Kashariyot and Their Role in Holocaust Resistance

By Talli Dippolid

March is Women’s History month — a perfect opportunity tM unearth stories of heroic women from the past whose voices have been historically ignored. Women have always played a critical role in society — in biblical times and in modern times, in times of war and in times of peace, and notably during the Holocaust.

As the Nazis ghettoized the Jewish people from 1939 to 1941 during the Holocaust, a need arose for connection between those in the ghetto and those on the “outside.” This life-threatening role of reconnaissance, rescue, and resistance quickly fell to women (as men could be identified by their circumcisions) who became known as kashariyot. The Hebrew word kashariyot comes from the root kesher meaning connection. These women, who were deeply associated with varied youth movements before the war (from political to Zionist), fearlessly and selflessly fulfilled whatever tasks necessary to save their people or help them die with dignity. They lived dual lives. They lived outside the ghetto walls, taking on Aryan identities that allowed them to function as spies; they visited within the ghetto walls, offering comfort and desperately needed resources.

Though it’s impossible to truly know the extent of the resistance, we know that it was widespread throughout occupied Europe and that its forms extended far beyond bearing arms to include spiritual resistance. Such acts included creating cultural institutions, providing clandestine educational opportunities, observing religious holidays and rituals, publishing and distributing underground newspapers, and collecting and hiding documents. The devastating outcome has historically overshadowed the incredible attempts made to save and preserve human life and legacy. It was the heroism of the female kashariyot that made much of this resistance possible.

As conditions became dire and ghettos were being liquidated, the kashariyot were instrumental in obtaining weapons, gathering intelligence, and training those in various youth movements to fight. Their work supported the armed resistance that took place in more than 100 ghettos and camps.

Gusta Davidson Draenger, a courier in Krakow who was known by her Polish alias “Justyna,” was captured by the Gestapo. Although she and her husband, Shimshon Draenger, were executed by the Nazis in November 1943, her words live on. From her prison cell, with hands broken from torture she’d endured, she wrote a diary on scraps of toilet paper that were found under the floor of her prison cell after liberation and turned into a book. She professed, “From this prison cell that we will never leave alive, we young fighters who are about to die salute you. May the memories preserved on these scattered bits of paper be gathered together to compose a picture of our unwavering resolve in the face of death.”

It is estimated that there were hundreds of kashariyot, but because of the nature of their work, information is extremely limited. Most were tragically killed in the line of duty. We know that some endured tremendous torture without revealing information that would have jeopardized the missions and work of their comrades.

The kashariyot are unsung heroes who were highly regarded and cherished by leaders of their time, and they deserve to be remembered for their heroism. Elie Wiesel wrote, “One must marvel even more at the fighters and couriers. Instead of falling into despair, they found reasons and strength to help others.”

At the Stan Greenspon Center for Peace and Social Justice, we honor and commemorate the kashariyot not only during Women’s History month but all year. We are committed to educating about the resistance during this horrific chapter of history to further a deeper understanding. Renowned historian Emmanuel Ringelblum wrote, “The story of the Jewish woman will be a glorious page in the history of Jewry…” It is not too late for their page to be written.

Five years ago this winter, we began our work building the Stan Greenspon Center for Peace and Social Justice. To commemorate our fifth anniversary, we will host a virtual celebration on

Sunday, March 21, at 5 p.m. The evening will be a reflection of our journey. The highlight of the event is the world premiere of the film “I Danced for the Angel of Death, the Dr. Edith Eva Eger Story.” You won’t want to miss this incredible event as we continue the journey of offering transformative Holocaust, human rights, social justice, Jewish studies, and Jewish life programs to the Charlotte region! To register, please visit our website: Stangreensponcenter.org.