A Hidden Life

Michelle Trop was born on June 2, 1938 in Orleanais, France. Her parents, Sonia and Jacob Trop, left their home country of Poland and moved to southern France from Poland in 1936. They thought moving would help them avoid the problems Jews had in Poland but soon Jacob was concerned that France would fall under Nazi rule. He joined the French resistance and arranged for Sonia and one year old Michelle to live with a Catholic family on a farm in the French countryside. After six long years, the war ended and Jacob came to claim his family. They resumed their Jewish lives, found sponsors and immigrated to America.