March Report Issue 2 Fall 2018
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The Report Teach your children Issue 2 Fall 2018 A DAY LIKE NO OTHER On Yom HaShoah the presidents of Israel and Poland lead thousands in 30th anniversary March of the Living procession at Auschwitz Birkenau INSIDE THIS ISSUE Foreign diplomats join MOTL Float in NY parade for Israel New project to fight hate Survivor spotlight Regional wrap up Calling all alumni MOTL mother daughter duo
Outreach on Wheels LETTER FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF A Commitment to Move Forward MOTL figures prominently in NY celebration of Israel A Due to new law in Poland MOTL s activities there are more vital than ever in teaching the world about the Holocaust T unwelcome and complicated his past spring the International March of the Liv situation for MOTL the Jewish world and others who care ing organization celebratabout respecting facts and open ed its 30th anniversary Since historical exploration Warsaw its inception in 1988 our core passed controversial legislation ideas and vision have remained that criminalized references to constant to teach Holocaust Polish guilt in Nazi atrocities history combat Holocaust The anger it caused went far denial and promote tolerance beyond Israel and the Jewish among people of all faiths and Diaspora There backgrounds was widespread Over the years criticism of the law our organization which many saw as and its activities an attack on freehave grown tremendom of expression dously developing for its ban on stating in many directions an indisputable fact MOTL has added that some Poles new Regions and took part in Nazi Chapters around the Germany s crimes world and initiated Aharon Aharale Tamir on Polish soil related programs inSadly the new law and the cluding conferences seminars dispute it triggered opened the marches and study missions door to expressions of hatred Cooperation with internationanti Semitism discrimination al and local institutions has and attacks especially in Polish become an integral part of what social media and in extremist we do adding to our influence movements as a highly respected Holocaust In June Poland and Israel remembrance and human rights reached an agreement to imorganization prove but not rescind the offenEarlier this year Poland s sive legislation It did not resolve government created a new the situation which will continue to be a source of negativity and perpetuate ill feeling about PoChairman and CEO land among many people around DR SHMUEL ROSENMAN the world President Two months earlier the PHYLLIS GREENBERG HEIDEMAN continuing controversy and bitEditor in Chief AHARON AHARALE TAMIR terness about the law made for Advisory Board a more charged atmosphere for ELI RUBENSTEIN ARIANA HEIDEMAN TIPOGRAPH all of us involved in the MOTL Editor in Poland It demonstrated the ROBERT SARNER vital importance of our presence Design Production and activities teaching the world AVIV SARNER AFARGAN about the Holocaust by way of The International March of the Living Report is published several times a year by educational events and presentthe International March of the Living We ing unimpeachable facts welcome letters comments from readers Despite the complexity and Please send them to motl motlmail org or hard feelings created by the law International March of the Living Attenwe continued our close contacts tion Editor in Chief 2 West 45th Street Suite 1500 New York New York 10036 and excellent cooperation with USA Tel 212 869 6800 www motl org official educational organiza The 2 Report Greeting crowds on NY s 5th Ave from MOTL oat during pro Israel parade tions and institutions in Poland such as the Polin Museum the Auschwitz Birkenau Museum and various Polish government agencies with whom we ve worked closely for many years Auschwitz Birkenau is the most important site of all our visits and activities in Poland Our mutual relations and cooperation are rooted in a high level of understanding based on shared similar goals values and vision In a warm gesture reflecting the special contacts and extensive cooperation between MOTL and Poland the country s Culture Minister together with the Museums Council and Board of Directors nominated a March of the Living representative to the Auschwitz Birkenau Board of Directors In April in yet another example Poland s president Andrzej Duda presented the nomination and certificate to the March of the Living at the main ceremony at Birkenau We re hopeful these excellent relations will continue and that ultimately the unfortunate legislation will be canceled entirely to everyone s benefit Aharon Aharale Tamir Deputy World Chairman MOTL CALENDAR Dates Worth Noting in 2018 April 11 Krakow Poland Yom HaShoah ceremony at the Krakow Philharmonic with Ron Dermer Israel s Ambassador to the United States April 12 Krakow Poland 30th Anniversary March of the Living from Auschwitz to Birkenau April 12 Krakow Poland Diplomatic dinner with Ambassadors to the United Nations April 18 Warsaw Poland Participation of MOTL in Warsaw Ghetto Uprising commemorations April 19 Jerusalem Israel 30th Anniversary March of the Living in Jerusalem followed by Mega Event at Latrun May 8 Toronto Canada Canadian PM Justin Trudeau attends MOTL s 30th anniversary event May 9 Oswiecim Poland MOTL takes part in Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum meetings June 3 New York NY MOTL oat in annual Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City July 1 8 Poland Joint Seminar at Polin and Auschwitz Museums and in Krakow July 2 Jerusalem Israel Elie Wiesel Commemoration with Limmud FSU August 3 6 Johannesburg South Africa MOTL participation in Limmud South Africa October Sighed Romania Celebration of what would ve been 90th birthday of Elie Wiesel Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor in his hometown and the launch of a campaign against anti Semitism and Holocaust denial November Plonsk Poland Commemoration of Israel s rst prime minster David Ben Gurion November Warsaw Poland Launch of the Polish version of Witness book at Polin Museum November 2 Lvov Ukraine Elie Wiesel Memorial Conference with partners December 15 and 16 Amsterdam The Netherlands New Horizons Conference with Anne Frank House s part of MOTL s efforts to build an alumni network and engage people in creative ways beyond the March experience the organization sponsored a float in the annual Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City on June 3 Especially meaningful was the participation of two Holocaust survivors who ve previously taken part in the March of the Living Irving Roth born in 1929 in Kosice Czechoslovakia survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald and Celia Rapp Kener born in 1936 in Lw w Poland survived the Lw w Ghetto as a hidden child Also in attend ance were alumni spanning our evolution from the first MOTL in 1988 through our 30th anniversary this past spring Tens of thousands of spectators who came out to celebrate this year s parade which honored Israel s 70th birthday witnessed the MOTL float march up New York s 5th Avenue To see photos and videos from the event go to motl org MOTL s first ever participation in the Celebrate Israel Parade is part of a series of new alumni initiatives with more on the horizon The goal is to strengthen the global network of alumni All smiles all generations all in blue for MOTL s debut at annual event for Israel Stronger Together Engagement of foreign diplomats shows MOTL s message is vital its impact universal I n the turbulent times in which we live I believe it s comforting to our participants and alumni that the March of the Living organization offers continuity and consistency of historical education Our mission remains true to our communal past to the memory of our ancestors and to the veracity of our survivors testimony Last winter the formal celebratory recognition of our 30th anniversary year began with an outstanding event in New York at the United Nations headquarters on January 29 hosted by Israel s UN Ambassador Danny Danon Speakers included Irving Roth representing our survivor community and Jordana Lebowitz representing our alumni In addressing the gathering of more than 400 guests Ambassador Danon s comments about the March of the Living s important role in the future of the Jewish world were patently clear to all in attendance Special musical performances by David D Or Miri Mesika and Amir Benayoun enhanced this wonderful tribute Israel s UN Ambassador Danny Danon at MOTL s 30th anniversary at UN in NY to the work we do the success we ve had and the impact we ve made on countless people Our excellent photographic exhibition Witness remained on display in the halls of the UN for two weeks and was viewed by staff and visitors pointedly delivering our own message and that of the Holocaust to viewers from around the globe A few months later Ambassador Danon in cooperation with the American Zionist Movement led a delegation of UN ambassadors on the 2018 March of the Living In Poland they marched with us from Auschwitz to Birkenau feeling our commitment to memory and history As we witness an increase in anti Semitism around the world and dangerous attempts to rewrite history now more than ever we must ensure the memories of the survivors pass on to the next generation Ambassador Danon told those assembled at Auschwitz By joining us on this meaningful March these ambassadors spoke out against anti Semitism and sent a message to all those who peddle hatred The participation of international diplomats made a lasting impression on Ambassador Danon who later said UN ambassadors from around the world joined me on the March of the Living to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and proclaim that anti Semitism will not be tolerated With dark regimes seeking to spread horrific violence the international community must ensure that never again serves not as a slogan but as a guiding principle By later continuing on to Israel and celebrating 70 years of independence the UN ambassadors learned about the historic connection to our beautiful land and the contributions our vibrant country makes to the international community It s clear the MOTL message is strong our lessons are essential for all and our impact is universal Partnerships such as those we ve established with Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael Jewish National Fund Keren Hayesod United Israel Appeal George Washington University School of Education the Robert Miller Center at Rutgers University and the American Zionist Movement have proven vital to expanding our outreach into the world community We are stronger together and together may we all go from strength to strength for many years to come Phyllis Greenberg Heideman President International MOTL 3
Outreach on Wheels LETTER FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF A Commitment to Move Forward MOTL figures prominently in NY celebration of Israel A Due to new law in Poland MOTL s activities there are more vital than ever in teaching the world about the Holocaust T unwelcome and complicated his past spring the International March of the Liv situation for MOTL the Jewish world and others who care ing organization celebratabout respecting facts and open ed its 30th anniversary Since historical exploration Warsaw its inception in 1988 our core passed controversial legislation ideas and vision have remained that criminalized references to constant to teach Holocaust Polish guilt in Nazi atrocities history combat Holocaust The anger it caused went far denial and promote tolerance beyond Israel and the Jewish among people of all faiths and Diaspora There backgrounds was widespread Over the years criticism of the law our organization which many saw as and its activities an attack on freehave grown tremendom of expression dously developing for its ban on stating in many directions an indisputable fact MOTL has added that some Poles new Regions and took part in Nazi Chapters around the Germany s crimes world and initiated Aharon Aharale Tamir on Polish soil related programs inSadly the new law and the cluding conferences seminars dispute it triggered opened the marches and study missions door to expressions of hatred Cooperation with internationanti Semitism discrimination al and local institutions has and attacks especially in Polish become an integral part of what social media and in extremist we do adding to our influence movements as a highly respected Holocaust In June Poland and Israel remembrance and human rights reached an agreement to imorganization prove but not rescind the offenEarlier this year Poland s sive legislation It did not resolve government created a new the situation which will continue to be a source of negativity and perpetuate ill feeling about PoChairman and CEO land among many people around DR SHMUEL ROSENMAN the world President Two months earlier the PHYLLIS GREENBERG HEIDEMAN continuing controversy and bitEditor in Chief AHARON AHARALE TAMIR terness about the law made for Advisory Board a more charged atmosphere for ELI RUBENSTEIN ARIANA HEIDEMAN TIPOGRAPH all of us involved in the MOTL Editor in Poland It demonstrated the ROBERT SARNER vital importance of our presence Design Production and activities teaching the world AVIV SARNER AFARGAN about the Holocaust by way of The International March of the Living Report is published several times a year by educational events and presentthe International March of the Living We ing unimpeachable facts welcome letters comments from readers Despite the complexity and Please send them to motl motlmail org or hard feelings created by the law International March of the Living Attenwe continued our close contacts tion Editor in Chief 2 West 45th Street Suite 1500 New York New York 10036 and excellent cooperation with USA Tel 212 869 6800 www motl org official educational organiza The 2 Report Greeting crowds on NY s 5th Ave from MOTL oat during pro Israel parade tions and institutions in Poland such as the Polin Museum the Auschwitz Birkenau Museum and various Polish government agencies with whom we ve worked closely for many years Auschwitz Birkenau is the most important site of all our visits and activities in Poland Our mutual relations and cooperation are rooted in a high level of understanding based on shared similar goals values and vision In a warm gesture reflecting the special contacts and extensive cooperation between MOTL and Poland the country s Culture Minister together with the Museums Council and Board of Directors nominated a March of the Living representative to the Auschwitz Birkenau Board of Directors In April in yet another example Poland s president Andrzej Duda presented the nomination and certificate to the March of the Living at the main ceremony at Birkenau We re hopeful these excellent relations will continue and that ultimately the unfortunate legislation will be canceled entirely to everyone s benefit Aharon Aharale Tamir Deputy World Chairman MOTL CALENDAR Dates Worth Noting in 2018 April 11 Krakow Poland Yom HaShoah ceremony at the Krakow Philharmonic with Ron Dermer Israel s Ambassador to the United States April 12 Krakow Poland 30th Anniversary March of the Living from Auschwitz to Birkenau April 12 Krakow Poland Diplomatic dinner with Ambassadors to the United Nations April 18 Warsaw Poland Participation of MOTL in Warsaw Ghetto Uprising commemorations April 19 Jerusalem Israel 30th Anniversary March of the Living in Jerusalem followed by Mega Event at Latrun May 8 Toronto Canada Canadian PM Justin Trudeau attends MOTL s 30th anniversary event May 9 Oswiecim Poland MOTL takes part in Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum meetings June 3 New York NY MOTL oat in annual Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City July 1 8 Poland Joint Seminar at Polin and Auschwitz Museums and in Krakow July 2 Jerusalem Israel Elie Wiesel Commemoration with Limmud FSU August 3 6 Johannesburg South Africa MOTL participation in Limmud South Africa October Sighed Romania Celebration of what would ve been 90th birthday of Elie Wiesel Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor in his hometown and the launch of a campaign against anti Semitism and Holocaust denial November Plonsk Poland Commemoration of Israel s rst prime minster David Ben Gurion November Warsaw Poland Launch of the Polish version of Witness book at Polin Museum November 2 Lvov Ukraine Elie Wiesel Memorial Conference with partners December 15 and 16 Amsterdam The Netherlands New Horizons Conference with Anne Frank House s part of MOTL s efforts to build an alumni network and engage people in creative ways beyond the March experience the organization sponsored a float in the annual Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City on June 3 Especially meaningful was the participation of two Holocaust survivors who ve previously taken part in the March of the Living Irving Roth born in 1929 in Kosice Czechoslovakia survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald and Celia Rapp Kener born in 1936 in Lw w Poland survived the Lw w Ghetto as a hidden child Also in attend ance were alumni spanning our evolution from the first MOTL in 1988 through our 30th anniversary this past spring Tens of thousands of spectators who came out to celebrate this year s parade which honored Israel s 70th birthday witnessed the MOTL float march up New York s 5th Avenue To see photos and videos from the event go to motl org MOTL s first ever participation in the Celebrate Israel Parade is part of a series of new alumni initiatives with more on the horizon The goal is to strengthen the global network of alumni All smiles all generations all in blue for MOTL s debut at annual event for Israel Stronger Together Engagement of foreign diplomats shows MOTL s message is vital its impact universal I n the turbulent times in which we live I believe it s comforting to our participants and alumni that the March of the Living organization offers continuity and consistency of historical education Our mission remains true to our communal past to the memory of our ancestors and to the veracity of our survivors testimony Last winter the formal celebratory recognition of our 30th anniversary year began with an outstanding event in New York at the United Nations headquarters on January 29 hosted by Israel s UN Ambassador Danny Danon Speakers included Irving Roth representing our survivor community and Jordana Lebowitz representing our alumni In addressing the gathering of more than 400 guests Ambassador Danon s comments about the March of the Living s important role in the future of the Jewish world were patently clear to all in attendance Special musical performances by David D Or Miri Mesika and Amir Benayoun enhanced this wonderful tribute Israel s UN Ambassador Danny Danon at MOTL s 30th anniversary at UN in NY to the work we do the success we ve had and the impact we ve made on countless people Our excellent photographic exhibition Witness remained on display in the halls of the UN for two weeks and was viewed by staff and visitors pointedly delivering our own message and that of the Holocaust to viewers from around the globe A few months later Ambassador Danon in cooperation with the American Zionist Movement led a delegation of UN ambassadors on the 2018 March of the Living In Poland they marched with us from Auschwitz to Birkenau feeling our commitment to memory and history As we witness an increase in anti Semitism around the world and dangerous attempts to rewrite history now more than ever we must ensure the memories of the survivors pass on to the next generation Ambassador Danon told those assembled at Auschwitz By joining us on this meaningful March these ambassadors spoke out against anti Semitism and sent a message to all those who peddle hatred The participation of international diplomats made a lasting impression on Ambassador Danon who later said UN ambassadors from around the world joined me on the March of the Living to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and proclaim that anti Semitism will not be tolerated With dark regimes seeking to spread horrific violence the international community must ensure that never again serves not as a slogan but as a guiding principle By later continuing on to Israel and celebrating 70 years of independence the UN ambassadors learned about the historic connection to our beautiful land and the contributions our vibrant country makes to the international community It s clear the MOTL message is strong our lessons are essential for all and our impact is universal Partnerships such as those we ve established with Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael Jewish National Fund Keren Hayesod United Israel Appeal George Washington University School of Education the Robert Miller Center at Rutgers University and the American Zionist Movement have proven vital to expanding our outreach into the world community We are stronger together and together may we all go from strength to strength for many years to come Phyllis Greenberg Heideman President International MOTL 3
ALUMNI REFLECTION Reflections on a Formative Trip Ari Kwitkin Close takes stock of what he experienced on this year s March of the Living W hen I registered for the 2018 March of the Living I didn t really understand what I was signing up for Sure I had long been told it was a life altering trip but still I didn t comprehend its full potential I often like to speak about formative moments A moment in time you never forget which has the power to change the way you think or even the way you live your life I want to share a few such moments I experienced with MOTL If I told you to think of a concentration camp your mind probably first goes to Auschwitz You see the ominous gate and imagine all that lies behind it On MOTL I received a new sense of the camps Before I left I made sure I knew where my relatives had lived For example my great grandmother s family had lived close to Lublin We went a few miles from the heart of Lublin but ended up at and I quote our group leader Joel Katz hell on earth Right in the middle of the city was Majdanek All my years of Holocaust education barely prepared me for what lay there Visiting the camp we saw barracks with shoes rows of ovens and gas chambers we walked through The scariest part It almost looked like Majdanek could be made operational within 24 hours I walked through a killing factory that day but was somehow emotionally okay thanks to our amazing leaders After our group of 60 kids worked our way through the camp we met at an enormous circular monument with a domed top Looking over the ledge with the dome above you there are more ashes than you ve ever seen They re the ashes of Jews 4 Ari Kwitkin Close front row second from left murdered in this camp This was my first moment In the Jewish faith there are many mitzvot to carry out Oneof them is to be buried in Israel Those people now represented only by ash had that opportunity taken from them They never got the chance to see Israel With that in mind every member of our group took turns sprinkling soil from Israel onto the ashes in Majdanek After the visits to death camps and learning about Polish Jewry during the Holocaust we left for Israel to celebrate its 70th year of independence Exiting Ben Gurion Airport the entire mood of our trip changed We all seemed happier the air seemed sweeter and life was just better This year I was fortunate to have gone to Poland and Israel with a survivor Unfortunately that won t be possible much longer That s why I urge people to go on the March as soon as you can Having a survivor travel with you is priceless The stories they share and the insight they provide is unparalleled by any other experience I ve had SURVIVOR SPOTLIGHT Everything Can Be Taken from You Survivor Gabriella Karin shares hard lessons she learned during the Holocaust with a new generation A s part of her commitment to teaching young people the lessons of the Holocaust Gabriella Karin has participated in the March of the Living trip to Poland and Israel every year since 2012 In Los Angeles where she s lived since 1960 and works as a sculptor Gabriella devotes considerable time to educating Jewish and non Jewish youth in schools synagogues and camps about the horrific period of history she lived through in Europe Today at age 88 she also takes part in programs at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust and the Museum of Tolerance Born in Bratislava in Slovakia Gabriella s childhood was marked by the Nazi persecution of Jewish residents During World War II she spent three years hiding in a Catholic Educating Educators Against Hate MOTL helps with new initiative to combat all forms of prejudice in society H atred is once again on the rise and with it so are hate crimes against the Jewish community According to the Anti Defamation League s study of 2017 there was a 57 increase in anti Semitic incidents in the United States Even more shocking most of these incidents occurred on K 12 school grounds We know that hate is learned says New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney Our children are not born with prejudices and it s up to us to make sure they never learn them Children learn prejudice from their parents and adults around them Much of this is due to ignorance and lack of proper education This is why the International March of the Living s Holocaust Education for Deans of Schools of Education and Law is extremely relevant It s being done in partnership with The Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience at Rutgers University in New Jersey The program created Deans of Schools of Educaby Professor David Machlis tion and Schools of Law was Vice Chairman of the Intercreated to ensure that leaders of national March of the Living educational institutions are well will empower Deans of Schools informed of the wrongdoings of of Education mankind during and Schools of the Holocaust Law to include Learnin their course ing about the curriculums Holocaust and material related the lessons of to the Holocaust anti Semitism and genocide and racism is This in order to one of the best help combat all ways to fight forms of hatred prejudice and and intolerance discrimination in society says Jonathan In the U S Greenblatt as only 11 out of CEO of the AnProgram creator Prof David Machlis 50 states have ti Defamation mandatory Holocaust educaLeague It helps ensure that tion the International MOTL genocide and other such atrociis taking appropriate action To ties never happen again also combat a marked increase With neo Nazis marchin harassment and hatred in ing in the U S there s need to K 12 grades and on college and ensure a secure future for the university campuses students country s children Implementhave to be taught otherwise ing a program which will stir What better way than educating passion among participants the educators and inspire them to share their Holocaust Education for teaching is to combat hatred in a peaceful manner The program will begin with a day long seminar at Rutgers University just ahead of the deans traveling to Poland to participate in the MOTL After the deans complete their educational travel experience the program will visit the faculty of each dean s school to motivate them to include Holocaust material in their curriculum Twelve deans will partake in the 2019 Deans programs Conducting such an educational mission each year will pay dividends far into the future Not only will the program educate deans about the Holocaust it will also enable them to take their learnings back to share with students and colleagues alike This should contribute to a better educated and more tolerant society Only by remembering the past can we assure a better future for humankind We cannot expect a moral society without educating future leaders on the immoralities of the past A Sad Moment M OTL leaders condemned the recent anti Semitic defacing of the late Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel s memorial house in his native Romania This blatant attack on Prof Wiesel s memory is unconscionable and an assault upon all for which he stood the MOTL statement said Gabriella Karin wearing blue holding ag convent with the help of false papers Then in 1944 at age 14 she joined the rest of her family when her aunt s boyfriend Karol Blanar took them all into hiding in a one bedroom apartment They hid there until the Russians liberated Bratislava in April 1945 For his courage and compassion Karol was later awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in Jerusalem After the war Gabriella went to school for design pattern making and busi ness administration before meeting her husband Ofer Karin also a survivor They married and moved to Israel to start a new life They later moved to Los Angeles where Gabriella began sculpting and designing art in which she incorporates her Holocaust experiences as a principal theme Everything can be taken from you even the clothes you wear she tells students But no one can take away what s in your head So put good things in there Calling All Alumni M OTL is now reaching out to alumni to ask for their ideas and vision for how to make the MOTL alumni network more engaging and effective for them If you re interested in becoming more involved and playing a role in the International March of the Living Alumni Committee please email Ariana motlmail org 5
ALUMNI REFLECTION Reflections on a Formative Trip Ari Kwitkin Close takes stock of what he experienced on this year s March of the Living W hen I registered for the 2018 March of the Living I didn t really understand what I was signing up for Sure I had long been told it was a life altering trip but still I didn t comprehend its full potential I often like to speak about formative moments A moment in time you never forget which has the power to change the way you think or even the way you live your life I want to share a few such moments I experienced with MOTL If I told you to think of a concentration camp your mind probably first goes to Auschwitz You see the ominous gate and imagine all that lies behind it On MOTL I received a new sense of the camps Before I left I made sure I knew where my relatives had lived For example my great grandmother s family had lived close to Lublin We went a few miles from the heart of Lublin but ended up at and I quote our group leader Joel Katz hell on earth Right in the middle of the city was Majdanek All my years of Holocaust education barely prepared me for what lay there Visiting the camp we saw barracks with shoes rows of ovens and gas chambers we walked through The scariest part It almost looked like Majdanek could be made operational within 24 hours I walked through a killing factory that day but was somehow emotionally okay thanks to our amazing leaders After our group of 60 kids worked our way through the camp we met at an enormous circular monument with a domed top Looking over the ledge with the dome above you there are more ashes than you ve ever seen They re the ashes of Jews 4 Ari Kwitkin Close front row second from left murdered in this camp This was my first moment In the Jewish faith there are many mitzvot to carry out Oneof them is to be buried in Israel Those people now represented only by ash had that opportunity taken from them They never got the chance to see Israel With that in mind every member of our group took turns sprinkling soil from Israel onto the ashes in Majdanek After the visits to death camps and learning about Polish Jewry during the Holocaust we left for Israel to celebrate its 70th year of independence Exiting Ben Gurion Airport the entire mood of our trip changed We all seemed happier the air seemed sweeter and life was just better This year I was fortunate to have gone to Poland and Israel with a survivor Unfortunately that won t be possible much longer That s why I urge people to go on the March as soon as you can Having a survivor travel with you is priceless The stories they share and the insight they provide is unparalleled by any other experience I ve had SURVIVOR SPOTLIGHT Everything Can Be Taken from You Survivor Gabriella Karin shares hard lessons she learned during the Holocaust with a new generation A s part of her commitment to teaching young people the lessons of the Holocaust Gabriella Karin has participated in the March of the Living trip to Poland and Israel every year since 2012 In Los Angeles where she s lived since 1960 and works as a sculptor Gabriella devotes considerable time to educating Jewish and non Jewish youth in schools synagogues and camps about the horrific period of history she lived through in Europe Today at age 88 she also takes part in programs at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust and the Museum of Tolerance Born in Bratislava in Slovakia Gabriella s childhood was marked by the Nazi persecution of Jewish residents During World War II she spent three years hiding in a Catholic Educating Educators Against Hate MOTL helps with new initiative to combat all forms of prejudice in society H atred is once again on the rise and with it so are hate crimes against the Jewish community According to the Anti Defamation League s study of 2017 there was a 57 increase in anti Semitic incidents in the United States Even more shocking most of these incidents occurred on K 12 school grounds We know that hate is learned says New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney Our children are not born with prejudices and it s up to us to make sure they never learn them Children learn prejudice from their parents and adults around them Much of this is due to ignorance and lack of proper education This is why the International March of the Living s Holocaust Education for Deans of Schools of Education and Law is extremely relevant It s being done in partnership with The Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience at Rutgers University in New Jersey The program created Deans of Schools of Educaby Professor David Machlis tion and Schools of Law was Vice Chairman of the Intercreated to ensure that leaders of national March of the Living educational institutions are well will empower Deans of Schools informed of the wrongdoings of of Education mankind during and Schools of the Holocaust Law to include Learnin their course ing about the curriculums Holocaust and material related the lessons of to the Holocaust anti Semitism and genocide and racism is This in order to one of the best help combat all ways to fight forms of hatred prejudice and and intolerance discrimination in society says Jonathan In the U S Greenblatt as only 11 out of CEO of the AnProgram creator Prof David Machlis 50 states have ti Defamation mandatory Holocaust educaLeague It helps ensure that tion the International MOTL genocide and other such atrociis taking appropriate action To ties never happen again also combat a marked increase With neo Nazis marchin harassment and hatred in ing in the U S there s need to K 12 grades and on college and ensure a secure future for the university campuses students country s children Implementhave to be taught otherwise ing a program which will stir What better way than educating passion among participants the educators and inspire them to share their Holocaust Education for teaching is to combat hatred in a peaceful manner The program will begin with a day long seminar at Rutgers University just ahead of the deans traveling to Poland to participate in the MOTL After the deans complete their educational travel experience the program will visit the faculty of each dean s school to motivate them to include Holocaust material in their curriculum Twelve deans will partake in the 2019 Deans programs Conducting such an educational mission each year will pay dividends far into the future Not only will the program educate deans about the Holocaust it will also enable them to take their learnings back to share with students and colleagues alike This should contribute to a better educated and more tolerant society Only by remembering the past can we assure a better future for humankind We cannot expect a moral society without educating future leaders on the immoralities of the past A Sad Moment M OTL leaders condemned the recent anti Semitic defacing of the late Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel s memorial house in his native Romania This blatant attack on Prof Wiesel s memory is unconscionable and an assault upon all for which he stood the MOTL statement said Gabriella Karin wearing blue holding ag convent with the help of false papers Then in 1944 at age 14 she joined the rest of her family when her aunt s boyfriend Karol Blanar took them all into hiding in a one bedroom apartment They hid there until the Russians liberated Bratislava in April 1945 For his courage and compassion Karol was later awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in Jerusalem After the war Gabriella went to school for design pattern making and busi ness administration before meeting her husband Ofer Karin also a survivor They married and moved to Israel to start a new life They later moved to Los Angeles where Gabriella began sculpting and designing art in which she incorporates her Holocaust experiences as a principal theme Everything can be taken from you even the clothes you wear she tells students But no one can take away what s in your head So put good things in there Calling All Alumni M OTL is now reaching out to alumni to ask for their ideas and vision for how to make the MOTL alumni network more engaging and effective for them If you re interested in becoming more involved and playing a role in the International March of the Living Alumni Committee please email Ariana motlmail org 5
Passing the Torch COVER STORY A Day Like No Other After going on the first March of the Living as a teenager in 1988 Toronto resident Eynat Katz whose grandparents were Holocaust survivors returned on the March this year with her daughter on the same journey T his year as in the past family history contributed greatly to the decision of many to take part in the March of the Living For some it was all about their relatives For others it was not Canadian Eynat Katz had multiple personal reasons to come on the March A resident of Toronto her grandparents were Holocaust survivors from Poland They were a central factor when as a teenage high school student she chose to be part of the first ever MOTL in 1988 an experience that would end up changing her life This year she returned with her daughter Tali who at 17 was the same age Eynat was when she came on the March 30 years earlier Making it even more powerful both mother and daughter were part of the official ceremony at Auschwitz addressing the crowd following the somber walk from Birkenau In her speech Eynat told of how when she first heard of the creation of MOTL and she told her grandparents of her interest in going on it they were strongly opposed Much to my surprise she recounted to the crowd my grandparents who were the pivotal forces in my life said absolutely not I was not to go back there because there was no reason for me to ever set foot in Poland or to be witness to the atrocities they had survived To them I was the grandchild of Holocaust survivors and there was nothing more that I needed to know beyond that she continued But to me that was the exact reason why I had to go back and see for myself Even at that young age I understood that who I was and who I was going to 6 Top photo Eynat Katz with Holocaust survivor Ed Mosberg at Auschwitz ceremony Bottom photo Eynat s daughter Tali followed her mother to the podium be were tied up in those very tragic experiences Little did she know then what would be the full impact of the trip during which she visited some of the same concentration camps her grandfather survived She also went to the Lodz Ghetto where her grandmother hid in an underground bunker to survive What I didn t realize at the time was that the March was going to open a Pandora s box of emotions and questions that would take me years to deal with Eynat recalled I had no clue then that I would devote the next 30 years coming to terms with what I d seen on that trip and allowing me to finally connect the past with my present She added that today all these years later she can see how her grandparents and her first MOTL experience shaped the person she became It molded my personal outlook on life and my deep commitment to my own Jewish community Eynat said In fact I m still connected to the March 30 years after my initial experience And indeed today I m passing the torch to my own daughter to be the next witness a fourth generation great granddaughter of Holocaust survivors Tali followed at the microphone making for a strong mother daughter image as they stood next to each other at the podium My participation in the March of the Living is in many ways an example of the strength of the Jewish people Tali said in her speech Just a few minutes ago I marched from Auschwitz to Birkenau with my classmates with other Jewish teenagers from around the world with my family and with Holocaust survivors from around the world If I could go back in time to ask my grandfather and my great grandfather if they could ever have imagined such a thing I think I know what the answer would be Impossible B Spending Yom HaShoah at Auschwitz Birkenau as part of March of the Living is always a powerful experience This year even more so y its very nature every March of the Living especially the annual gathering at Auschwitz Birkenau on Yom HaShoah is a highly poignant emotional event This year it had an added dimension being the 30th anniversary of MOTL and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Israel in the wake of the Holocaust In mid April surrounded by barbed wire fences and led by Israel s President Reuven Rivlin some 12 000 marchers from dozens of countries from elderly Holocaust survivors to teenagers to members of Israel s security services took part in the 3 2 kilometer procession from the Auschwitz dormitories to the Birkenau death camp They were joined by international diplomats including Israel s ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon and 45 of his counterparts from other countries The Chelsea Football Club from London sent several members as part of its initiative against anti Semitism including its Israeli former coach Avram Grant who is the son of a Holocaust survivor Also present were relatives of Sempo Sugihara the late Japanese diplomat who saved 6 000 Lithuanian Jews during the Holocaust by issuing them visas A video was shown in tribute to his heroism Today we meet at a place which is a symbol for the whole world for all of humanity the synonym for the Holocaust said Polish President Andrzej Duda in his speech We come here together Jews the nation of survivors and Poles the nation that was also brutally persecuted by Hitler s Third Reich in order to jointly pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust We come together because we do remember and want to pass on the truth about what happened here to future generations His Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin said it was at Auschwitz where German efficiency was exploited to the fullest all in the pursuit of mass murder At this one death factory alone the Nazis killed some 1 100 000 people the vast majority of them Jews gassed and cremated forever erased from the face of the earth We stand here and we know that from this place we cannot hope for justice President Rivlin told the audience In this place where the ashes of our brothers and sisters were swallowed by the soil no justice will grow We don t expect justice in Europe that seeks too quickly to forget to eradicate the memory to deny to destroy evidence But our memory the memory of the Jewish people is the antithesis of the hatred of the Nazis Dr Shmuel Rosenman who helped conceive the original March of the Living 30 years ago made an impassioned plea to everyone in the audience Jews and non Jews I ask that each one of you make a sincere pledge that you will help create a better world for all humanity so that no nation no people should ever have an Auschwitz a Majdanek or a Treblinka built for their destruction said Dr Rosenman in his speech Let us join hands with our brave survivors who have traveled on this long and difficult trip from all over the world and pledge to them this We will always remember your stories your pain and your suffering and we will pass on the lessons you have so eloquently taught us to the next generation Ed Mosberg who was born in Krakow Poland in 1926 survived two concentra tion camps although he lost his entire family in the Holocaust A resident of the United States he returned to his native country to take part in the March of the Living ceremony as he s done several times in previous years Dressed in the drab uniform he had to wear in concentration camps he said it was his duty to recount the Nazi atrocities against the Jews citing the famous statement by the late Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel When you listen to a witness you become a witness He also praised the Polish government for its commitment to preserving Holocaust memorial sites scattered throughout Poland At the end of the ceremony popular Israeli singer Shlomo Artzi whose parents were Holocaust survivors and the HaShalom youth choir from the Holocaust Education Center in Japan provided moving musical performances Earlier Abraham Hirchson who together with Dr Rosenman founded the March of the Living 30 years ago lit a special torch in honor of this milestone After reciting the Shehechayunu Hirchson recalled that when he first came to Elie Wiesel with the idea of the MOTL Wiesel said You have to do it because you are building a wall against the deniers of the Holocaust Hirschson went on to say You youngsters that are marching here every year you are the stones in the wall you are the bridge from the generation of the survivors to the generations to come so that no one can deny the Holocaust You will be those who say we swear to remember and to never forget Please say with me Never again 7
Passing the Torch COVER STORY A Day Like No Other After going on the first March of the Living as a teenager in 1988 Toronto resident Eynat Katz whose grandparents were Holocaust survivors returned on the March this year with her daughter on the same journey T his year as in the past family history contributed greatly to the decision of many to take part in the March of the Living For some it was all about their relatives For others it was not Canadian Eynat Katz had multiple personal reasons to come on the March A resident of Toronto her grandparents were Holocaust survivors from Poland They were a central factor when as a teenage high school student she chose to be part of the first ever MOTL in 1988 an experience that would end up changing her life This year she returned with her daughter Tali who at 17 was the same age Eynat was when she came on the March 30 years earlier Making it even more powerful both mother and daughter were part of the official ceremony at Auschwitz addressing the crowd following the somber walk from Birkenau In her speech Eynat told of how when she first heard of the creation of MOTL and she told her grandparents of her interest in going on it they were strongly opposed Much to my surprise she recounted to the crowd my grandparents who were the pivotal forces in my life said absolutely not I was not to go back there because there was no reason for me to ever set foot in Poland or to be witness to the atrocities they had survived To them I was the grandchild of Holocaust survivors and there was nothing more that I needed to know beyond that she continued But to me that was the exact reason why I had to go back and see for myself Even at that young age I understood that who I was and who I was going to 6 Top photo Eynat Katz with Holocaust survivor Ed Mosberg at Auschwitz ceremony Bottom photo Eynat s daughter Tali followed her mother to the podium be were tied up in those very tragic experiences Little did she know then what would be the full impact of the trip during which she visited some of the same concentration camps her grandfather survived She also went to the Lodz Ghetto where her grandmother hid in an underground bunker to survive What I didn t realize at the time was that the March was going to open a Pandora s box of emotions and questions that would take me years to deal with Eynat recalled I had no clue then that I would devote the next 30 years coming to terms with what I d seen on that trip and allowing me to finally connect the past with my present She added that today all these years later she can see how her grandparents and her first MOTL experience shaped the person she became It molded my personal outlook on life and my deep commitment to my own Jewish community Eynat said In fact I m still connected to the March 30 years after my initial experience And indeed today I m passing the torch to my own daughter to be the next witness a fourth generation great granddaughter of Holocaust survivors Tali followed at the microphone making for a strong mother daughter image as they stood next to each other at the podium My participation in the March of the Living is in many ways an example of the strength of the Jewish people Tali said in her speech Just a few minutes ago I marched from Auschwitz to Birkenau with my classmates with other Jewish teenagers from around the world with my family and with Holocaust survivors from around the world If I could go back in time to ask my grandfather and my great grandfather if they could ever have imagined such a thing I think I know what the answer would be Impossible B Spending Yom HaShoah at Auschwitz Birkenau as part of March of the Living is always a powerful experience This year even more so y its very nature every March of the Living especially the annual gathering at Auschwitz Birkenau on Yom HaShoah is a highly poignant emotional event This year it had an added dimension being the 30th anniversary of MOTL and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Israel in the wake of the Holocaust In mid April surrounded by barbed wire fences and led by Israel s President Reuven Rivlin some 12 000 marchers from dozens of countries from elderly Holocaust survivors to teenagers to members of Israel s security services took part in the 3 2 kilometer procession from the Auschwitz dormitories to the Birkenau death camp They were joined by international diplomats including Israel s ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon and 45 of his counterparts from other countries The Chelsea Football Club from London sent several members as part of its initiative against anti Semitism including its Israeli former coach Avram Grant who is the son of a Holocaust survivor Also present were relatives of Sempo Sugihara the late Japanese diplomat who saved 6 000 Lithuanian Jews during the Holocaust by issuing them visas A video was shown in tribute to his heroism Today we meet at a place which is a symbol for the whole world for all of humanity the synonym for the Holocaust said Polish President Andrzej Duda in his speech We come here together Jews the nation of survivors and Poles the nation that was also brutally persecuted by Hitler s Third Reich in order to jointly pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust We come together because we do remember and want to pass on the truth about what happened here to future generations His Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin said it was at Auschwitz where German efficiency was exploited to the fullest all in the pursuit of mass murder At this one death factory alone the Nazis killed some 1 100 000 people the vast majority of them Jews gassed and cremated forever erased from the face of the earth We stand here and we know that from this place we cannot hope for justice President Rivlin told the audience In this place where the ashes of our brothers and sisters were swallowed by the soil no justice will grow We don t expect justice in Europe that seeks too quickly to forget to eradicate the memory to deny to destroy evidence But our memory the memory of the Jewish people is the antithesis of the hatred of the Nazis Dr Shmuel Rosenman who helped conceive the original March of the Living 30 years ago made an impassioned plea to everyone in the audience Jews and non Jews I ask that each one of you make a sincere pledge that you will help create a better world for all humanity so that no nation no people should ever have an Auschwitz a Majdanek or a Treblinka built for their destruction said Dr Rosenman in his speech Let us join hands with our brave survivors who have traveled on this long and difficult trip from all over the world and pledge to them this We will always remember your stories your pain and your suffering and we will pass on the lessons you have so eloquently taught us to the next generation Ed Mosberg who was born in Krakow Poland in 1926 survived two concentra tion camps although he lost his entire family in the Holocaust A resident of the United States he returned to his native country to take part in the March of the Living ceremony as he s done several times in previous years Dressed in the drab uniform he had to wear in concentration camps he said it was his duty to recount the Nazi atrocities against the Jews citing the famous statement by the late Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel When you listen to a witness you become a witness He also praised the Polish government for its commitment to preserving Holocaust memorial sites scattered throughout Poland At the end of the ceremony popular Israeli singer Shlomo Artzi whose parents were Holocaust survivors and the HaShalom youth choir from the Holocaust Education Center in Japan provided moving musical performances Earlier Abraham Hirchson who together with Dr Rosenman founded the March of the Living 30 years ago lit a special torch in honor of this milestone After reciting the Shehechayunu Hirchson recalled that when he first came to Elie Wiesel with the idea of the MOTL Wiesel said You have to do it because you are building a wall against the deniers of the Holocaust Hirschson went on to say You youngsters that are marching here every year you are the stones in the wall you are the bridge from the generation of the survivors to the generations to come so that no one can deny the Holocaust You will be those who say we swear to remember and to never forget Please say with me Never again 7
POLAND 2018 8 ISRAEL 2018 9
POLAND 2018 8 ISRAEL 2018 9
REGIONAL FOCUS T JAPAN Holocaust Education Center Leads the Way he Holocaust Education Center HEC in Japan is one of the few non Jewish places in the world dedicated to the over one million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis Created in 1995 in the unlikely location of Fukuyama City 95 km 60 miles from Hiroshima it contrasts with the usual places in Japan that focus on World War II They tell a much different story concentrating on the country s own tragedy after the United States dropped two atom bombs on Japan to end the war in 1945 Through its exhibitions the HEC has opened the eyes of thousands of Japanese who learn little or nothing about the Holocaust at school In Japanese history books on World War II Hitler s genocide of European Jews receives scant attention According to a recent article in Tablet only about 500 Jews live in Japan which produced one Righteous Among T HEC delegation at Auschwitz the Nations Chiune Sugihara Japan s ambassador to Lithuania saved 6 000 Jews in 1940 by providing them with transit visas Last December MOTL organized a conference and exhibition honoring Sugihara This year the HEC arranged for its Hashalom youth choir which previously performed in Israel to travel from Japan to Poland to sing at the March of the Living ceremony at Auschwitz Birkenau on Yom HaShoah Singing in impeccable Hebrew it was the only non Israeli choir taking part in the official proceedings In addition its 20 member delegation marched with Holocaust survivors and Jewish groups from almost 50 countries POLAND Joint Seminar for Educators his summer for the first time educators from eight countries took part in a Holocaust related joint seminar in Poland at the initiative of the March of the Living MOTL The six day program conceived by MOTL s Aharon Aharale Tamir focused on the Nazi genocide of European Jews and explored a thousand years of Jewish life in Poland The seminar which was organized and sponsored by the Polin Museum in Warsaw and the Auschwitz Museum in Oswiecim took place in early July It attracted 18 participants from the United States Holland Austria Hungary Greece Poland Israel and South Africa In addition seven 10 REGIONAL FOCUS Participants in joint seminar in Poland Since 2002 the HEC owners and operators who are part of an organization called Beit HaShalom have had a close relationship with the International March of the Living They ve sent a delegation to Poland to participate in the MOTL several times over the past 10 years During that same period MOTL has organized three visits to the HEC in Fukuyama City where it launched joint activities such as exhibitions conferences and visits to other communities in Japan Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia Adding to the Japanese connection with the March of the Living another excellent organization in Japan called Bridges for Peace has developed a growing involvement with MOTL This year for the third time it sent a delegation to Poland for the March Its 70 member contingent coupled with the group from HEC made for a strong Japanese presence Polish educators and guides from the Polin Museum and the Auschwitz Museum took part in the program Participants went to various institutes exhibitions and lectures in Poland including sites not accessible to the general public They also met with researchers and historians at the Polin and Auschwitz Museums Throughout the seminar delegates valued the opportunity to share experiences showcase their respective activities present common objectives in their work and discuss ways in which their organizations can work together MOTL officials are now assessing the impact of the seminar with an eye to conducting another such initiative next year HUNGARY Thousands March in Budapest MOTL Event Making tracks in Budapest march O n May 13 on a sunny spring day the sound of 20 shofars marked the start of the 16th annual March of the Living in Budapest A quiet crowd including politicians and diplomats walked on the beautiful Elisabeth Bridge under a blue sky That same sky saw horrors 74 years ago when Jews were forced to their deaths in the Danube River F In 2003 when the March of the Living first took place in Budapest to commemorate the Holocaust only a few hundred people took part in the silent march with torches This year that same event attracted many thousands of participants As they neared the end of the walk along the shores of the Danube a choir from the city s S ndor Schreiber Jewish School greeted marchers with a moving musical performance Several speakers addressed the crowd One of the main messages was that the Holocaust was both a Jewish and Hungarian tragedy Among the speakers were G bor Gordon President of March of the Living Hungary Aharon Tamir Deputy World Chairman of the International March of the Living J zsef Sz khelyi actor and founder of MOTL Hungary Yossef Amrani Israel s Ambassador in Budapest and Majgull Axelsson author of the Swedish book My Name is Not Miriam We must be careful Aharon Tamir told the audience A tragedy like the Holocaust could happen again if we don t remain vigilant while movements organizations and even states stir hate intolerance and violate the fundamental human rights of other people A part of the International March of the Living MOTL Hungary is extremely active see article below Besides participating in the Auschwitz Birkenau march in Poland it organizes the Budapest march stages charity concerts in Budapest s Doh ny Street Great Synagogue holds Holocaust remembrance events and runs a unique Railcar Exhibition in an original cattle wagon from the Nazi deportations that travels across Hungary Each year MOTL Hungary s delegation to the March of the Living events and activities in Poland usually consists of about 300 people from both Jewish and public high schools They travel from Budapest by bus Eva Vadasz For information on March of the Living Hungary go to www eletmenete hu MOTL Hungary a Vital Part of the Community ounded with the motto Don t let our grandfathers past become our children s future March of the Living Hungary held its first march in Budapest in 2003 The next year the first Hungarian delegation traveled to Poland to take part in the MOTL events there Today with thousands of participants including important political and academic figures and opinion makers the March of the Living event in Budapest is one of the largest annual demonstrations in Europe against racism and anti Semitism With its office in Budapest MOTL Hungary also organizes various exhibitions The main one is called the Wagon Exhibition which is installed in a cattle wagon that was used during the train trans ports of Jews to Nazi death camps It presents the history of the European and Hungarian Holocaust through personal stories An effective educational program it uses traditional digital and interactive installations that are especially popular with schools Since its launch in 2005 the exhibit has reached more than 160 000 people in more than 100 Hungarian cities and towns across the border MOTL Hungary also offers other traveling exhibitions for schools throughout Hungary that focus on the following issues The history of the mass deportation and mass murder of Hungarian Jewry Crossroads the impact of history on people s everyday lives showing possible cross roads during the Holocaust in Hungary Budapest march Parallel fates the impact of history on people s lives and fate depending on one s birth and race in 20th century Hungary Remaining humane even during the cruelest periods of history like the Holocaust extraordinary brave women and men do their best to save lives while risking their own This exhibit recalls their stories Other activities include seminars lectures and workshops organized for volunteers teachers and guides for MOTL exhibits along with a wide range of cultural events and performances and the publishing of children s books and educational materials for schools Recently MOTL Hungary created a Tolerance Meter which has become a popular computer based training tool that allows you to measure your level of tolerance and openness There s also a tolerance quiz an online game dealing with questions of racism discrimination openness and tolerance Lastly MOTL Hungary organizes traveling history lessons These are walking tours and visits to emblematic historical sites and meetings with Holocaust survivors with specialized guides 11
REGIONAL FOCUS T JAPAN Holocaust Education Center Leads the Way he Holocaust Education Center HEC in Japan is one of the few non Jewish places in the world dedicated to the over one million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis Created in 1995 in the unlikely location of Fukuyama City 95 km 60 miles from Hiroshima it contrasts with the usual places in Japan that focus on World War II They tell a much different story concentrating on the country s own tragedy after the United States dropped two atom bombs on Japan to end the war in 1945 Through its exhibitions the HEC has opened the eyes of thousands of Japanese who learn little or nothing about the Holocaust at school In Japanese history books on World War II Hitler s genocide of European Jews receives scant attention According to a recent article in Tablet only about 500 Jews live in Japan which produced one Righteous Among T HEC delegation at Auschwitz the Nations Chiune Sugihara Japan s ambassador to Lithuania saved 6 000 Jews in 1940 by providing them with transit visas Last December MOTL organized a conference and exhibition honoring Sugihara This year the HEC arranged for its Hashalom youth choir which previously performed in Israel to travel from Japan to Poland to sing at the March of the Living ceremony at Auschwitz Birkenau on Yom HaShoah Singing in impeccable Hebrew it was the only non Israeli choir taking part in the official proceedings In addition its 20 member delegation marched with Holocaust survivors and Jewish groups from almost 50 countries POLAND Joint Seminar for Educators his summer for the first time educators from eight countries took part in a Holocaust related joint seminar in Poland at the initiative of the March of the Living MOTL The six day program conceived by MOTL s Aharon Aharale Tamir focused on the Nazi genocide of European Jews and explored a thousand years of Jewish life in Poland The seminar which was organized and sponsored by the Polin Museum in Warsaw and the Auschwitz Museum in Oswiecim took place in early July It attracted 18 participants from the United States Holland Austria Hungary Greece Poland Israel and South Africa In addition seven 10 REGIONAL FOCUS Participants in joint seminar in Poland Since 2002 the HEC owners and operators who are part of an organization called Beit HaShalom have had a close relationship with the International March of the Living They ve sent a delegation to Poland to participate in the MOTL several times over the past 10 years During that same period MOTL has organized three visits to the HEC in Fukuyama City where it launched joint activities such as exhibitions conferences and visits to other communities in Japan Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia Adding to the Japanese connection with the March of the Living another excellent organization in Japan called Bridges for Peace has developed a growing involvement with MOTL This year for the third time it sent a delegation to Poland for the March Its 70 member contingent coupled with the group from HEC made for a strong Japanese presence Polish educators and guides from the Polin Museum and the Auschwitz Museum took part in the program Participants went to various institutes exhibitions and lectures in Poland including sites not accessible to the general public They also met with researchers and historians at the Polin and Auschwitz Museums Throughout the seminar delegates valued the opportunity to share experiences showcase their respective activities present common objectives in their work and discuss ways in which their organizations can work together MOTL officials are now assessing the impact of the seminar with an eye to conducting another such initiative next year HUNGARY Thousands March in Budapest MOTL Event Making tracks in Budapest march O n May 13 on a sunny spring day the sound of 20 shofars marked the start of the 16th annual March of the Living in Budapest A quiet crowd including politicians and diplomats walked on the beautiful Elisabeth Bridge under a blue sky That same sky saw horrors 74 years ago when Jews were forced to their deaths in the Danube River F In 2003 when the March of the Living first took place in Budapest to commemorate the Holocaust only a few hundred people took part in the silent march with torches This year that same event attracted many thousands of participants As they neared the end of the walk along the shores of the Danube a choir from the city s S ndor Schreiber Jewish School greeted marchers with a moving musical performance Several speakers addressed the crowd One of the main messages was that the Holocaust was both a Jewish and Hungarian tragedy Among the speakers were G bor Gordon President of March of the Living Hungary Aharon Tamir Deputy World Chairman of the International March of the Living J zsef Sz khelyi actor and founder of MOTL Hungary Yossef Amrani Israel s Ambassador in Budapest and Majgull Axelsson author of the Swedish book My Name is Not Miriam We must be careful Aharon Tamir told the audience A tragedy like the Holocaust could happen again if we don t remain vigilant while movements organizations and even states stir hate intolerance and violate the fundamental human rights of other people A part of the International March of the Living MOTL Hungary is extremely active see article below Besides participating in the Auschwitz Birkenau march in Poland it organizes the Budapest march stages charity concerts in Budapest s Doh ny Street Great Synagogue holds Holocaust remembrance events and runs a unique Railcar Exhibition in an original cattle wagon from the Nazi deportations that travels across Hungary Each year MOTL Hungary s delegation to the March of the Living events and activities in Poland usually consists of about 300 people from both Jewish and public high schools They travel from Budapest by bus Eva Vadasz For information on March of the Living Hungary go to www eletmenete hu MOTL Hungary a Vital Part of the Community ounded with the motto Don t let our grandfathers past become our children s future March of the Living Hungary held its first march in Budapest in 2003 The next year the first Hungarian delegation traveled to Poland to take part in the MOTL events there Today with thousands of participants including important political and academic figures and opinion makers the March of the Living event in Budapest is one of the largest annual demonstrations in Europe against racism and anti Semitism With its office in Budapest MOTL Hungary also organizes various exhibitions The main one is called the Wagon Exhibition which is installed in a cattle wagon that was used during the train trans ports of Jews to Nazi death camps It presents the history of the European and Hungarian Holocaust through personal stories An effective educational program it uses traditional digital and interactive installations that are especially popular with schools Since its launch in 2005 the exhibit has reached more than 160 000 people in more than 100 Hungarian cities and towns across the border MOTL Hungary also offers other traveling exhibitions for schools throughout Hungary that focus on the following issues The history of the mass deportation and mass murder of Hungarian Jewry Crossroads the impact of history on people s everyday lives showing possible cross roads during the Holocaust in Hungary Budapest march Parallel fates the impact of history on people s lives and fate depending on one s birth and race in 20th century Hungary Remaining humane even during the cruelest periods of history like the Holocaust extraordinary brave women and men do their best to save lives while risking their own This exhibit recalls their stories Other activities include seminars lectures and workshops organized for volunteers teachers and guides for MOTL exhibits along with a wide range of cultural events and performances and the publishing of children s books and educational materials for schools Recently MOTL Hungary created a Tolerance Meter which has become a popular computer based training tool that allows you to measure your level of tolerance and openness There s also a tolerance quiz an online game dealing with questions of racism discrimination openness and tolerance Lastly MOTL Hungary organizes traveling history lessons These are walking tours and visits to emblematic historical sites and meetings with Holocaust survivors with specialized guides 11
REGIONAL FOCUS D S AFRICA An Important Step in Jewish Journey espite its modest beginnings in South Africa the March of the Living is now well known and is a permanent fixture on the country s Jewish calendar It benefits greatly from the support it receives from the Holocaust and Genocide Centers in Johannesburg Cape Town and Durban I attended my first MOTL in 1994 with my husband I was so impressed and impacted by the experience that I took on a leadership position Since then we have sent a delegation of youth almost every year A smaller group of adults also participates as part of an international delegation of older marchers made up of Americans Canadians Australians and South Africans Every year to help attract participants I visit South Africa s three major Jewish communities Johannesburg Cape Town and Durban where I promote the program By way of an in person presentation along with a DVD that explains what the MOTL tour consists of we market it to Grade 10 students who will be in Grade 11 when the trip leaves MOTL alumni who went the year before also offer their perspective Non Jewish students are welcome to join the trip although to date there s only 12 REGIONAL FOCUS Members of the South African MOTL delegation during visit in Israel been one such participant This is worth pursuing as is appealing to university students in their 20s Due to a lack of resources and staff we take only one bus of a maximum of 50 students The cost to go on MOTL is a big issue for many people as it s a dollar based program making it more expensive due to South Africa s weak currency With the exchange rate fluctuating so much we quote the final price only six weeks prior to leaving When students express interest in MOTL we always stress that no student should refrain from applying due to financial constraints as we strive to make it possible for anyone that wants to participate To that end we ve always found support from donors to help students take part Almost all participants come from the Jewish day school system and already have extensive Holocaust knowledge Many if not most have been to Israel at least once As a result we don t have many lessons before leaving We run a seminar on three Sundays focusing on three main topics Poland before World War II to understand what was lost the question of Where was God which includes listening to a survivor and the critical dates and events from 1933 to 1945 We engage an educational psychologist to help prepare students emotionally for what they re about to experience We also have a rabbi speak to them about the religious response to the subject at hand These two professionals accompany us and assist in the daily debriefing about what they ve seen that day Coming from the tip of Africa and often not having an opportunity to engage with Jews from around the world much time and energy are spent arranging interaction and dialogue with as many delegations as possible This helps our students realize they re part of something much bigger than themselves In the process it enhances their Jewish identity and understanding of the Jewish diaspora After we return home all the schools have an assembly during which MOTL participants report back to the rest of the student body recounting what they experienced in Poland and Israel Based on feedback we receive it s clear that for participants MOTL is an important step in their Jewish journey Rene Pozniak leads the March of the Living program in South Africa CANADA PM salutes MOTL at event in Toronto Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses guests MOTL Canada National Director Eli Rubenstein Ruth Ekstein Tammy Glied and Jenn Green all descendants of Holocaust survivors co chaired the evening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gives warm greeting to survivor Nate Leipciger with whom he visited Auschwitz in July 2016 I n early May 400 people gathered at the Shaarei Shomayim synagogue in Toronto to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the March of the Living The festive event honored the 100 Holocaust survivors from Canada including nearly half from Toronto who ve taken part in the MOTL since its inception in 1988 The evening raised 2 000 000 to fund future MOTL scholarships in the names of the 47 Toronto survivors and for program enhancements Longtime National Di rector of MOTL Canada Eli Rubenstein was honored for his 30 years of dedication and leadership in connection with the March Among his achievements is having extended participation in MOTL to include native Canadians visually impaired Israelis Christians Muslims Rwandans Polish Catholics Hindus Buddhists and many other non Jewish groups The lead sponsor of the evening the Ben and Hilda Katz Foundation created a 250 000 scholarship fund in Holocaust survivor Max Eisen Rubenstein s name Among those in attendance were numerous MOTL alumni survivors educators chaperones community leaders and donors all of whom welcomed the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau In his remarks he thanked survivors for their courage in reliving their nightmares while educating Canadians about the Holocaust He complimented MOTL for its educational work and paid tribute to Eli Rubenstein for his decades long dedication to the March Prime Minister Trudeau also addressed Canada s shameful policy toward Jewish refugees fleeing persecution under the Nazi regime when Ottawa refused most of them entry into Canada in the years before and during World War II He announced his government will make an official apology for Canada having turned away more than 900 German Jews on the MS St Louis ship in 1939 forcing them back to Europe where many were later killed by the Nazis 13
REGIONAL FOCUS D S AFRICA An Important Step in Jewish Journey espite its modest beginnings in South Africa the March of the Living is now well known and is a permanent fixture on the country s Jewish calendar It benefits greatly from the support it receives from the Holocaust and Genocide Centers in Johannesburg Cape Town and Durban I attended my first MOTL in 1994 with my husband I was so impressed and impacted by the experience that I took on a leadership position Since then we have sent a delegation of youth almost every year A smaller group of adults also participates as part of an international delegation of older marchers made up of Americans Canadians Australians and South Africans Every year to help attract participants I visit South Africa s three major Jewish communities Johannesburg Cape Town and Durban where I promote the program By way of an in person presentation along with a DVD that explains what the MOTL tour consists of we market it to Grade 10 students who will be in Grade 11 when the trip leaves MOTL alumni who went the year before also offer their perspective Non Jewish students are welcome to join the trip although to date there s only 12 REGIONAL FOCUS Members of the South African MOTL delegation during visit in Israel been one such participant This is worth pursuing as is appealing to university students in their 20s Due to a lack of resources and staff we take only one bus of a maximum of 50 students The cost to go on MOTL is a big issue for many people as it s a dollar based program making it more expensive due to South Africa s weak currency With the exchange rate fluctuating so much we quote the final price only six weeks prior to leaving When students express interest in MOTL we always stress that no student should refrain from applying due to financial constraints as we strive to make it possible for anyone that wants to participate To that end we ve always found support from donors to help students take part Almost all participants come from the Jewish day school system and already have extensive Holocaust knowledge Many if not most have been to Israel at least once As a result we don t have many lessons before leaving We run a seminar on three Sundays focusing on three main topics Poland before World War II to understand what was lost the question of Where was God which includes listening to a survivor and the critical dates and events from 1933 to 1945 We engage an educational psychologist to help prepare students emotionally for what they re about to experience We also have a rabbi speak to them about the religious response to the subject at hand These two professionals accompany us and assist in the daily debriefing about what they ve seen that day Coming from the tip of Africa and often not having an opportunity to engage with Jews from around the world much time and energy are spent arranging interaction and dialogue with as many delegations as possible This helps our students realize they re part of something much bigger than themselves In the process it enhances their Jewish identity and understanding of the Jewish diaspora After we return home all the schools have an assembly during which MOTL participants report back to the rest of the student body recounting what they experienced in Poland and Israel Based on feedback we receive it s clear that for participants MOTL is an important step in their Jewish journey Rene Pozniak leads the March of the Living program in South Africa CANADA PM salutes MOTL at event in Toronto Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses guests MOTL Canada National Director Eli Rubenstein Ruth Ekstein Tammy Glied and Jenn Green all descendants of Holocaust survivors co chaired the evening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gives warm greeting to survivor Nate Leipciger with whom he visited Auschwitz in July 2016 I n early May 400 people gathered at the Shaarei Shomayim synagogue in Toronto to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the March of the Living The festive event honored the 100 Holocaust survivors from Canada including nearly half from Toronto who ve taken part in the MOTL since its inception in 1988 The evening raised 2 000 000 to fund future MOTL scholarships in the names of the 47 Toronto survivors and for program enhancements Longtime National Di rector of MOTL Canada Eli Rubenstein was honored for his 30 years of dedication and leadership in connection with the March Among his achievements is having extended participation in MOTL to include native Canadians visually impaired Israelis Christians Muslims Rwandans Polish Catholics Hindus Buddhists and many other non Jewish groups The lead sponsor of the evening the Ben and Hilda Katz Foundation created a 250 000 scholarship fund in Holocaust survivor Max Eisen Rubenstein s name Among those in attendance were numerous MOTL alumni survivors educators chaperones community leaders and donors all of whom welcomed the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau In his remarks he thanked survivors for their courage in reliving their nightmares while educating Canadians about the Holocaust He complimented MOTL for its educational work and paid tribute to Eli Rubenstein for his decades long dedication to the March Prime Minister Trudeau also addressed Canada s shameful policy toward Jewish refugees fleeing persecution under the Nazi regime when Ottawa refused most of them entry into Canada in the years before and during World War II He announced his government will make an official apology for Canada having turned away more than 900 German Jews on the MS St Louis ship in 1939 forcing them back to Europe where many were later killed by the Nazis 13
The Report Teach your children Issue 2 Fall 2018 A DAY LIKE NO OTHER On Yom HaShoah the presidents of Israel and Poland lead thousands in 30th anniversary March of the Living procession at Auschwitz Birkenau INSIDE THIS ISSUE Foreign diplomats join MOTL Float in NY parade for Israel New project to fight hate Survivor spotlight Regional wrap up Calling all alumni MOTL mother daughter duo
Fellowship Program Targets Lack of Holocaust Education Lawyers Learn from Holocaust Lessons A D New initiative to introduce relevant course at colleges and universities in the United States ddressing the dearth of Holocaust education at many U S universities the International March of the Living has partnered with George Washington University GWU through the MOTL Fellowship program This pilot project launched in the spring of 2018 helps history and education professors develop a Holocaust course at their respective college or university Its inaugural roll out made a strong impact on participants Along with seminars taught by distinguished scholars at GWU and the U S Holocaust Memorial Museum the program included a weeklong educational mission to Poland The Fellows visited memorials and historical sites and met with leading Holocaust scholars and museum directors to gain a deeper understanding of the subject The six faculty members recruited from various campuses in the U S will introduce a new course at their respective institutions next year and are expected to enroll some 450 students One Fellow has success WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Starting with the next issue of The March of the Living Report we will feature a selection of letters and comments from readers Tell us what s on your mind in connection with the March of the Living or any related issues Please send your letters to The March of the Living Report Attention Editor in Chief 2 West 45th Street Suite 1500 New York New York 10036 USA or motl motlmail org Please note Letters may be edited for length and clarity 14 Holocaust memorial at Auschwitz showing photos of people deported to the notorious Nazi death camp fully worked with his dean to make his new Holocaust education course a requirement for the Masters in Education Social Studies track Another Fellow is cultivating an online course in addition to his traditional course to reach a higher number of students An estimated two thirds of universities and colleges fail to offer a course on the topic and in a recent study cited in the New York Times 49 of millennials couldn t name a single Nazi concentration camp The March of the Living Faculty Fellows program created and designed by Prof David Machlis Vice Chairman of the MOTL identifies those institutions lacking Holocaust courses and recruits professors with expertise in World War II or Education The program s academic component was developed by a committee of world renowned Holocaust scholars led by Prof Steven Katz Over the next five years the objective is to introduce a Holocaust course at a minimum of 100 colleges and universities not currently offering such a course The most powerful part of our Poland trip was the visit to various death camps and killing sites where the Holocaust took place says Prof Machlis It s no exaggeration to claim this experiential component was life changing for me I now see it as my mission as an educator to assure that students fully grasp that such wickedness was not alien to Western civilization and human societies everywhere but an inherent part of it Now more than ever I want students to take away from my classes the knowledge that if we are to prevent such tragedies in the future we first must grapple with the limitations of human reason and be wary of utopian visions that claim simple solutions to vastly complex problems After the educational mission to Poland Fellowship activities will resume with additional exchanges culminating in a weekend this fall and a six week webinar lecture series to provide more historical and pedagogic training on deliver New program by MOTL vice chair offers continuing legal education program uring the 2018 International March of the Living more than 40 American lawyers gathered for the inaugural MOTL Robert H Jackson Continuing Legal Education CLE program The event was co sponsored by the Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience at Rutgers University the New Jersey State Bar Association and Rutgers School of Law The program was developed by March of the Living Vice Chair Prof David Machlis who believed MOTL was an appropriate venue for offering CLE credits to members of the legal profession while potentially generating new friends and supporters of the organization He enlisted John Farmer former Attorney General of New Jersey Dean of Rutgers Law School and Senior Counsel to the 9 11 Commission to be the program s Educational Coordinator and help craft an innovative curriculum Lawyer Stuart Lederman introducing John Farmer Educational Director of CLE Program and professor at Rutgers University The participants traveled to Krakow and took part in the March before gathering with more than 50 colleagues from Poland and the Ukraine for the legal colloquium on April 13 The day was split into three units The morning focused on the role of lawyers and judges in the Holocaust and its aftermath Among the morning presenters were prominent international human rights attorney Richard Heideman who addressed the legalization of hate in the Third Reich and Professor John Barrett of St John s Law School who spoke about the role of former Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson in leading the U S Prosecution at the Nuremberg Trials The afternoon dealt with how to prevent future genocides and atrocities from occurring The first session focused on modes of direct intervention Among the speakers was William Shawxross bestselling author and former Charity Commissioner of the UK whose father Sir Hartley Shawcross was the chief British prosecutor at Nuremberg The third and final session was a roundtable discussion about community lessons of protection and resilience from the U S and Europe It blended lessons from the ground and meshed directly with the mission of the Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience Participants heard from Russ Deyo former Acting Deputy Secretary of the U S Department of Homeland Security Elie Honig Director of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Paul Goldenberg former director of the Secure Communities Network and Jonathan Biermann Deputy Mayor and Director of Jewish Community Security for Brussels After a break participants gathered for Shabbat dinner to hear from John Batchelor renowned nationally syndicated radio host Malcolm Hoenlein Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and Dr Monica Crowley prominent media figure and bestselling author Learning Important Lessons Prof Steven Katz left Chief Academic Of cer of the MOTL Fellows program at Auschwitz with Prof Jonathan Brunstedt ing their new courses The March of the Living Faculty Fellowship has fundamentally altered my approach to teaching my existing classes says a participant But more importantly it has laid the intellectual foundation for me to establish a new standalone course on the Holocaust now currently lacking from our curriculum I strive for such courses to become a permanent fixture of our curriculum and that students at Utah State University will gain a deeper understanding of the origins development and consequences of this singular event in human history While participating in this year s MOTL Israel s Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer put things in perspective I n April I had the privilege and honor to host Israel s Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer and his wife Rhoda Dermer on the 2018 March of the Living In Poland he delivered the keynote address during the Erev Yom HaShoah Memorial Program in Krakow While in Israel Ron and Rhoda led the Jerusalem March from Safra Square to the Kotel Below is a brief excerpt from his address in Krakow Phyllis Greenberg Heideman For me this March of the Living has been a March of Memory a March of Defiance and a March of Hope It has been a march to remember our people s dispossession deprivation and desperation to remember the individuals behind the statistics and the faces behind the numbers the mothers and fathers whose families were wiped out the sisters and brothers separated from their loved ones forever the boys and girls toddlers and infants who never had a chance to grow up It has been a march to remember that the Holocaust was not perpetrated by aliens on another planet but by real people in the real world It has been a march to remember the most important lesson of the Holocaust that the Jewish people must never be powerless against their enemies or rely on others to defend them Ambassador Ron Dermer leads March of the Living procession in Jerusalem I am privileged to serve as an Ambassador of Israel in the US I am privileged to represent a Jewish people that is once again a sovereign people Sovereignty has given us many things It has given us a shield No longer do the Jewish people beg foreign kings presidents and prime ministers to defend us Today we defend ourselves Sovereignty has given us a refuge No longer do we depend on foreign governments to open their gates to welcome in Jews fleeing persecution Today we open our own gates and welcome Jews home to Israel from across the world And sovereignty has also given us a voice No longer do we ask others to plead our case before the sovereign nations of the world Today we plead our own case and have a place among those nations 15
GALLERY Telling the Story Around the World Snapshots of interesting moments in the life of Holocaust education and rememberance near and far The Search is On Members of the 1988 March of the Living delegation from Broward County Florida are tracking down other fellow MOTL Alumni from that year and presenting them with a small gift in honour of the 30th anniversary of their participation in the rst ever MOTL So far organizers have given gifts to alumni in Florida New York Cincinnati and Jerusalem and continue to search for other alumni from that historic year Against All Odds Survivor Martin Baranek right who has participated in the March of the Living 20 times tells his harrowing improbable story of surviving the Nazis in his recently published memoirs titled Determined One Boy s Holocaust Survival Story A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to MOTL Tee Off Time Again Calling all golfers and supporters of MOTL On Dec 16 the 14th Anniversary Golf Tournament will take place at the Miami Beach Golf Club Proceeds from the event including the Awards Ceremony and dinner will support student scholarships for participation in the MOTL program An important database Since the March of Living began in 1988 some 300 Holocaust survivors have traveled to Poland and Israel on a highly emotional trip The International MOTL is now compiling a master list of all of them with the names as provided by local MOTL delegations Featured on the MOTL website www motl org survivors the listing for each person includes their home towns and the delegations they traveled with For more information please write to Ariana motlmail org 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 Better Late Than Never Holocaust survivor Johnny Jablon nally had his Bar Mitzvah after 79 years during the 2018 MOTL He originally began preparing for his BM in his native Poland in the summer of 1939 A month later the Germans invaded and occupied his country and started their murderous pursuit of Jews Now 92 years old and a resident of Montreal Johnny returned to Poland for the rst time since WW2 to celebrate his long awaited milestone 16 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
