Helen Finkelstein, 85, of Vineland, passed away Friday Aug 16 at home, surrounded by her family. Helen was born in Romania on January 19, 1928. At age 16, she and her family were taken to Aushwitz Birkenau concentration camp, where her parents and 2 young brothers perished. After transfers to several other forced labor camps she was liberated in May 1946 by an American soldier named George Katzman, with whom she remained in contact throughout her life. After the war, she joined other displaced persons on a transport (Aliyah Bet) through Italy destined for Palestine. While awaiting passage she met and married her husband Joseph Finkelstein in Rome on August 8, 1946. Instead of immigrating to Palestine as planned, they reunited with Joe's family and on Nov 18, 1948 they arrived in America, where they resided in NYC for the first 2 years and had their first daughter, Rochelle. In Nov 1950 they settled in North Vineland on a poultry farm with Joe's family and shortly after had their second daughter, Sandy. Together, they built a life and a thriving egg-processing business, Finkelstein Farms. In 1963 they welcomed her final daughter, Barbara. As a member of the community, Helen belonged to Beth Israel Congregation, Hadassah, Hebrew Women's Benevolent Society, Sisterhood and Girl Scouts. Helen had a love for fashion and clothes and later in life opened an upscale woman's clothing store in Vineland called Finesse Fashions. Above all, Helen was first and foremost a wife and mother, and treasured her role as a grandmother. To her grandchildren, and later to anyone who knew her, Helen was lovingly referred to as Pouka, and that's how she will be remembered. Helen is preceded in death by her husband Joseph M Finkelstein (1998). She is survived by her daughters, Rochelle Finkelstein Porter, Sandy (Finkelstein) and Steve Eisenman, and Barbara Finkelstein Lerner. Grandchildren Cara (Porter) and Andy Strauss, Rachel (Eisenman) and Matt Vamvakis, Andrew Porter, Rebecca Eisenman, Jacob Lerner and Michael Lerner. Helen was blessed with five great grandchildren, Emerson, Joee and Sophia Strauss, and Ethan and Michael Vamvakis. Friends will be received at 10:00 am on Sunday, August 18 followed by the funeral services at 11am at Beth Israel Congregation, 1015 E Park Ave, Vineland. Interment will follow at Alliance Cemetery, Norma. The family will receive friends after the burial at the Finkelstein home 1152 Venezia Avenue, Vineland. Shiva will be observed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings at 7:30pm. Donations in Helen's memory can be made to Beth Israel Congregation, 1015 E Park Ave, Vineland NJ 08360, or The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, Washington DC 20024-2150.