Page 10 - Witness: Passing the Torch of Holocaust Memory to New Generations

moment to pause and reflect and make a silent pledge to yourself to do your part in the fight for justice and equality. And after you finish reading the work, please continue to carry with you the message of the March of the Living, a message that proclaims that the world must finally rid itself of all forms of anti-Semitism and racism, that all human beings deserve dignity and equality, and that a tragedy like the Holocaust must never be allowed
to happen again, at any time, in any place, to any people.
Phyllis Greenberg Heideman President
Dr. Shmuel Rosenman Chairman
International March of the Living
THE MARCH OF THE LIVING – A BRIEF HISTORY
The March of the Living was founded in 1988, during a period of rising anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial across the globe. In Israel, the initiative was led by politician Abraham Hirschson, educator Dr. Shmuel Rosenman, and attorney Baruch Adler, a child of a Holocaust survivor.
They were assisted by Jewish communal leaders and philan- thropists from the United States – Alvin Schiff, Gene Greenzweig and Joseph Wilf (the first North American Chair of the March of the Living), France – Prosper Elkouby, and Canada – Walter Hess, Shlomo Shimon, Rabbi Irwin Witty, and Eli Rubenstein.
Initially the March of the Living was comprised mainly of a relatively small number of Jewish high school students and teachers, mostly from North America, France, and Israel.
Over the years, the program has grown exponentially, attract- ing participants from many different countries, and more diverse populations and age groups – making it the largest program of its kind in the world, with over 260,000 alumni.
Today, the March includes young and old, survivors and stu- dents, educators and world leaders, members of many faiths and backgrounds, all marching together, in memory of the victims of Nazi genocide and against prejudice, intolerance, and hate.
As it evolved, the March of the Living in Poland also broadened its focus from exclusively concentrating on the Holocaust. These elements include: celebrating Jewish life in Poland (and Europe) before the Holocaust, connecting with the contemporary Polish Jewish community, establishing dialogue with Polish students, meeting with Polish Righteous among the Nations, and learning about other victims of Nazi Germany’s genocidal actions during WWII.
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