Leah Horonczyk was born in Poland. The fourth daughter of Rywka Fraidla neé Heller and Shimon Horonczyk, she moved to Paris in 1926 following Rywka's death. In Paris she married Salomon (Shlomo) Friedheim and their eldest son Raphael was born in 1939.
During the German occupation Leah, her husband Salomon and their son Raphael fled to a village in the “Unoccupied Zone” of Vichy France after Salomon escaped from Pithiviers. In 1943 they had twins, Nelly and Solange. All survived.