something to give, someone to inspire, and a responsibility to make the world a little kinder than you found it.
Happy 102nd birthday, Pearl Hinda!
