Elya, also known as Eli, was the eldest of three sons born to
Yiddish-speaking Jewish parents. When Elya was a child his
family moved to the industrial city of Radom, located about 60
miles south of Warsaw. After completing school in Radom, Elya
apprenticed to become a women's tailor. Eventually, he became
licensed as a master tailor. 1933-39: Elya married in 1936 and
had a daughter one year later. He and his wife lived on
Zeromskiego Street across from Elya's younger brother, Itzik,
who was also a tailor. On September 1, 1939, German troops
invaded Poland and entered Radom seven days later. When the
occupying Germans evicted all the Jews from Zeromskiego street,
Elya moved his family to his parents' home. 1940-44: In April
1941 Elya's family had to move again when the Germans forced all
of Radom's Jews into two ghettos. In 1942 the Germans assigned
Elya and other master tailors to work in an SS shop. During the
German liquidation of the ghetto, Elya would hide his daughter
in a suitcase whenever the Germans