86-year-old crowned Miss Holocaust Survivor in Israeli beauty pageant

The 86-year-old Salina Steinfeld has been crowned Miss Holocaust Survivor 2021 in an annual Israeli beauty pageant.

“We need to be strong, to know how to take care of ourselves – and most importantly, to help each other,” said Steinfeld, according to organizers on Wednesday. “Don’t leave unfortunate people alone.”

According to the statement, the senior citizen visits other Holocaust survivors at least once a week as a volunteer, despite her advanced age.

Steinfeld was born in the Romanian city of Iasi in 1935, according to organizers, where she experienced Nazi attacks in 1941 with her parents, her brothers and her grandmother.

In 1948, she moved to Israel, got married and had three children. Today she has seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

“This is my personal victory over the Nazis, we must remember and not forget,” she said.

According to the organization Yad Ezer L’Haver, there were several hundred applicants for the beauty pageant, from which 10 finalists were selected.

Spectators were also able to participate via online voting.

The unusual pageant aims to “bring joy to the heroines who survived the Holocaust,” a statement said. The participants spend a day being spoiled by professional make-up artists, hairdressers and stylists.

Last year’s contest was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.