(JNS) A famous Holocaust survivor who made eating falafel a symbol of Shoah resilience has passed away. 

David (Dugo) Leitner started a widely-marked tradition of eating falafel to mark his 1945 march from the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Leitner was born in Hungary in 1930 to his parents, Meir and Golda Leah, and raised in an Orthodox home. 

In March 1944, invading Nazi Germans corralled his family to the ghetto; six weeks later, they were sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Young David was separated to live with thousands of other children there.

On January 18 1945, he started the long trek (known as the death marches) from Auschwitz to Mauthausen and from there to Gunskirchen, where he was liberated. 

Gripped with hunger, the teen dreamed of his murdered mother’s bilkalach—balls of dough cooked to a golden brown. 

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Relatives and friends attend the funeral of Holocaust survivor David (Dugo) Leitner in Moshav Nir Galim (Photo: Flash 90)

Leitner survived to enjoy similar foods for the rest of his life.

He moved to Israel in 1949, joined the Israel Defence Forces and eventually settled in Moshav Nir Galim. 

At an outdoor market in Jerusalem, he saw falafel for the first time and recalled the nostalgic cuisine of his youth that had sustained him during the escape through the Polish countryside.

Despite the chickpea dish tasting very different, a new yearly ritual commemorating his survival began.

His annual personal observance every January 18 grew to be celebrated and recognised around the globe.

While initially a private act, Leitner’s family began participating with him, and the media took notice. As more people joined in, the day took on a special name: “Operation Dugo.”

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He pledged to eat a portion of falafel each year on January 18

In 2019, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin invited Leitner for a falafel meal. Other leaders who have also participated in the tradition include President Isaac Herzog and former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi.

In 2021, Israel’s Foreign Ministry took what it termed “Dugo Day” abroad, offering free falafel at its embassies in Warsaw and London.

Leitner died on July 26 at the age of 94. He and his wife, Sarah, had two daughters; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.