Sara Zayer papers

Sara Mstibowski Zayer (1898-1982) was born in the city of Bialystok, Poland. She would grow up to marry Mojzesja Zazujer, and live together in Warsaw, Poland. In 1939, she received a travel visa to the United States to live with her brother, Jacob Mast, in New York City. In August of 1939, Sara arrived in New York aboard the M.S. Batory sailing out of Gdynia, Poland, and changed her last name to Zayer. While living in New York, she kept in contact with her husband, who was later transported to the Łódź ghetto, and eventually taken to Auschwitz, where he was killed. Sara (addressed as Sonia in her correspondence) also kept in touch with other family members and friends, including: her brothers Solomon and Isaac Mstibowski; her uncle and aunt Solomon and Dora Gottleib; and their daughter Fira Kozlowski. Samuel Klembocki was another major correspondent, who married Fira’s sister Rose. Some letters come from friends from Sara’s town of Bialystok, such as Genja Shiliner, while others relations are unknown. Sara gained citizenship and continued living in the United States until her death in 1982.