Helena Israel was a daugter of Naatje Trijtel and Joseph Israel. Her parents divorced on 23 December 1935 and Helena (2 1/2 years old) and her sister Ali (9 months old) have been placed out of home and were registered as inhabitants at the address Schiekade 73 in Rotterdam and were under the women-protection (vrouwenbescherming) of the Salvation Army. Helena and Ali have been accommodated per 15 September 1937 at the address of A. Nagel at Drukkerstraat 14 in Enschede, but eventually they stayed at the S.A. Rudelsheimstichting at Verdilaan 10 in Hilversum. From there they have been sent to transit camp Westerbork, registered there on 10 April 1943, stayed there in barack 66. Three days later they were deported to Sobibor, where they have been killed upon arrival there on 16 April 1943.
City Archive of Rotterdam, family registration cards of Helena Israel, Ali Israel, Joseph Israel and the file cabinet of the Jewish Council of Amsterdam, record of Helena and Ali Israel.