High School
JOIN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD FOR AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME
On April 19, 2012, thousands of Jewish teens from countries around the world will share in a once-in-a-lifetime experience when they march three kilometers from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest concentration camp complex built by the Nazis during World War II. You could be there— along with hundreds of other Canadians taking part in this event.
The March takes place on Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day – established in memory of the six million Jews who were murdered during the war. As one of the Marchers representing some thirty nations, you will walk hand in hand in silent tribute to all victims of the Holocaust.
Over 600 Jewish High School students and Young Adults, from a variety of religious and educational backgrounds, from all across Canada are expected to participate in the 2012 March of the Living. The group will be accompanied by Holocaust survivors and chaperones, including doctors, musicians, and religious leaders. The March of the Living will bring together Jewish youth from Israel, the United States, Mexico, France, Great Britain, South Africa, Australia, and South America. There will also be groups from Eastern Europe and countries of the former Soviet Union, Hungary and Romania.
As the March enters the beginning of its 25th anniversary, a special effort is being made to honour those WWII veterans who risked their lives to preserve freedom and defeat Nazi tyranny during the war. In 2012, a large number of WWII veterans, including those who actually participated in the liberating the camps, will join the March of the Living. Along with the Holocaust survivors they liberated, these courageous heroes will play a central role during the 2012 March and accompanying commemorative ceremonies in Poland and Israel.
In POLAND: The program will include visits to a number of Polish cities, towns and villages that were once vibrant centers of Jewish life and learning. You will see historic sites in Warsaw, including the cemetery, ghetto memorial and Mila 18. You will visit Krakow, where you will see the Jewish Quarter and synagogues, and Lublin, where you will see the famous Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin. You will also visit the concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Majdanek, and Treblinka where much of European Jewry was annihilated. Your experience in Poland will be marked by special observances, culminating with the March of the Living itself on Yom Hashoah. Yet even in Poland there will be moments of hope; You will have the opportunity to connect with a new generation of Polish Jews who are committed to keeping Judaism alive in Poland. You will meet with non-Jewish Polish students to discuss our shared past and to build bridges between our two cultures. You will meet one of the ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ and be inspired by the courageous stand they took in risking their lives to save Jews during the Shoah.
In ISRAEL: The program will combine visits to a number of exciting places and ancient sites, including Jerusalem, Masada, the Sea of Galilee, Tel Aviv, the Negev Desert and more. During your stay in Israel you will take part in many special events organized specifically for the participants in the 2012 March of the Living. On Yom Hazikaron – Israel’s Remembrance Day – students will take part in ceremonies honoring Israel’s soldiers who gave their lives in defense of their country. The next evening, Yom Ha’aztmaut, will include a celebration in honor of the 64th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel.
There are no words to describe the array of emotions that I experienced while on the March of the Living. Many members of my family had walked through the gates of Auschwitz and now I have retraced their footsteps. It seems ironic to think that during the war people arrived at Auschwitz against their will and now people around the world choose to honour their memory by marching here again. From the darkness of Poland, arriving in Israel was an amazing way to tie together our past, present and future.
- Emma Fried, MOL 2011
Your visit to Israel will be a study in contrasts. In Poland you will search for traces of a world that is no more. Like many others, you may leave wondering how it was possible for the destruction of almost an entire generation of Jews to occur – but you will pledge to yourself to keep their memory alive. In Israel you will encounter a country that is striving valiantly to keep the age-old flame of Jewish nationhood alive. On Yom Hazikaron you will cry together with all of Israel as they mourn their fallen soldiers and on Yom Ha’aztmaut you will dance in the streets of Israel as you celebrate Israel’s independence with the entire country.
The Holocaust is a stark reminder of the anguish of our past – but Israel represents the hope of our future. This experience will show you how important both aspects are to your identity as young Jewish people.
All participants on the 2012 March of the Living will be carefully chosen. Acceptance will be based upon emotional maturity and community involvement. Online applications include short answer questions including an essay. Students are also required to attend and interview in order to qualify for the program.
If you are accepted, students are required to attend several educational seminars and a Shabbaton specifically created for the March of the Living. These seminars are designed to equip you with basic knowledge and background on the Holocaust and Israel prior to your departure. Key themes include: Jewish life before the war, history of Antisemitism, Nazism, the Final Solution, Zionism and the State of Israel, as well as your life as a Jewish person living in the Diaspora.
The estimated fee is CDN $5,600.00* plus the cost of the Shabbaton and Gratuities (where applicable). Programs and price are subject to change. *Price is subject to 10% fluctuation. Financial Assistance is available.
