Ida Paluch Kersz , Holocaust survivor and author in Skokie , Illinois. Ida Paluch Kersz was born months before WWII broke out and the German army invaded Poland. In 1942 the nazis moved the jewish population into the ghetto downtown area of Sosnowiec. With deportation imminent and chased by the nazis, her mother jumped to her death from a high window, living behind Adam and Ida, 3-year-old twins who were quickly split up to escape the ghetto. Ida was welcomed into a new Polish Christian family. Adam went a separate way with another family, and the two didn’t know each other’s fate for 53 years. In 1995 his sister, now Ida Kersz and living in Skokie, saw a picture of her long-lost brother in a Jewish publication. The man pictured was living in Poland and had a different name, Jerzy Dolebski. But Kersz immediately recognized some of his physical features — he resembled her maternal grandfather — and got in contact with him. (Photo by Jean-Marc Giboux) Skokie USA

Ida Paluch Kersz , Holocaust survivor and author in Skokie , Illinois. Ida Paluch Kersz was born months before WWII broke out and the German army invaded Poland. In 1942 the nazis moved the jewish population into the ghetto downtown area of Sosnowiec. With deportation imminent and chased by the nazis, her mother jumped to her death from a high window, living behind Adam and Ida, 3-year-old twins who were quickly split up to escape the ghetto. Ida was welcomed into a new Polish Christian family. Adam went a separate way with another family, and the two didn’t know each other’s fate for 53 years. In 1995 his sister, now Ida Kersz and living in Skokie, saw a picture of her long-lost brother in a Jewish publication. The man pictured was living in Poland and had a different name, Jerzy Dolebski. But Kersz immediately recognized some of his physical features — he resembled her maternal grandfather — and got in contact with him. (Photo by Jean-Marc Giboux) Skokie USA

Ida Paluch Kersz , Holocaust survivor and author in Skokie , Illinois. Ida Paluch Kersz was born months before WWII broke out and the German army invaded Poland. In 1942 the nazis moved the jewish population into the ghetto downtown area of Sosnowiec. With deportation imminent and chased by the nazis, her mother jumped to her death from a high window, living behind Adam and Ida, 3-year-old twins who were quickly split up to escape the ghetto. Ida was welcomed into a new Polish Christian family. Adam went a separate way with another family, and the two didn’t know each other’s fate for 53 years. In 1995 his sister, now Ida Kersz and living in Skokie, saw a picture of her long-lost brother in a Jewish publication. The man pictured was living in Poland and had a different name, Jerzy Dolebski. But Kersz immediately recognized some of his physical features — he resembled her maternal grandfather — and got in contact with him. (Photo by Jean-Marc Giboux) Skokie USA

Ida Paluch Kersz , Holocaust survivor and author in Skokie , Illinois. Ida Paluch Kersz was born months before WWII broke out and the German army invaded Poland. In 1942 the nazis moved the jewish population into the ghetto downtown area of Sosnowiec. With deportation imminent and chased by the nazis, her mother jumped to her death from a high window, living behind Adam and Ida, 3-year-old twins who were quickly split up to escape the ghetto. Ida was welcomed into a new Polish Christian family. Adam went a separate way with another family, and the two didn’t know each other’s fate for 53 years. In 1995 his sister, now Ida Kersz and living in Skokie, saw a picture of her long-lost brother in a Jewish publication. The man pictured was living in Poland and had a different name, Jerzy Dolebski. But Kersz immediately recognized some of his physical features — he resembled her maternal grandfather — and got in contact with him. (Photo by Jean-Marc Giboux) Skokie USA

Ida Paluch Kersz , Holocaust survivor and author in Skokie , Illinois. Ida Paluch Kersz was born months before WWII broke out and the German army invaded Poland. In 1942 the nazis moved the jewish population into the ghetto downtown area of Sosnowiec. With deportation imminent and chased by the nazis, her mother jumped to her death from a high window, living behind Adam and Ida, 3-year-old twins who were quickly split up to escape the ghetto. Ida was welcomed into a new Polish Christian family. Adam went a separate way with another family, and the two didn’t know each other’s fate for 53 years. In 1995 his sister, now Ida Kersz and living in Skokie, saw a picture of her long-lost brother in a Jewish publication. The man pictured was living in Poland and had a different name, Jerzy Dolebski. But Kersz immediately recognized some of his physical features — he resembled her maternal grandfather — and got in contact with him. (Photo by Jean-Marc Giboux) Skokie USA

Ida Paluch Kersz , Holocaust survivor and author in Skokie , Illinois. Ida Paluch Kersz was born months before WWII broke out and the German army invaded Poland. In 1942 the nazis moved the jewish population into the ghetto downtown area of Sosnowiec. With deportation imminent and chased by the nazis, her mother jumped to her death from a high window, living behind Adam and Ida, 3-year-old twins who were quickly split up to escape the ghetto. Ida was welcomed into a new Polish Christian family. Adam went a separate way with another family, and the two didn’t know each other’s fate for 53 years. In 1995 his sister, now Ida Kersz and living in Skokie, saw a picture of her long-lost brother in a Jewish publication. The man pictured was living in Poland and had a different name, Jerzy Dolebski. But Kersz immediately recognized some of his physical features — he resembled her maternal grandfather — and got in contact with him. (Photo by Jean-Marc Giboux) Skokie USA

Ida Paluch Kersz , Holocaust survivor and author in Skokie , Illinois. Ida Paluch Kersz was born months before WWII broke out and the German army invaded Poland. In 1942 the nazis moved the jewish population into the ghetto downtown area of Sosnowiec. With deportation imminent and chased by the nazis, her mother jumped to her death from a high window, living behind Adam and Ida, 3-year-old twins who were quickly split up to escape the ghetto. Ida was welcomed into a new Polish Christian family. Adam went a separate way with another family, and the two didn’t know each other’s fate for 53 years. In 1995 his sister, now Ida Kersz and living in Skokie, saw a picture of her long-lost brother in a Jewish publication. The man pictured was living in Poland and had a different name, Jerzy Dolebski. But Kersz immediately recognized some of his physical features — he resembled her maternal grandfather — and got in contact with him. (Photo by Jean-Marc Giboux) Skokie USA