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Jakob Lajb Lewkowicz was born on December 30, 1922, in Bedzin, Poland, to Judka L. and Adele L. Poremba Lewkowicz. The family was part of the large Jewish community in Bedzin, which constituted approximately half of the population in town. Jakob and Judka both worked as fabric cutters for the active garment trade in the town.

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and German troops entered Bedzin on September 4. A few days later, members of the ethnic German community set the synagogue on fire, burning it and the surrounding houses with their occupants to the ground. By 1940, German authorities were selecting Jews to work as forced laborers, especially young males. In 1941, there were large scale selections for labor camps. In summer and fall 1943, there were mass deportations of Jews to Auschwitz-Birkenau killing center.

At some point, Jakob was sent to Annaberg labor camp, and later to Auschwitz concentration camp where he was assigned prisoner number A-17488. In spring 1944, Jakob was transferred to Blechhammer, a subcamp of Auschwitz III-Monowitz concentration camp. On January 21, 1945, the camp was evacuated and the prisoners were sent on a death march to Gross-Rosen. The Soviet Army advanced on the camp, and Jakob was transported on February 10 to Buchenwald in Germany, where he was assigned prisoner number 130322. Around March 9, Jakob was sent to Schörzingen concentration camp, a Wüste complex subcamp of Natzweiler. As the Allies advanced quickly through the region, by April 18, Jakob was on a forced march south toward Dachau concentration camp. On April 22, before reaching Dachau, Jakob was liberated by US soldiers. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. All of Jakub's family is presumed to have perished.

In October 1949, Jakob sailed from Bremerhaven, Germany, to New York City on the USAT General Howze. He settled in New York, married, and had one child. Jakob, age 73, died on October 3, 1996, in Freehold, New Jersey.