Alumni Spotlight: Victoria Milstein (’18), Mid Atlantic, USA

Victoria Carlin (Mid Atlantic '18), SculptorThis week we are proud to feature Victoria Milstein, an alumna from the Mid Atlantic delegation of the March of the Living. Inspired by her experience on the March of the Living Victoria went on conceive and create North Carolina's first Women's Holocaust Monument. As artists we are the canaries in the coal mines – we are the truth sayers and the cave painters.I attended the March of the Living to Poland and Israel in 2018 with Rabbi Fred Guttman, senior Rabbi at Temple Emanuel in Greensboro, North Carolina. Rabbi Guttman had assembled several dozen adults and teens from Greensboro and other mid-Atlantic regions to attend the March together. One day on the journey we visited the infamous women’s camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. As we walked through the women’s section of the camp, and I heard and saw the horrors of the journey of the women and children, my life was changed forever. It was as if the victims were calling out to me to witness their suffering and reveal to the world that they were still there. In that moment I saw my sisters, Jewish women. I couldn’t “un-see” what I had seen – I felt their presence and knew that I would be, in some way, bound to their story. I again felt the same emotion when visiting the pits in Poland where thousands were slaughtered. Several months after returning home from the March, I came across a photo, taken by a Nazi soldier as “exhibition tourism,” of a group of women huddled together moments before their execution in Liepaja, Latvia. In the photo we see the strength and innocence of generations of Jewish women moments before they were murdered in 1941. They stand arm in arm looking straight at us with grace, humility and spiritual defiance. Their only crimes were that they were Jews. Inspired by this photo, I am now creating a Monument to the memory of those brave women and children. The Monument will be North Carolina’s first Women’s Holocaust Monument and is entitled “She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots” in honor of all women victims. My hope is that each time one views the Monument through the camera that will form part of the sculpture, one will see and become witness to exactly the opposite of what the Nazi photographer intended to document. We will see their humanity and the viewer will in that act bear witness. This Monument is the first undertaking of a new organization I co-founded with my twin sister Elizabeth Alberti, the Women of the Shoah/JewishPlacemaking. Our mission combines art and social practice to enable communities to reflect, honor and learn from the plight of the women and children who perished in the Shoah. It inspires and catalyzes public and private partners to build monuments and create special community spaces to educate and transform viewers’ perspectives on the Shoah and teach lessons wrought from anti-Semitism, racism and genocide. The initiative will use art as a vehicle for Holocaust education. It was important to me that as the United States takes down monuments that no longer demonstrate and celebrate its values that we put up monuments to reflect what is important to us. This is why the city of Greensboro unanimously voted to accept this monument and erect it in one of its premier public parks. I believe this will serve to garner support from cities across our nation to erect additional Women’s Holocaust Monuments.

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Remembering Irving Roth, z”l

International March of the Living mourns the passing of Holocaust survivor and educator, our teacher and mentor, Irving Roth, z”l. Irving Roth educated countless students and adults from all over the world about the history and lessons of the Holocaust through the March of the Living and many other worthy educational organizations. A dedicated advocate for human rights, and proud supporter of the Jewish people and Israel, Irving Roth touched everyone he spoke to with his singular erudition, eloquence and wisdom. He truly embodied Elie Wiesel’s words, “When you listen to witness, you become a witness”, creating many thousands of dedicated witnesses around the world committed to sharing the history of the Holocaust and his message of love, peace and respect. The Jewish people and the world were blessed with the presence of Irving Roth for over 90 years, and we commit to continue bearing the torch of his memory and the invaluable lessons he taught us long into the future.May his memory be a blessing and may his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.To learn more about Irving’s story, scroll down or click here.  Click on the video players below to watch videos of Irving Roth speaking on March of the Living programs Images of Irving Roth participating in the March of the Living in Poland, in Treblinka and Auschwitz, taken from the book, Witness: Passing the Torch of Holocaust Memory to New Generations. MORE ABOUT IRVING ROTH, Z"L Irving Roth, z”l, was born in Czechoslovakia in 1929. He grew up going to school and playing soccer with kids his own age. But by 1938, as the Nazis took power, his life started to slowly change. He was no longer allowed to attend school, play soccer, or go to the park. His family lost their business and they went into hiding in Hungary.By 1944, Irving Roth, found himself on a cattle car to Auschwitz at the age of 14. He arrived after three days and was immediately separated from his grandfather, grandmother, aunt, and 10-year-old cousin. He never seen them again, as they were sent to the gas chambers. By 1945, Roth and his brother survived Auschwitz but were forced on the death march to Buchenwald. Upon arrival, they were separated and his brother was sent to Bergen Belsen where he later died. On April 11, 1945, Buchenwald was liberated. Irving Roth survived the Holocaust to return home to his parents, the only other surviving family members. Irving Roth spent decades travelling to share his story of the Holocaust and the hatred that killed 6 million Jews. He also wrote a book on his story titled “Bondi’s Brother”.  In late 2020, Irving was featured in the documentary film, NEVER AGAIN?, about the horrors of anti-Semitism and the power of survival and redemption. Irving passed away on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. 

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Alumni Spotlight: Danielle Yablonka (’19), Miami, USA

Danielle Yablonka (Miami’19), Artist/ActivistThis week we are proud to feature Danielle Yablonka, an alumna from the Miami Leo Martin March of the Living. Inspired by her experience on the March of the Living, Danielle, an artist, went on to create pieces inspired by her journey to Poland and Israel as well as create new initiatives on campus for Israel engagement. My grandparents were Holocaust survivors. I had the opportunity to stand and bear witness to the atrocities that my family and millions of Jews experienced when I attended the March of the Living in 2019 with the Miami-Dade region. When I went on this trip, it really hit close to home especially when we went to Lodz, where my family was from. I had the opportunity to hear the testimonies of numerous Holocaust survivors, which touched me greatly considering there are not so many left on this earth. This experience motivated me to ask many questions upon my return home. My great uncle was the last living survivor of my family who sadly passed away before the trip, but it left me yearning for more answers. Because of my Jewish network and the March of the Ling, I was inspired to share my thoughts and feelings through the form of art. Through my art, I seek to educate others from a visual medium. I started painting to educate through the eyes. I also began expanding my love for Judaism through activism and developed an interest in politics. This semester, with the support of FAU Hillel International, I will be founding an Israel Political Club called OwlPac. This club will serve as a safe space to openly learn and discuss topics related to Israel on a political spectrum through conversation, events, and workshops. Going on the March gave me first-hand experience that I could not have gotten in a physical classroom. It has given me the ability to formulate what happened and cultivate those feelings into art. My experiences today have been inspired in many ways by my passion for Israel and experience with Miami’s March of the Living. I am a light that will never burn out.

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“Our Liberation: Stories of Holocaust Survivors’ Road to Freedom”

In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the International March of the Living and the March of the Living Digital Archive invite you to join us on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, for the premiere of the film “Our Liberation: Stories of Holocaust Survivors’ Road to Freedom“. Click on the video player below to watch the film.  On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau, the site of the greatest mass murder in human history, where over 1 million of Hitler’s 6 million Jewish victims perished. As the world commemorates the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the film tells the moving stories of six Holocaust survivors, as they revisit that pivotal moment in their lives, when Allied troops overran the Nazi death camps, and gave the survivors the Freedom they so deeply yearned for.“Our Liberation” is directed and produced by Naomi Wise. The Holocaust survivors featured in the film are all connected to the March of the Living. They are: Miriam Ziegler, Faigie Libman, Robert Engel Z”L, Ernest Ehrmann, Howard Kleinberg Z”L and Joe Mandel.The first of the six stories, features the poignant return of Toronto resident Miriam Ziegler, to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where the infamous Nazi Dr. Joseph Mengele performed medical experiments on her when she was just a child. Pictured in the photo (second from the left) at nine years old, she is holding her arm out with her Auschwitz tattoo number, because the Russian soldier asked her for her name and she instinctively showed him the number on her arm – That was her natural reaction in Auschwitz.Click on the video player below to watch a promo for the special broadcast premiere of the filmon i24News. 

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Alumni Spotlight: Jan Burns (’12), BJE LA Adult Delegation, USA

Jan Burns (BJE LA Adults ’12), AuthorThis week we are proud to feature Jan Burns, an alumna from the BJE LA Adult Delegation in California. Inspired by her experience on the March of the Living, Jan went on to author a book compiling the stories of the survivors who accompanied her on her March of the Living experience. I traveled to Poland on the March of the Living with the BJE Los Angeles Adult delegation in 2012, inspired by my daughter who had made the trip two years earlier as a high school senior. I was excited and terrified to go. I felt a push and pull between wanting to hear, see and be a witness to the Holocaust but also a fear of doing so, not knowing what kind of emotional impact it would have on me. The most powerful impact of my journey was my encounter with the survivors I met on the March. They inspired me with their willingness to share their stories and the life lessons they gained from those experiences.  After returning home I wanted to find a way to keep the experience of the March alive, both for myself and for the students from the LA delegation. I came up with the idea of interviewing the survivors from our trip for a book as a way of preserving and sharing their stories. The following year I published March of the Living ~ Our Stories, a collection of their stories created from my interviews. I hope the book, gifted to the LA BJE delegates, will provide a means for them to share their experiences on the March and the survivor stories they hear, with their children and grandchildren, enabling future generations to read these first-hand accounts.  March of the Living ~ Our Stories was the first piece of writing I’d ever published and the experience opened the door to a new area of creative expression for me. I have since had several memoir stories published. Having written a book has also afforded me the opportunity to speak about the Holocaust and the March in schools and synagogues in California, Arizona, and London. In this way I have become a witness for the next generation.

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Fireside Chat with Ron Dermer

International March of the Living Fireside Chat featuring Ron Dermer, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, aired on Sunday, January 17, 2021.To watch the program, click here or on the video player below. Ambassador Dermer participated in the 2018 March of the Living, along with his wife Rhoda. On Erev Yom HaShoah, he delivered the keynote address during our solemn ceremony at the Krakow Opera House, which left an indelible impression on all privileged to hear it.This program featured Ambassador Dermer having a personal conversation with Phyllis Greenberg Heideman, President of the International March of the Living.

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Statement on the passing of Sheldon Adelson

Together with the entire Jewish world, International March of the Living mourns the passing of our dear friend Sheldon Adelson, z’l. A…

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Alumni Spotlight: Orit Brener (’17), Argentina

Orit Brener (Yeshurun Torá, Argentina '17), Founder and Project Manager, Remember UsThis week we are proud to feature Orit Brener, an alumna from Yeshurun Tora and March of the Living Argentina. Inspired by her experience on the March of the Living, Orit went on to found the organization Remember Us, dedicated to preserving the memory of the victims of the Shoah. I never expected to travel to Poland at all but at the age of 16, I won a full scholarship to attend the March of the Living with my school, Yeshurun Tora, in Buenos Aires.On that trip, in 2017, the first place we visited was the Warsaw Jewish cemetery. This cemetery is different from others, not just because of the fact that it has been affected by many earthquakes but because each headstone carries a specific symbol that alludes to an attribute of the person the headstone belongs to. It was amazing that, in some way, we were able to get to know characteristics of people who died thousands of years ago, not just by their names or age.At some point, we stopped at an open field.I asked our guide: “Why is there so much empty space? They could have rebuilt the graves that were affected by nature disasters.” “These are mass graves,” he answered. “At the time of the Shoah they didn’t have enough time to give each person the grave they deserved.” I felt so unsettled. These people have no memory or legacy – no headstone or name nor date. I yearned to know who were resting there, at least their names, but I couldn’t because nobody knew.    We continued the amazing journey that is the March of the Living in both Poland and in Israel and then returned to Argentina. The whole program was something incredible but I couldn’t stop thinking about those people in the cemetery, and their families who didn’t survive to remember their legacy. This is how Remember Us began, a project that intends to shine a light on the 6 million Jewish souls who perished in the Shoah by remembering each one of them. We implement this through our webpage, in which we provide a name and the story of a Shoah victim.During the year we organize different events and workshops, especially for the youth. One of our biggest annual events is “Marchando por sus Vidas” (Marching for their Lives), a march organized by Remember Us, together with March of the Living Argentina and the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum, at the same time that The March in Poland is held.In 2019, more than 650 participants arrived to our first March, among them, representatives from the Argentinian government, the Poland and Germany Embassy as well as Holocaust survivors. Each person received a name from our database and marched in the name of that victim, having, at least for one day, someone to remember him. Despite the era of Coronavirus, we continue, stronger than ever, inspiring and spreading the importance of remembrance and our role in it.The March of the Living is not just a trip; it’s a possibility to open one’s eyes for what’s important in life.

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“Blind Love” Film Screening & Q&A

On December 22, 2020, the International March of the Living held an Exclusive Screening and Q&A of “Blind Love: A Holocaust Journey through Poland with Man’s Best Friend.” The Q&A featured a discussion between the film’s producer and Director of Education for the International March of the Living, Eli Rubenstein and Liron Artzi, a March of the Living alumna from the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind. Blind Love recounts a trip to Poland of six blind Israelis and their guide dogs who took part in the annual March of the Living, where they visited once thriving sites of Jewish life and culture. On Holocaust Remembrance Day, the blind participants and their guide dogs marched from Auschwitz-Birkenau in memory of the victims of Nazi genocide and against prejudice, intolerance and hate.The Q&A portion was recorded, however the film will not be posted publicly. Learn more about how to view the film by clicking on the button below. REQUEST A PREVIEW LINK DOWNLOAD THE TEACHERS GUIDE Click on the video players below to watch the trailer and to learn more about the film.  “Following the March of the Living ceremony in Birkenau on Holocaust Remembrance Day, I thanked the delegation of blind marchers for joining us on our journey through Poland. One of the women softly uttered profound words which I carry with me always and which I shall never forget: 'I saw nothing…..but I felt everything.' Those words, I believe, symbolize the essence and the impact of the March of the Living.” Phyllis Greenberg Heideman, President, International March of the Living To request a preview link to view the International March of the Living’s film “Blind Love: A Holocaust Journey through Poland with Man’s Best Friend,” please fill out the form below: Blind Love Request Name * First Last * Last Email * Phone Country AfghanistanAland IslandsAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCôte d'IvoireCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuracaoCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEast TimorEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Faroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHoly SeeHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth KoreaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarReunionRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint BarthelemySaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Martin (French part)Saint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint Maarten (Dutch part)SlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, U.S.Wallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabwe State (USA) AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming How do you plan to use the film? * Educational Purposes Zoom Screening OtherOther How would you best describe yourself? * Alum Educator Lay Leader Parent Organizational Leader Rabbi Suvivor Tour Guide OtherOther Have you been on the March? * YesNo Year(s)? 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Alumni Spotlight: Dafna Michaelson Jenet (’90, Staff ’98-’00), Colorado, USA

Dafna Michaelson Jenet (’90, Staff ’98-’00), Colorado House of RepresentativesThis week, on the occasion of Chanukah, a holiday that brings light onto the world, we are honored to feature Colorado State Representative and March of the Living Alumna Dafna Michaelson Jenet. In the ultimate expression of bringing light onto the world, she is responsible for creating, and recently successfully passing a bill that has made Holocaust and Genocide Education mandatory in the state of Colorado. I attended the March of the Living in 1990, on the second March. After hearing about the trip on a BBYO Shabbaton, I knew it was something I was destined to do. They were offering a scholarship and I fought with everything that I had to receive it. I have been consumed by Holocaust history ever since I was a young kid; my family lost over 56 members on my maternal father’s side and countless more on my paternal side. I knew I had to do this and experience for myself what I could of my family history. I felt deeply rooted while standing in the Warsaw Jewish cemetery. It’s hard to explain but I felt more at “home” in that spot in Poland than anywhere else in the world, yet, I felt disassociated from the experience – I could not cry. Flying from Poland to Israel and seeing the entire shape of the country lit up from the airplane window was one of the most emotional experiences of my life. I finally started to cry and was able to release all of that emotion – understanding that I had walked on the hallowed ground of Auschwitz and Birkenau, where my family was almost decimated, and was now entering Israel where I felt safe to cry and experience what I just witnessed. This moment renewed my love for the land of Israel and gratitude for her existence. Upon returning home, I started to talk about my experience in the public-school system. During one such talk, a 4th grader told me “but I thought all Jews were dead.” This shocking moment taught me that it was critical to talk not only about the genocide of my people, but also about the vibrancy of the Jewish community. I went on to study in Stern College (where I met up with several March of the Living alumni) and then became the Director of the Holocaust Awareness Institute at the University of Denver. I attended the first March of the Living reunion in Israel and spoke at the Kotel at that event – a real personal triumph for me. There I was recruited to run March of the Living for the Board of Jewish Education in New York and subsequently attended the program three more times. After working for over 20 years in the Jewish nonprofit arena, I decided to run for public office in Colorado, in a quest to become a problem solver, instead of always searching for answers. I have just been reelected to my 3rd term in the Colorado House of Representatives. One of my proudest achievements was starting a bill in the house, which subsequently became law in the state of Colorado, that in order to receive your HS diploma you must complete Holocaust and genocide education. All members signed on and became co-sponsors. In a time of great political divide, that’s a miracle.Click here to read the bill »

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