The Report Teach your children Issue 1 Winter 2018 Israeli and Polish Heads of State to Lead March at Auschwitz Inside This Issue Seeking justice after atrocity Holocaust survivor Hank Brodt takes part in 10th MOTL MOTL to figure prominently at NY s Celebrate Israel Parade Honoring Holocaust survivors at special event New initiative with George Washington University fights Holocaust denial and ignorance Warsaw s Polin Museum blazes new trails with MOTL Dates worth noting in 2018 Witness Attracts Attention in Budapest and NY after Warsaw MOTL Alumnus Shines a Light
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO Looking Back Looking Forward The 2 Report W e are pleased to present the world on the March of the Living including the presidents you with the inaugural of Israel and Poland issue of the InternaAs we look back on three tional March of the Living s decades of achievement we new publication It s designed want to express our gratitude to to spotlight news of interest to all our participants We extend alumni current participants special thanks to the survivors staff supporters and others who so courageously have As one of the founders of shared their stories of love and the March of the Living proloss and to their students who gram in 1988 it s particularly listened to them gratifying for me so faithfully and that since the first committed to trip more than being the bearers 260 000 people of their difficult among them stumemories dents survivors Of course educators and we are keenly and world dignitaries painfully aware have taken part that in only a few in this life changyears most Holing experience ocaust survivors As a result will be unable of their March to participate in experience many Dr Shmuel Rosenman this arduous two week jourhave become powerful and eloquent ambassadors for Israel ney But the stories they have shared with us over the last 30 the Jewish people and global years will accompany us and human rights will continue to be shared on As we celebrate our 30th all future March of the Living anniversary this year we again will welcome thousands of peo journeys Indeed we promise as ple of good faith from around long as there is a March of the Living we will never forget the stories of the survivors and proChairman and CEO found lessons each and every DR SHMUEL ROSENMAN one of them has taught us President After the Holocaust the PHYLLIS GREENBERG HEIDEMAN solemn oath of Never Again Editor in Chief AHARON AHARALE TAMIR was pledged It is the mission of Advisory Board the March of the Living to make ELI RUBENSTEIN ARIANA HEIDEMAN TIPOGRAPH this pledge a reality never Editor again should such a tragedy ROBERT SARNER befall the Jewish people or any Design Production other group of innocent people AVIV SARNER AFARGAN Please join us on this The International March of the Living Report is published four times a year by sacred effort to create a better the International March of the Living We world for the Jewish people and welcome letters comments from readers indeed for all members of the Please send them to motl motlmail org or human family International March of the Living 2 West Dr Shmuel Rosenman 45th Street Suite 1500 New York New York 10036 USA Tel 212 869 6800 Chairman CEO International www motl org March of the Living Amanda Brown March of the Living s mandate is as valid today as it was when our program first began 30 years ago Seeking Justice After Atrocity I n New York on Sept 12 2017 the International March of the Living in partnership with Rutgers Law School sponsored the 2017 Paul S Miller Distinguished Lecture titled Seeking Justice After Atrocity It featured presentations by Eli M Rosenbaum left on US Justice Dept s efforts against Nazi war criminals and Prof John Q Barrett middle biographer of the late US Supreme Court Justice and Nuremberg prosecutor Robert Jackson and a video conversation between Prof Barrett and Justice Gabriel Bach deputy prosecutor in the prosecution of Adolf Eichmann Also in photo Prof John Farmer Rutgers University Program developed by Prof David Machlis Adelphi University with support of Prof Farmer Eli Rubenstein and Ariana Heideman Tipograph CALENDAR Dates Worth Noting A selection of relevant events taking place in 2018 January 9 Warsaw Poland Of cial meeting of the Joint Steering Committee Government of Poland and March of The Living for 2018 March January 11 12 Auschwitz Poland Bilateral meeting with Auschwitz and Polin Museums planning 2018 cooperation seminars and ongoing educational projects January 24 Brussels Belgium Participation of March of the Living delegation at EU International Holocaust Commemoration event at European Parliament January 25 Budapest Hungary Inaugural event at Dohani Synagogue to mark the transfer of March of the Living exhibition from Poland to Budapest January 25 Strasbourg France Participation of March of the Living delegation at International Holocaust Memorial Day event at EU Commission January 27 Auschwitz Poland Participation of March of the Living of cials at International Holocaust Commemoration at Auschwitz Birkenau Poland January 29 New York USA Ceremony at United Nations for the opening of the March of the Living exhibition hosted by Israel s UN Ambassador Danny Danon January 29 and 30 New York USA 2018 March of the Living preparation and educational meeting January 30 February 7 New York USA March of the Living exhibition on display in the 1B Corridor of the United Nations General Assembly Building February 4 Volos Greece March of the Living participation at Greek Orthodox Church and Jewish community conference February 12 Hiroshima Japan Righteous Among the Nations conference Tribute to Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara who saved 6 000 Jews in WWII March 11 Bitola Macedonia March of the Living march ceremony in cooperation with Jewish community and Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry commemorating deportation and mass murder at Treblinka of Macedonia s Jews March 18 Thessaloniki Greece March of the Living participation in march and ceremony commemorating deportation and murder of city s Jews at Auschwitz
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT The March s Meaningful Legacy for the World Our alumni become witnesses of the witnesses I n 1988 some 1 500 individuals from North America and Israel took part in the first March of the Living In 2018 more than 10 000 people from 150 diverse communities around the globe will participate in the 30th March of the Living Since its inception this experience has provided an indepth education for more than 260 000 participants These numbers reflect the growth of this annual journey how meaningful it is and its enduring relevance to a new generation Theodor Herzl famously said If you will it it is no dream The founders of this organization had a dream which we ve transformed into a vital reality Through it all we ve remained steadfast in our dedication to the memory of those who perished under Nazi Phyllis Greenberg Heideman tyranny Equally constant is our boundless respect for those who survived the horrors of the Holocaust It is an honor and privilege to serve as President of the International March of the Living and share my commitment to remember the past with an eye toward the future with our dedicated Board of Directors and devoted leadership from around the world Aware that we hold in our hands one of the greatest tools to ensure the future education we are committed to relay to the next generation the importance of collective memory and communal legacy This is our path to continuity Our skilled educators and leadership undertake the daunting task to prepare the next generation to face the future with clear vision passionate preparation and detailed planning As a result of their tireless and creative educational efforts March of the Living alumni have a visible and meaningful presence on the landscape of the world in which we live May 2018 bring us closer to the fruition of all our dreams as we march into the future Phyllis Greenberg Heideman President International March of the Living Honoring Holocaust Survivors O n Oct 14 2017 the Next Generation Board of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC hosted An Evening to Honor Holocaust Survivors It saluted 11 local survivors who have contributed to the life of the Museum through their personal testimonies their warmth and commitment and their inspired participation in its educational programs Co Chairs were MOTL staff member Ariana Heideman Tipograph and MOTL Alum Joseph Tipograph LETTER FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF Behind and Beyond the Creation of our New Newsletter Why this publication is an important step forward for our organization in sharing our stories S haring relevant stories and information is critical to any successful organization or company Indeed it s part of any healthy relationship even between two people In today s world there are of course multiple ways and platforms for such communication Until now the International March of the Living has used various tools for this but we ve often felt something was missing We were convinced a publication that brings together in text and images the people places and programs behind what we do would be of value for our many constituents Last fall we decided to do some activities goals thing about this and future plans gap by creating At the same time a newsletter The it will highlight result is now many noteworthy before you with developments in the first issue the world of Holof The Internaocaust education tional March and remembrance of The Living that we feel will Report be of interest to It represents our many readthe work and ers dedication of a Aharon Aharale Tamir The newssmall group of letter is aimed at our many people who are committed to constituents youth adults telling the ongoing story of the March of the Living and related alumni supporters and survivors the treasured men and matters Published four times a women who have been with us year it will spotlight our activfrom the very beginning and ities programs and other initiare a constant source of inspiraatives The content on its pages tion and wisdom for us will reflect our vision ideas Like any new publication The International March of The Living Report will evolve from issue to issue It will benefit from your input That s why I encourage you to send us your feedback comments and suggestions As we prepare plans for the 30th anniversary of the March of the Living this spring along with the celebration of Israel s 70th birthday we hope you enjoy our newsletter We re confident it will help contribute to the present and future of our organization and the important work to which we re forever devoted Aharon Aharale Tamir Deputy World Chairman International MOTL 3
Witness Exhibit Gains New Audience in Budapest and NY Major March of the Living exhibition opens in Hungarian capital and is also being presented at the United Nations T here s good reason Budapest was chosen as the first site outside Poland to host the March of the Living exhibition that until now was located in Warsaw It s titled Witness Passing the Torch of Holocaust Memory to the Next Generation Despite being decimated in the Holocaust Hungary s Jewish community today is the largest in central east Europe with nearly 100 000 people most of whom live in Budapest The March of the Living is highly active in Hungary where it organizes social programs for survivors and various events that raise awareness about the mass murder of six million Jews by the Nazis and their supporters from 1939 to 1945 In a recent initiative the March of the Living arranged for the transfer of its acclaimed 4 Witness exhibition from Poland to Hungary Starting in January it s now on view at Budapest s celebrated Great Synagogue on Dohany Street which is the largest in Europe and also houses the Hungarian Jewish Museum Meanwhile on January 29 in New York Israel s UN Ambassador to the Danny Danon is hosting a Holocaust Remembrance Day program and reception for the opening of the March of the Living exhibition on view for two weeks in the General Assembly Building UN Ambassadors from over 30 countries will attend the event which will include spoken and musical presentations from past March participants survivors and students along with a special performance by celebrated Israeli musical artists SURVIVOR SPOTLIGHT Revisiting a Difficult Time and Place Showing great fortitude Hank Brodt prepares for his 10th March of the Living in the spring T his spring Holocaust survivor Hank Brodt will take part in his 10th March of the Living much to the benefit of everyone who comes into contact with him Initially I was hesitant to go on the March of the Living says Hank 92 who lives in Greensboro North Carolina But I m glad I did because while I was on my first March in 2006 I realized how important it is for someone like me to accompany the youth to give them a personal testimony of this very dark and tragic period During the Holocaust the Polish born Hank miraculously survived five concentration camps He was liberated from the Ebensee camp in Austria on May 6 1945 A year later he testified at a Nazi war crimes trial in Dachau Germany In 1949 he moved to the United States where he started a new life in New York and worked for many years as an auto mechanic In 2007 at Birkenau on Yom Hashoah Hank lit one of the six memorial torches in memory of the many members of his family murdered by the Nazis Shortly thereafter he discovered his brother s Hank Brodt center on the March of the Living family that lived in Israel Hank s brother Simcha had died in 1986 In the 1990s Simcha s two sons along with their mother immigrated to Israel Today both of Hank s nephews have families of their own The reunification of Hank with his family in Israel was like a miracle for which he and all those who love him are grateful
Heads of State to Lead the Way at the March In a rare move Israeli and Polish presidents to take part together in this year s March of the Living O n April 12 for the first time since 2003 Poland s president will join his Israeli counterpart at the main March of the Living event at Auschwitz President Andrzej Duda and President Reuven Rivlin will walk together leading the solemn procession from Auschwitz to Birkenau in the presence of thousands of marchers from around the world The participation of both leaders reflects the close friendship between Jerusalem and Warsaw and the importance both countries attach to the annual Holocaust commemoration Both presidents will address the ceremony President Rivlin will be accompanied by a l50 person delegation consisting of mem Israeli President Reuven Rivlin Polish President Andrzej Duda bers of all branches of the Israel Defense Forces Holocaust survivors and men and women representing diverse segments of Israeli society In recent years Poland has been one of Israel s staunchest allies in the European Union In December President Duda took part in a Chanukah ceremony in Warsaw at which he said it s important that Jews feel at home in Poland A few days earlier the country s recently appointed prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in parliament that non Jewish Poles who saved their Jewish brothers during the Holocaust represent the essence of what it means to be Polish Last January President Duda made an official state visit to Israel Nuremberg Laws and Trials Revisited L ast February in Los Angeles the International March of the Living co sponsored a Holocaust Educational Symposium on Hitler s infamous 1935 Nuremberg Laws and the 1945 46 Nuremberg Trials of 22 major Nazis The event took place at the Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in cooperation with the International and Comparative Law Review and Loyola Center for the Study of Law and Genocide MARCHER PROFILE Jordana Lebowitz Canadian March of the Living alumnus highly active with varied Holocaust remembrance initiatives T oronto resident Jordana Lebowitz 22 is wise beyond her years especially when it comes to the Holocaust That s due to being the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and taking part in the 2012 March of the Living which inspired her to become an advocate for Holocaust remembrance and human rights In 2015 Jordana attended the trial of former Nazi officer Oskar Groening in Germany where the bookkeeper of Auschwitz was convicted of being complicit in the death of 300 000 Jews She accompanied three Holocaust survivors she met on the March of the Living who testified at the proceedings She later cowrote a book about her experiences there with author Kathy Kacer titled To Look a Nazi in the Eye A Teen s Account of a War Criminal Trial Jordana has also complet ed placements at the Museum of Tolerance in California the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Australia and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights in Montreal and spoken about her experiences at Holocaust Education Week in Toronto Currently a psychology student at the University of Guelph near Toronto Jordana has initiated Holocaust related exhibits on campus and is now developing a related non profit educational program for students 5
Lessons That Need to be Learned International March of the Living and George Washington University create new educational program involving one year fellowships to fight Holocaust ignorance and denial D espite the Holocaust s historic unprecedented nature and the extensive coverage it s received over the past 70 plus years ignorance willful or otherwise about it is alarmingly widespread According to the Anti Defamation League s largest ever survey of attitudes to Jews in 2014 in more than 100 countries 35 per cent of people claimed to be unaware of the Nazi genocide of Jews No less disturbing of those who said they had heard of the Holocaust about a third said it s either a myth or greatly exaggerated In response the International March of the Living is launching a new educational initiative to address this problem This year will see the inauguration of the March of the Living Faculty Fellowship Program in collaboration with the George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development The program was developed by Prof David Machlis Adelphi University The first class of fellows is being recruited for the 20182019 academic year and will consist of five university and law school professors who teach at one of the more than 1 800 colleges and universities that currently don t offer Holocaust studies courses Fellowships will be awarded to distinguished faculty members who commit to offering a Holocaust genocide course within a year of their completion of the program The fellowship itself will consist of an intensive oneyear curriculum designed by prestigious Holocaust scholars and educators Fellows will participate in a group retreat in Washington DC as well as on an educational mission to Poland which will provide context and a deeper understanding of the subject matter Through Holocaust and genocide education students come to realize that democratic institutions and values are not automatically sustained but need to be appreciated and safeguarded to protect freedom and human life The fellows will help shed light on better understanding and combating the forces of bigotry racism and anti Semitism that lamentably far too many people still harbor today Walking Tall in Good Company March of the Living to figure prominently at this year s festive celebration of Israel in New York W hen New Yorkers show their great affinity for Israel they don t believe in half measures Every year Manhattan is the site of the world s largest annual public event and celebration of the Jewish state dating back to 1964 It features a massive parade along the city s famous Fifth Avenue On June 3 New York will host the 54th annual Celebrate Israel Parade which will be particularly festive to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Israel The International March of the Living is preparing a float to be part of the event for the first time ever to commemorate Israel s milestone birthday and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the March of the Living Hundreds of March alumni are expected 6 to accompany the float along the parade route The Parade features more than 40 000 participants including many American and Israeli community leaders dignitaries entertainers artists musicians dancers celebrities marching bands and a variety of colorful floats The afternoon event attracts hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic spectators who help celebrate the special friendship and great mutual respect that have always existed between the United States and Israel The parade will be broadcast live on FOX MY9 and live streamed at www celebrateisraelny org The March of the Living will share the feed at motl org and on its social media channels
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS AND PARTNERS Opening Minds Blazing New Trails March of the Living joins forces with the Polin Museum in Warsaw New Ways of Engagement Interactive exhibit in NY features frequent MOTL participant A S ince its opening in 2013 on the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising the Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews has been an important educational partner of the March of the Living It plays a significant part in the March of the Living visit every spring adding further perspective to the onthe ground touring of March participants in Poland It also serves a major educational role for Polish youth Located on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto the museum focuses on the large Jewish community that lived in Poland for 1 000 years until the Holocaust The International March of the Living has long encouraged the participation of thousands of Polish teens from schools around the country in the annual March This year at the suggestion of the March of the Living the Polin Museum is hosting Polish teens in February and March for an impactful preparatory visit ahead of the main event at Auschwitz Birkenau on Yom HaShoah This initiative has deepened relations with the Polish Ministry of Education and other organizations involved in education culture and teaching history March of the Living leaders believe a tour of the Polin Museum is a vital part of the organization s commitment to Holocaust education for its Jewish participants and non Jewish Polish youth MOTL officials say that for young people seeing the exhibits in the museum is a first step in understanding Holocaust history and contributing to a better relationship between Poles and their Jewish compatriots Both MOTL and Museum leaders say Polish students will come away with a better appreciation of the Jewish contribution to Polish life over such an extended period and a greater awareness about and sensitivity to the tragic fate of Jews during the Holocaust t the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York visitors are engaging in virtual conversations with Holocaust survivors as part of a new interactive installation Pinchas Gutter who s been on the March of the Living many times is one of the principal survivors featured in New Dimensions in Testimony that runs until April 29 2018 Visitors ask questions and lifelike projections of the survivors give their answers in real time offering personal re ections about life before during and after the Holocaust Pinchas Gutter survived six Nazi concentration camps and now lives in Toronto Canada The other main survivor in the installation is Eva Schloss the stepsister of Anne Frank who was a prisoner at Auschwitz and now lives in London England The Value of Good Preparation Well conceived orientation helps sensitize participants ahead of upcoming March T he March of the Living Southern Region just completed the first preparatory class for this year s March In total 110 people 85 students three survivors and 22 staff attended The group studied a range of subjects including Jewish Peoplehood using a special video You Are Part of the Story produced by Beit Hatfusot Museum of the Jew ish People in Tel Aviv Characters of the Shoah Bystanders perpetrators victims rescuers righteous upstanders resisters and liberators Gaining insight through viewing the film Pigeon The Last Words of the Victims These Are My Last Words an activity developed at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem and introduced to three of MOTL Southern Region staff during a summer seminar sponsored by Yad Vashem and the International March of the Living Students considered the meaning of final messages and how they applied both to the victims then and to themselves now We are grateful to the International March of the Living for assuring that we in the different regions and countries around the world receive the high quality on site training that can be implemented promptly with our students says Jack Rosenbaum Director of the March of the Living Southern Region USA It makes a big impact and will contribute greatly to their experience on the March this coming April 7
GALLERY Telling the Story Around the World Snapshots of interesting moments in the life of Holocaust education and rememberance near and far In Jan 2018 the World Jewish Congress launched the second annual WeRemember initiative which combats Holocaust denial anti Semitism and all forms of hatred Holocaust survivors are part of the campaign which runs through International Holocaust Remembrance Day On Nov 28 2017 Dr Shmuel Rosenman Chairman CEO of International MOTL center and Scott Saunders Chair of MOTL UK left in London England with Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis Chief Rabbi of United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth to celebrate upcoming 30th anniversary of MOTL On Sept 10 2017 the International March of the Living co sponsored an event in Sighet Romania in memory of Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel in partnership with Limmud FSU Some 1 500 people marched along the same route down which Holocaust victims were forced during WWII On Dec 10 2017 Martin Baranek Holocaust survivor center with Mel Mann Executive Director of Friends of the March of the Living and Phyllis Greenberg Heideman President of the International March of the Living at 13th annual Friends of the March of the Living Golf Tournament in Miami FL An Unbreakable Connection The strong compelling link between the creation of Israel and the March of the Living I n 1948 exactly 40 years before the March of the Living took root the state of Israel was born after a long heroic struggle The two developments although different and decades apart are not unrelated The reasons for creating the March of The Living to combat Holocaust denial raise awareness of the Nazi genocide of Jews and promote tolerance and humanitarian values have a direct relati nship with Israel Since the inception of the March of the Living in 1988 Israel has always been an integral part of the annual journey Indeed it s the second half of each mission and the culmination of the March of the Living experience Hence its slogan 8 David Ben Gurion From Holocaust to Revival The Holocaust and its implications and the revival and creation of the Jewish state are central to the March of the Living s raison d tre This vital connection is evident in everything we do Israel was created by a remarkable people with its legendary leader David Ben Gurion at the helm Ben Gurion who became the country s rst Prime Minster and Defense Minister served for almost 15 years as Israel s main leader He was born in Poland in Plonsk an hour s drive from Warsaw one of the MOTL s hubs in visits to Poland Where roads and people lead and eventually intersect is not always evident at rst glance but often have major consequences Like events decades apart such as the establishment of Israel and the creation of the March of the Living so rooted in the past so vital to the present and future of the Jewish people Aharon Aharale Tamir Deputy World Chairman International MOTL PLEASE AND THANK YOU Donor support helps International March of the Living continue its vital work teaching Holocaust history to people around the world while strengthening Jewish identity and connections to Israel Please consider making a donation to International March of the Living a non profit charity organization All contributions are deductible to the fullest extent of applicable tax law Our Tax ID is 22 326 1085 To donate to the International March of the Living please go to www motl org donate or call 1 212 869 6800 Please And thank you
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March Report Issue 1 Winter 2018
International March of the Living
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