March of the living is an international, educational program that brings Jewish teens from all over the world to Poland on Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, to march from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest concentration camp complex built during World War II, and then to Israel to observe Yom HaZikaron, Israel Memorial Day, and Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Israel Independence Day. This coming April over 14,000 teens will march silently together in solidarity.

Since it's inception in 1988 March of the Living has impacted over 150,000 Jewish youth from around the world. It has helped to bolster Jewish identity, made for them a way to build a closer connection with Israel and has set in motion their involvement with human rights issues. By witnessing the atrocities of the Nazis first hand, and hearing the stories from survivors directly, these young people are inspired to help build a world free of oppression and intolerance, a world of freedom, democracy and justice, for all members of the human family.

The worldwide economic climate has made this year an extremely difficult one for us. We are constantly searching for new partners and sponsors in order to continue ongoing efforts in teaching the lessons of the Holocaust and to help stop the phenomenon of Holocaust.

One of our main focuses right now is the preservation and documentation of our most precious resource, Holocaust Survivors. It quite conceivable that in the next 5-10 years there will not be any survivors left. One of the powers of the March of the living is the tremendous emotional connection our kids make by seeing with their own eyes, and hearing with their own ears. You can actually see a "light bulb" switch on, they understand that they are part of a people with vast culture and deep experiences.
Without the participation of the survivors, it isn't the same experience. That is why we are going to great measures to insure that future March participants will have the same experience and emotional connection.

The Marching of the Living "Survivor Speaks" program is one such way. Filming survivors, documenting their stories, sending messages to the future Jewish leaders of tomorrow. We are working to develop technology that would enable a hologram of a survivor to join the children throughout their journey, and guide them through their experience "first hand".

A donation to the March of the Living will help insure that our grandchildren will be able to stand up and proclaim "Never again!"



Chanan Elias
Executive Director of Resource Development
March of the Living International