YWN regrets to inform you of the petira of Reb Shmuel Beller Z”L, a well-known Holocaust survivor, who was niftar at the age of 98.

Reb Shmuel was widely known for speaking about the horrors of the Holocaust, often showing young children the number tattooed on his arm. Countless videos of his powerful testimony were shared over the years, including many which were featured on YWN.

He once shared that after the war he was no longer religious, but the Klausenberger Rebbe drew him close and inspired him to return to a life of Yiddishkeit. Reb Shmuel later realized he was the sole survivor of his entire family. He eventually located five friends from his hometown, noting that none remained religious — and that his own return was a clear neis.

Reb Shmuel was born in Oswiecim, Poland — later known as Auschwitz — to his parents Tzvi and Chava (Goldstein) Beller. He learned in the local Talmud Torah until the war broke out. On September 1, 1939, Nazi forces entered his town, and conditions for the Yidden quickly deteriorated.

Within weeks, Jews were expelled from their businesses, and soon after from their homes. Reb Shmuel later moved to Sosnowitz, where he worked until 1943, before being deported to multiple forced labor camps. He endured brutal labor and a death march, never seeing his parents or siblings again.

After liberation in 1945, he spent several months recovering in a hospital before eventually immigrating to the United States.

Reb Shmuel settled in Brooklyn, where he lived for decades, building a life and dedicating himself to sharing his story and strengthening others.

The Levaya will take place on Monday morning at 10:00 AM at Shomrei Hadas Chapels in Boro Park.

He leaves behind a legacy of emunah, survival, and inspiration for generations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)