Etta Isenberg, of Miami, Florida, formerly of Brooklyn, New York, passed away peacefully on June 20, 2025.  She was 95 years old.  Etta was born in Niemenczyn, Poland on August 21, 1929.  She was a daughter of the late Joseph and Faye (Nidzon) Tajcz.  She had an older sister, Sarah, and a younger brother, Chaim Moshe.  Her wonderful childhood was disrupted when her hometown was occupied at the start of WWII.  Nothing would ever be the same.  Hers is an amazing story of tragedy and loss, yet her inner strength, bravery and resilience framed her life from a very young age to the very end.  She never gave up, never lost hope and never stopped believing that tomorrow can be better than today.  Etta’s incredible memoir written in her own words is available on our website at the link below.  It is appropriately titled, The Will to Live.  Her story as a Holocaust survivor should be a source of inspiration not only to her family and friends but for generations to come. On April 22, 1947, Etta was one of several children who boarded a ship headed to America with no parents and no little brother.  She and her sister, Sarah, initially lived in the Bronx with their Uncle Max adjusting to their new life in America.  Etta graduated from high school and married Charles Gopstein on October 26, 1952.  Charlie was also a Holocaust survivor from Vilna, Poland.  The newlyweds lived in a small apartment in Brooklyn where they raised their daughter, Janice, and son, Sheldon.  The family frequently visited Etta’s beloved Uncle Jack on his farm in Colchester.  Etta exclaimed, if it weren’t for help from her uncle Jack, she might not have survived her ordeal during WWII.  Etta’s beloved husband, Charlie, tragically left this Earth in December of 1959.  Etta had to fend for herself again, this time with two small children.  Many years later, Etta married Nat Isenberg, a widower and also a Holocaust survivor. They originally settled in Brooklyn, NY then moved upstate to Swan Lake.  Etta would say the fresh mountain air of the Catskills reminded her of Poland.  Besides being a full-time homemaker, Etta volunteered from time-to-time welcoming Russian Jews emigrating to America as she was fluent in Russian, Hebrew, Yiddish, Polish and English.  Etta endured tremendous hardship and loss throughout her lifetime.  Despite all of it, she managed to remain strong and optimistic and endlessly devoted to her children and grandchildren.  She was always grateful for the blessings she had.  We too should be grateful for the 95 years Etta blessed this world. May her memory be a blessing to all who knew her, as she will always be remembered with love and affection by her children and their spouses: Janice and Stephen Neckes of Miami, FL;  Sheldon and Jacqui Gopstein of Scarsdale, NY;  and two granddaughters, Dalia Gopstein and Shannon Neckes. A graveside funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 26th at 2PM at Jewish Aid Cemetery, Gillettes Lane, Colchester, Connecticut. The Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home of Colchester has been entrusted with care of arrangements.  Shiva will be observed for seven days at the home of Sheldon Gopstein, 30 Edgewood Road, Scarsdale, NY.  For online condolences, or to share a story of Etta for her family, and to read or obtain a copy of "The Will to Live", please visit our tribute page at www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com