Vera Amar was born in 1923 in Belgrade into a family of mixed heritage. Her father Nikola Mikloša Vajda was a financial expert of Hungarian origin. Vera grew up in a multicultural environment, connected to Jewish traditions. Vera’s childhood was interrupted by the Holocaust. Her father and many family members were murdered in 1941. She survived the war but endured great personal loss. She was captured a few times by police and still managed to free herself by using her youth and skills. During WWII, she lived in constant danger as a Jewish woman in Nazi-occupied Belgrade.

She witnessed persecution, deportations, and mass killings of local Jews. Vera survived the Holocaust through resilience, discretion, and help from others. 

During the post-war time, she faced the trauma of losing family and friends but remained deeply committed to community rebuilding. Her first marriage was to a non-Jewish Serb, with whom she had a son, Slobodan. Her second marriage in 1947 was to Isak “Bata” Amar, a lawyer and theater official. Together, they were actively involved in Jewish cultural life, especially music and synagogue activities. Vera re-engaged with her Jewish faith after the war. She sang in the synagogue choir and visited Israel. In 2011, she underwent formal Orthodox conversion in Israel, deepening her spiritual life. Vera preserved family heritage by transforming heirlooms into symbolic family jewelry and contributed to the cultural and spiritual revival of Jewish life in Belgrade.