Survivors of both the Holocaust and the October 7 attacks led the 36th International March of the Living, an initiative by the Menomadin Foundation. The initiative emphasizes the critical importance of Holocaust remembrance, promotes unity among Jewish communities, and celebrates the enduring spirit of renewal and growth rising from the ashes of devastation.
The Background
The annual March of the Living takes place in Poland on Holocaust Memorial Day. Participants, including thousands of Jewish and non-Jewish youths, Holocaust survivors, heads of state, ambassadors, and military officers, walk three kilometers along the train tracks between the Auschwitz and Birkenau camps. This path reflects the tragic route where tens of thousands of Jews were forcibly marched to their deaths by the Nazis and their collaborators. The event aims to instill the memory of the Holocaust in younger generations, honor its victims, and reinforce the commitment to: never again.
The Challenge
On Simchat Torah, October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel and committed brutal acts of murder, torture, rape, and kidnapping against innocent children, women, and men. Echoing the darkest chapters of history, these horrific acts of anti-Semitism constituted the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. This tragedy was followed by an alarming rise in global anti-Semitism, evident in significant institutions from Ivy League universities in the U.S. to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where Israel, having recently endured a genocidal assault, faces accusations of genocide.
In this context, the 2024 March of the Living held profound significance. More than ever, it was crucial to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and actively combat anti-Semitism, reaffirming our commitment to the lessons of history and the vow of “never again.”
A Menomadin Foundation Strategic Philanthropy initiative: A delegation of the heroes of Simchat Torah, 7 of October events to the March of the Living, at the gate of Auschwitz.
The Opportunity
The Menomadin Foundation has formed a delegation comprising survivors of the Holocaust and the October 7 massacre to participate in the 2024 March of the Living. The initiative underscores the critical importance for Jewish communities to stand resolute and united against evil, to recover robustly from devastation, and to uphold the vow of: never again. Leading the delegation was Menomadin Foundation President Haim Taib, who lit a torch at the 2023 March of the Living to honor his grandfather and the Jewish community of Tunisia, who endured suffering under Nazi occupation.
The delegation featured a group marked by their remarkable survival and heroic actions. It included Holocaust survivor Jacqueline Glicksman from Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha, who survived the attack by leaping from the window of her burning house; Tali Haddad from Ofakim, known for her bravery in rescuing the wounded under fire; Holocaust survivor Bella Haim, whose grandson Yotam was tragically killed after being kidnapped to Gaza and escaping Hamas captivity. The group also included Shmil Berko from Ashkelon, whose home was destroyed by bombing; Tsili Winkert, a Holocaust survivor and grandmother of Omer, who was abducted from the Nova party; Fernando Merman, a kidnaping victim from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, who was recently rescued during a daring operation in Rafah; and recently released abductees Liat Atzili and Gabriella Leimberg.
Family members of other hostages and victims also joined the march, including those of Yair and Eitan Horn, Yosef and Hamza Alziadene, and Alex Danzig. Additionally, representatives of bereaved families, such as those of Aner Shapira, Maj. (res.) Moshe Yedidia Leiter, and Col. Assaf Hamami, participated as well. The local leaders, Ashkelon Mayor Tomer Glam and Shaar Hanegev Head of Council Tamir Idan, whose communities have been directly impacted, also attended.
This assembly of survivors and heroes underscored the profound spirit of resilience and remembrance the March aims to honor.
Since the outbreak of the war, the Menomadin Foundation has collaborated with local authorities in peripheral and conflict areas to enhance community resilience. The delegation to the March of the Living is an integral component of the Foundation’s efforts in rehabilitation and revitalization.
Additional Reading:
Magazine Feature: From Remembrance to Revival 2024: “Our Marching Steps Ring Out: ‘We Are Here!’”
