Remembering Sara Rus Z”L

International March of the Living mourns the passing of Sara Rus z’l, Holocaust survivor and educator, who passed away on January 24, 2023 at the age of 96. May…

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President Herzog hosts March of the Living Representatives and Kindertransport survivors

Holocaust survivors honored by the Israeli President Issac Herzog and the first lady Michal Herzog, International March of the Living Chair Dr. Shmuel Rosenman and Wendy Moskowitz (Yossi Zeliger)International Holocaust Memorial DayPresident Herzog hosts March of the Living Representatives and Kindertransport survivorsCeremony included survivors smuggled as children out of Nazi Germany to Britain after the Kristallnacht Pogrom, and later who moved to live in Israel.Among the participating Kindertransport survivors was an elderly resident of Kibbutz Zikim, who was once again displaced from her home, following the Hamas attack on October 7: “I will not be a refugee in my country – I want to return to Kibbutz Zikim”, she said.President Isaac Herzog hosted a special event ahead of International Holocaust Memorial Day, at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.The event, held in partnership with International March of the Living, brought together survivors of the Holocaust including those who were saved as part of the Kindertransport operation, which was launched 85 years ago following the Kristallnacht Pogrom of 1938.The event, which had been scheduled to take place to mark the anniversary of Kristallnacht in November but was postponed following the Hamas attack of October 7, was held with the participation of ten Kindertransport survivors.WHAT HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE RECEPTIONAt the conclusion of the event, which was also attended by Germany’s Ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, Present Herzog introduced the Foreign Minister of Holland Hanke Bruins Slot to some of the Kindertransport survivors, who spoke of their journey which took them through Holland on the way to the United Kingdom.One of the survivors attending with her family, Mirjam Szpiro, was rescued from Nazi Germany in the Kindertransport operation in 1938. In recent weeks, she was once again evacuated from her home – this time in Kibbutz Zikim on the Gaza border, after the community came under attack by Hamas attack on October 7.Dr. Shmuel Rosenman, President Isaac Herzog, Mirjam Szpiro and Michal Herzog (Yossi Zeliger)Mirjam said at the event: “We had been told we had to evacuate and suddenly I had déjà vu. I was standing there, an 88-year-old woman outside her home, and I suddenly remembered the three-year-old girl I was. I didn’t remember these things before, the emotions, but suddenly I was back there. And this is the second time I leave my house.”She added, “I hope we can return soon. The house was not damaged, and even the tree I planted in the yard two weeks before the war survived.” Mirjam has since been housed in a hotel with other displaced Israelis from her community.READ MIRJAM SZPIRO OP-ED ON CNN »The Holocaust survivors, the children of the Kindertransport who participated in the event, were deeply moved by the welcome by the President and First Lady, and expressed their appreciation to them and the International March of the Living for helping tell their story, and promoting awareness and understanding of the lessons of the past. The survivors who participated in the event are Mirjam Szpiro, Aliza Tenenbaum, Tova Gorfine, Henry Foner, Walter Bingham, Prof. Daniel Reis, Paul Alexander, Frieda Schalkowski, George Shefi, the son of the deceased Ruth Davis, Barry Davis.Kristallnacht, or the November Pogrom, that took place on November 9, 1938, is considered as the culmination of growing anti-Jewish sentiment in Nazi Germany. It was a decisive moment in the understanding that the lives of the Jews were no longer safe in Europe. Following the pogrom, the Kindertransport Operation to save Jewish children from Germany, Austria and the occupied territories was launched, and thanks to the organization of the Jewish community in Great Britain, 10,000 children left by train from Germany to the Netherlands and from there to England during the period from December 1938 until the outbreak of World War II. The children were sent to safety alone, without their parents, many of whom were murdered in the Holocaust.As part of the organization’s work to educate and commemorate the Holocaust, in October, International March of the Living travelled with three survivors of the Kindertransport Operation to retrace their journey to safety. They travelled by train from Germany to the Netherlands, and from there to Britain by boat. Once they arrived in the UK at Harwich, they travelled to London by train, arriving in Liverpool station. They were welcomed in Hyde Park by Britain’s Chief Rabbi Mirvis and Jewish children from the Immanuel College School for a special memorial ceremony.The journey – which took place in the immediate aftermath of the atrocities of October 7 – was filmed for a special documentary which was also screened during the event at the President’s Residence. The film was produced by International March of the Living, with the support of the Moskowitz family – in memory of  Holocaust survivor Henry Moskowitz Z”L and in honor of his wife Rose Moskowitz, and in collaboration with the Ghetto Fighters’ House Museum, and with the support of ELAL and Leonardo Hotels.WATCH THE FULL FILMThe survivors who made the journey were: Walter Bingham (100), George Shefi (92), and Paul Alexander (88). “The news and the horrific sights from Israel accompanied us all throughout the journey. We never dreamed that in our lifetime we would see such a terrible pogrom against Jews and more in the Land of Israel” said the three.​President Isaac Herzog: “This is a truly moving event. It is moving to see survivors after 85 years, to hear the personal stories of each and every one of you, and the Zionist story of each and every one of you, but it is especially moving because of the period in which we find ourselves. International Holocaust Memorial Day is not only about remembering the past, it is about our shared responsibility to the present and the future. We have with us survivors of the Holocaust, those who were forced from their homes and taken away from the families because of the Nazis – and to our great sorrow, were witness to the horrors of October 7, and were once again, displaced from their homes. This is day, is about educating the whole world about the dangers of hatred and antisemitism in particular. We have seen where this can lead – and on October 7, we got a terrible and painful reminder.”The President added, “The generation of the Holocaust, those who saw with their own eyes the horrors of Nazism, we owe you a debt of gratitude for your resilience and hope. We are here to say clearly, to you, dear children of the Kindertransport, we will never forget your heroism. We will never forget your bravery and resilience, and how you rebuilt your lives, and helped build the State of Israel. May the memory of the six million of our sisters and brothers be eternally etched on all our hearts.” Dr. Shmuel Rosenman, Chairman of the International March of the Living: “We set out to document this journey which came into being because of the worst anti-Jewish pogrom that the Jews of Europe had known in the years leading to the Holocaust, Kristallnacht. And as we embarked, it was in the hours after the terrible pogrom of October 7 which took place in Israel. Shocked by the stories of the survivors about what they experienced 85 years ago, and horrified by the abhorrent stories from Israel, we were reminded that the hatred of the Jews has no expiration date. It changes its form. But its motivation is the same – the annihilation of the Jewish people”.Mark Moskowitz, a member of the International March of the Living board: “The Moskowitz family is honored to take part in bringing this critically important project to life — documenting the testimonies of three Kindertransport survivors as they retrace their journeys from oppression to freedom.  In the wake of October 7th and the subsequent unleashing of rabid worldwide antisemitism, the work of March of the Living in teaching the lessons of the Holocaust by facilitating Survivors to guide younger generations through their experiences, is more important than ever.   The dedication in honor of Henry and Rose Moskowitz is particularly fitting; much like the survivors featured in this documentary,  they were able to find hope amidst moments of immense despair in the Shoah and after the war, see a future of optimism and rebuilding for the Jewish people.”Journey of Hope: Retracing the Kindertransport after 85 Years will air on i24 News Saturday, January 27th  11:00 AM Israel time (4:00 AM EST) 8:30 PM Israel time (1:30 PM EST) Sunday January 28th 4:00AM Israel time (9 PM EST on 27th)FROM THE NEWSBritish Holocaust survivor who also lived through Hamas’ attack on Israel reveals why Palestinian terror group’s ambush was WORSE than the Nazi regime’s – on Memorial Day of the Auschwitz concentration camp’s liberation (Dailymail)Israel’s president hosts Kindertransport survivors on 85th anniversary of rescue operation (JNS)85 years later, president hosts Kindertransport survivors, draws link to October 7 (Times of Israel)לכל מלחמה התינוק שלה: “הייתי בן שנה וקצת כשנפרדתי מאימא, היא ידעה שלא תראה אותי שוב” (N12/Mako)יום השואה הבינלאומי: אותות הוקרה לשורדי שואה שניצלו במשלוחי הילדים ״הקינדרטרנספורט״ לפני 85 שנה בהם שורדת שניצלה מהטבח ב-7 לאוקטובר (Ynet) 

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If We Never See Each Other Again – Premiere on JBS

A film based on interviews with Kindertransport survivors from the USC Shoah Foundation, produced by the International March of the Living,…

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Journey of Hope: Retracing the Kindertransport after 85 Years

George Shefi, Paul Alexander & Walter Bingham near the Kindertransport memorial at Liverpool Street Station in London (Credit: Sam Churchill)[/caption] International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Honoring Kindertransport Survivors In the Shadow of the Hamas Terror Attack, March of the Living Joined Kindertransport Survivors on a Historic Journey Retracing their Escape from Nazi Germany 85 Years Ago Marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, International March of the Living is launching a special documentary on the Kindertransport initiative to rescue some 15,000 Jewish children from Nazi Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia 85 years ago. The film will premiere on January 24, 2024, at a special reception honoring Kindertransport survivors in Israel, hosted by the President of Israeli Isaac Herzog and first lady Michal Herzog. “Journey of Hope: Retracing the Kindertransport after 85 Years” On October 8th, as war broke out in Israel following the horrific terror attack by Hamas, the survivor – who were due to travel to with March of the Living to retrace their escape from Nazi Germany – decided that their mission to remember the horrors of the Holocaust was more important than ever. The terror attack on Israel on October 7th brought back harrowing memories of the danger of antisemitism and hatred. Walter Bingham, Paul Alexander, and George Shefi Credit: Sam Churchill The three Kindertransport survivors, Walter Bingham (100), Paul Alexander (85), and George Shefi (92), retraced the journey they took as children 85 years ago, as part of a documentary produced by the International March of the Living. The film is dedicated by the Moskowitz Family in memory of Henry Moskowitz z”l and in honor of Rose Moskowitz. Henry Moskowitz z”l (courtesy) Together with International March of the Living CEO Scott Saunders and Deputy CEO Revital Yakin Krakovsky, the survivors – who now all live in Israel – flew back to their birthplace in Germany. In their former home, they visited the places where they grew up, walked the streets they once walked, entered the schools they once attended, and viewed the homes they once lived in. Accompanied by family members, they then travelled from Germany by train through the Netherlands, by boat to England, and then again by train to London’s Liverpool Street Station – the same journey they took 85 years ago. From left to right: George Shefi, Scott Saunders, Walter Bingham, Revital Yakin Krakovsky, Paul Alexander (Credit: Sam Churchill) Revital Yakin Krakovsky, Deputy CEO, International March of the Living, said, “We couldn’t have foreseen the events in Israel when planning this project. But against this backdrop, we nevertheless went ahead with this historic journey, reuniting three Holocaust survivors who were rescued from Nazi Germany 85 years ago. With this film, March of the Living continues to broaden its Holocaust education mission, by reminding the world where antisemitism and hate can lead. Never Again is Now.” The International March of the Living is grateful to the film’s sponsors: the Moskowitz family, the Ghetto Fighters’ House Museum in Israel, El Al Israel Airlines, and Leonardo Hotels for their contribution to the film: “We were touched by their immediate desire to take part in this historical educational initiative,” said Revital Yakin Krakovsky. On Kristallnacht, the Nazi soldiers, along with some German civilians, burned or vandalized over 7,000 Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues. They also murdered 91 Jews and arrested 30,000 Jewish men, sending them to concentration camps. It marked a turning point in the Nazi persecution of the Jews and many people subsequently made the difficult decision to send their children away, alone. The Kindertransport Program helped see some 15,000 Jewish children find refuge and shelter, with most of them arriving in the UK. Walter Bingham was born in 1924 in the city of Karlsruhe, Germany. As a child he witnessed Hitler rise to power and saw first-hand the growing antisemitism in Germany. After returning to Israel following the journey he said, “What we have seen in Israel, October the 7th is not just a reminder of the past. It is the past repeating itself. We must educate the whole world about this terrible hatred of Jews and remind them what happens when people stand by in silence and indifference.” George (Spiegelglas) Shefi was born in Berlin in 1931. During the journey he said, “During Kristallnacht I was 8 years old. I slept through that night, and I was not allowed out of the home for three days. I will never forget what I saw when I went out: stores smashed, stores marked, and my synagogue and school completely burned. Seeing Jewish homes burned with families in them on October 7th is something that I never imagined could happen.” Paul Alexander, who was one year and seven months old when in July 1939 his mother put him on the train from Leipzig in the arms of a stranger in order to save his life, said: “I was born a year before Kristallnacht pogrom. As an infant child I did not experience antisemitism directly, my parents did. I was saved from the Holocaust because my parents had the extraordinary courage to send me away after the pogrom. Now, at the age of 85, when I see the extreme level of antisemitism around the world, I feel it as if it is directed to me. It is horrific and totally unacceptable.” The film will be broadcasted on I24 news on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27th, on 11:00 AM Israel time (4:00 AM EST); 8:30 PM Israel time (1:30 PM EST); Sunday January 28th 4:00AM Israel time (9 PM EST on 27th). The film will also be available on the International March of the Living website and social media channels.

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Marking 100 Days Since October 7th Reflections from Eli Rubenstein

“I feel horrified by the loss of life that we have witnessed on October 7th and the brutality with which it was conducted. We had mass shootings, we saw…

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Walter Bingham, Kindertransport Survivor, World’s Oldest Active Journalist, Celebrates 100th Birthday

Walter Bingham: “I could never have imagined that at the age of 100 I would be a witness to the horrific pogrom against Jews that took place on October 7…

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A Turning Point in the Fight Against Antisemitism: The Price Tag on Hatred

In the wake of Hamas’ murderous October 7 terror attack and the subsequent surge in antisemitic incidents worldwide, a paradigm shift is occurring. The tragedy has spurred the pro-Israel…

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Commemorating 85 Years Since The First Kindertransport, Dec. 1938

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, 12:00-1:00PM ET FeaturingPremiere of International March of the Living Film, “If We Never See Each Other Again”, with survivor testimony from the USC Shoah Foundation.Remarks – Lilly Maier, Historian and Author, discussing her newly published book, “Arthur and Lilly, the Girl and the Holocaust Survivor”Historical overview on the Kindertransport – Prof. Michael Berenbaum REGISTER NOW “Arthur and Lilly, the Girl and the Holocaust Survivor”What do a 75-year-old Los Angeles based rocket engineer and an eleven-year-old schoolgirl from Austria have in common? Not much at first glance, but Arthur and Lilly influenced each other’s lives in a fateful way. When Arthur Kern knocked on the door of the house where he grew up as a boy in Vienna, Austria, an eleven year old girl opened. Neither of them knew that this chance encounter would change both of their lives forever. In 1939, Arthur‘s Jewish parents sent their son abroad on a so-called Kindertransport (“children’s transport”), hoping to save him from the Holocaust. The separation is a traumatic experience for the ten-year-old. Although he is rescued – from Austria via France to the USA – his family is murdered by the Nazis. He never sees them again. Sixty-five years later: During a visit to his parents‘ former apartment in Vienna, Austria, Arthur Kern – by now a retired rocket engineer involved in the moon landing – meets eleven-year-old Lilly Maier. A decisive encounter for both of them, which not only shapes Lilly’s further life, but also leads to Arthur receiving a long-lost legacy from his parents. A moving tale of two lives that fatefully cross paths, and an immensely knowledgeable insight into an unknown Holocaust story: the rescue of hundreds of Jewish children to America on a Kindertransport BUY THE BOOK

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85 years since Kristallnacht, Holocaust Survivors Say They Once Again Feel Unsafe as Jews

IN THE SHADOW OF THE OCTOBER 7 HAMAS TERROR ATTACK: In stirring testimonies released on anniversary of Kristallnacht, survivors from around the world call out for help in fighting rising antisemitismMarking 85 years since the Kristallnacht pogrom, today International March of the Living released testimonies of Holocaust survivors expressing expressing their deep concerns and calling for immediate help in fighting the recent surge in antisemitism. The survivors, whose testimonies were collected since the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, say the brutal attack reminds them of the horrors they witnessed during the Holocaust.Out of fear for their safety, International March of the Living does not want to reveal their names and locations as they are concerned that it could place them and their families in immediate danger.Holocaust survivor M. said, “I think twice before I wear my Star of David. I am afraid to go to the synagogue,” while survivor G. added, “Never since the Holocaust are Jews so threatened.” D., another survivor, noted, “The October 7 terror attack brought back so many memories of what I saw as a child.”On November 9th, 1938, eighty-five years ago today, Nazi paramilitary forces, along with German civilians, burned and vandalized over 1,400 Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues. They murdered 91 Jews and arrested 30,000 Jewish men, sending them to concentration camps.This week we also mark 30 days since the horrific Hamas terror attack on Israel, where terrorists killed 1400 people, mostly civilians, and took over 240 hostages, among them children, elderly, men and women.Israel’s subsequent war against Hamas has resulted in a wave of severe antisemitism around the world – a sharp rise of over 500% antisemitic attacks on Jews and Jewish communities was reported globally. These waves of antisemitism included physical violence, calls to kill Jews, using Nazi Germany rhetoric, and intimidation of young Jews on campuses and of Jews in the streets. "Listening to the survivors was heartbreaking. We never believed that we would once again hear a Holocaust survivor say, ‘I don’t feel safe,’ or ‘I’m afraid to go to the synagogue,’ or ‘I’m afraid they’ll hurt me.’ We never believed that we would relive those days again." International March of the Living Chair Dr. Shmuel Rosenman and President Phyllis Greenberg Heideman The Testimonies: M., USA“It is a catastrophe what is happening today: not only Hamas but the antisemitism on the universities. Before, I went outside with a Magen David on my shirt, now I think twice about it. Who would have thought that after the Holocaust it would happen again. We are the chosen ones again...Should I go to temple? I am afraid. I feel distinct. We know that they are antagonizing us. Where did these college students become so agitated? How did Jews harm them? Where does it come from? I just pray that Israel will win. I’m glad that the US government is not against Israel.” G., USA“My view of the current situation is gut-wrenching. Israel and the Jewish community worldwide are in a fight for their very existence. Never since the Holocaust are Jews so threatened. Our Jewish State, Israel, is determined to eradicate Hamas at all costs. They must have our support. All our lives depend on it! We’ll emerge victorious and the world will be a better place. We’ll come to understand that everyone has the same right to live in peace regardless of race, color of their skin, eyes or hair, and we don’t have to love everybody, but we have to respect everybody on this planet.” T., ISRAEL"I was four years old when the Gestapo came on Kristallnacht (November 9, 1938) and beat my father before taking him to Dachau, where he perished. I never thought in my life that something as terrible as now would happen again. On October 7, Hamas came and slaughtered children, young and old. I have to say honestly, all the lectures I give, and I give a lot, in Israel, in Germany, and wherever I can, but I think back 85 years ago to how horrible it was, and here we are, experiencing it again. I’m frustrated, and I am heartbroken to think what these people experienced, and I hope that everyone who hears and sees this will know what we are experiencing in Israel.” B., EUROPE"It is unbelievable that more than 80 years after the Holocaust, we are witnessing a significant increase in antisemitic events worldwide. No, I do not fear for my life and my family’s safety. I am confident that Israel will prevail and eliminate the threat soon. I trust in the power and strength of the Jewish State. But as a child (a hidden boy) born in 1937, I don’t recall a similar situation, except for the fear my family and I felt during the Nazi German occupation of my home country, Greece. I could never have imagined that one day, I would witness demonstrations and attacks against Israel and Jews on TV screens. What Hamas did to the Israelis on October 7 is as cruel, barbaric, and tragic as what the Nazis did to the Jews 80 years ago. When I see Jewish homes marked with the Magen David, it brings back nightmarish memories from my childhood, reminding me of swastikas and concentration camps. My message is that we, the Jewish people, have endured significant suffering throughout our history, with the Holocaust being the darkest period. Though the current times are challenging, thanks to the brave IDF, a sense of normalcy will soon return to the State of Israel and the Jewish Diaspora." N., CANADA"The events of 10/7 are beyond imagination and too horrible to understand. I am very troubled by this and am struggling to retain my equilibrium. It was the worst pogrom since the Shoah. My optimism is shattered. We must collectively feel the pain felt by parents whose child is abducted and threatened with death. Hamas’s barbarism is equal and almost exceeds what I experienced during the Shoah. I remember when I was a little boy growing up in Poland after the rise of Nazi Germany and the events of Kristallnacht. I remember being attacked on the streets and being yelled at, “Dirty Jews, go to Palestine.” I was required to wear the Star of David. I was forced out of my home into the ghetto, and from there, my family and I were deported to Auschwitz, where almost my entire family was murdered. It started with words and continued with actions. I am devastated to see how Jews are being attacked today. Jews are not safe. I saw where antisemitism can lead to, and I am very concerned." B., USA"I was in six concentration and death camps during the Holocaust, and I survived. It was so hard for me to see the horrific terror attack in Israel, to see Jewish people get killed for nothing. Hamas terrorists went and cut off the heads of children – that’s unbelievable. I’m very concerned. Nobody thought that something like this could happen. People should not make any difference between color and religion because hatred is causing the killing of each other. If you’re positive, everything goes away. People should speak up against hate. My message is: choose love, choose happiness." B., USAAs a child survivor of the Holocaust, I am terrified as I witness the news, which raises anxiety, fear, and deja vu. The Holocaust did not begin in 1939. It began much before, in small increments of restrictions and discrimination and denial of rights to Jews in Europe. “Never again” is a phrase heard over and over to underline that the tragedy of the Holocaust must never be allowed to happen again. But what we have learned since, is that the world and we humans who inhabit it, repeatedly do unto each other what no other species would do. October 7, 2023 marked a black day, a day of violence and violation, of cruelty, of barbarism, and unspeakable evil by Hamas. The world seems a dark place right now as it teeters on the brink of what could easily turn into WWIII. The rise in antisemitism all over the world, the political instability of powerful nations, and the effects of what we have done to our planet bringing the power of nature to cause such suffering and damage to many. The IDF is not only fighting to protect Israel. They are fighting to protect all of us from the evil of fundamental extremism of Hamas and its plainly stated objectives…to kill Jews, not only in Israel, but Jews everywhere. History repeats itself, and those of us who have lived it before are terrified for all the younger generations who follow us…for you! It is hard to find hope, yet as Elie Wiesel explains, man cannot live without hope. We must find the hope that Israel can defend herself, can return to democracy, and can provide the anchor we, Jews all over the world, so critically need."

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March For Israel | November 14, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023National Mall, Washington, D.C.1:00 – 3:00 PM EST | Gates open 10:00 AM EST BE THERE, BE HEARD. This event will bring together communities from across the country to show strong solidarity with the Israeli people, while demanding the immediate release of the remaining hostages and to condemn the rise of antisemitism. Let us know if you are planning on attending and would like to meet up with other MOTL alumni CLICK TO CONNECT We would love to see our March of the Living alumni wearing their blue jackets and tagging @motlorg in social media posts! @motlorg#MarchForIsrael#BringThemHome#MarchAgainstAntisemitism#AmericansMarchForIsrael

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