Halina Yasharoff-Peabody

Born to a Jewish family in Krakow, Poland in 1932, Halina Yasharoff-Peabody survived World War II with her mother and sister as a Catholic, using false papers. At the age of 12, she was wounded by bomb shrapnel, losing part of her hand. After the war, her family emigrated to England. Halina found it difficult to fit into her new life in London. She discovered table tennis and it became her bright spot, giving her the outlet to heal the emotional and physical pain of war. She participated in the 1953 and 1957 Maccabiah Games in Israel, representing England. In 1968, Halina immigrated to the United States. In 1975 she won the Montgomery County mixed doubles and ladies titles. Since retiring, Halina has been volunteering at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, speaking to groups about her Holocaust experiences. She has two sons and two granddaughters.