As a commander, he managed a forced-labor camp (Arbeitslager) operated by the OT organization in Nemyriv, Ukraine during World War II. When Ahrem learned of the mass execution of Jews, he wanted to save Jews by employing them on the road. He asked the head of the Schutzstaffel (Nazi SS organization) task force for his assistance. Twenty skilled laborers were assigned to Ahrem. In 1941, he helped Jehoschua Menczer and his family. They had been captured by the Nazi army and were sent to the ghetto in Nemyriv and Menczer was sent to the labor camp that Ahrem managed. Members of the Schutzstaffel (Nazi SS organization) managed some of the workers, but Ahrem held the Jewish men back and only sent Ukrainian men to work for them. When in November 1941, the Germans had planned an "action" against the Jewish people, Ahrem notified Menczer, who passed on the news to other Jewish people. Some people hid in the woods and Ahrem took in the Menczer family and two other people. During the action, 2,500 people were killed when they were shot in the back. Any Jewish people that survived could return to work.
