Dr. Edith Eger, A"H - NNN 2026

Dr. Edith Eger (née Elefánt) was born on September 29, 1927, in Košice, then part of Czechoslovakia and later Hungary. She was the youngest of three daughters born to Lajos and Ilona Elefánt. As a young girl, Edith excelled in ballet and gymnastics and dreamed of competing at the highest levels of sport.

In 1944, after the German occupation of Hungary, Edith and her family were forced into the Košice Ghetto and deported to Auschwitz. Upon arrival, her parents were murdered in the gas chambers. Edith and her sister Magda survived unimaginable hardships, including forced labor, starvation, and death marches. During her imprisonment, she famously danced for Josef Mengele, an act that would later become one of the most memorable episodes of her story. She was ultimately liberated at Gunskirchen in Austria in May 1945.

After the war, Edith married Béla Eger, and the couple eventually immigrated to the United States. There, she rebuilt her life, earned a doctorate in clinical psychology, and dedicated her career to helping others heal from trauma. Drawing upon her own experiences, she became an internationally recognized psychologist, speaker, and bestselling author of The Choice, The Gift, and The Ballerina of Auschwitz.

Through her writing, teaching, and clinical work, Dr. Eger inspired countless people with her message that while we cannot always choose what happens to us, we can choose how we respond. Her life stands as a powerful testament to resilience, hope, and the triumph of the human spirit. HTC was privileged to welcome Dr. Eger as a participant in the 2026 Names, Not Numbers® project, sharing her remarkable story with our students just weeks before her passing. Dr. Eger passed away on April 27, 2026, at the age of 98. Hebrew Theological College mourns her loss and extends its heartfelt condolences to her family. May her memory continue to inspire generations to come.