Sonia Sklaver, 95, died on Friday, April 3, 2020 in Teaneck, New Jersey. The youngest of four siblings, she was born on January 5, 1925 in the shtetl of Hoscht, Poland. Her mother taught her to cook and bake, as well as how to keep a Jewish household. 

When the Nazis invaded Poland, Sonia’s mother insisted that she leave Hoscht to try to save herself after non-Jewish neighbors and “friends” refused to help them. Sonia hid by working with a Polish family as their nanny and farm worker. Her light-colored hair, as well as fluency in Polish, helped her to survive by keeping her religion a secret. Unlike her mother and her sister, Sonia managed to stay alive, even after the family suspected she was Jewish and brought her to a priest to confess. She broke down and admitted to him that she was Jewish. The priest replied, “Your secret is safe with me,” which Sonia said was the only act of kindness she experienced during the entire war. 

When it was all over, one of the only other surviving residents of Hoscht- Irving Sklaver, who had always admired Sonia - somehow found her, they married, and they traveled together to a displaced persons camp in Germany. There they had their daughter Linda, and moved to the US in 1949 to begin a new life. Residing in the Bronx, they had another daughter, Sheila, and then moved to Fair Lawn, New Jersey in 1958. 

Sonia took her household duties seriously, and did everything she could to provide the best life possible for her husband and children. The Holocaust robbed her of completing her formal education, but she was intelligent, well-read, and multilingual. Sonia eventually returned to school to get her high school equivalency, attended college, and became a registered nurse. 

Sonia was loved deeply by her entire family, especially her husband Irving, who passed away in 2019. He always said, “Everybody loves Sonia.” And they did. She was selfless, devoted, and loving. In addition to her family, Sonia was devoted to Judaism and Israel. Sonia personified the phrase “derech eretz,” the proper way to conduct oneself with dignity, and honesty, and with true concern for those around them. Never overly emotional but always fully present, Sonia had a way with babies and a quiet sense of humor. She set an example for the family by doing the right thing in her own way, and if you weren’t paying close enough attention, you could easily miss a witty remark under her breath. 

She is survived by her daughters Linda (Myron) and Sheila (Larry); her grandchildren Zoe (Ethan), Abby (Brandon), David (Margaret), and Jonathan (Eva); and her great-grandchildren Clementine, Gershon, Aaron, Adam, Sam, Madeline, Hugo, and Isabelle. Funeral services were held privately on Sunday, April 5, 2020. Memorial donations may be made to the Jewish National Fund.