On April 21, 2020 thousands of Jews and non-Jews, from countries all around the world, will share in a once-in-a-lifetime experience when they march the 3-kilometers from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest concentration camp complex built by the Nazis during World War II. The March commemorates Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

YOU CAN BE THERE, along with over 10,000 participants who will be part of this historic event. As a proud Marcher, your experience will be in direct contrast to the tragic fate of hundreds of thousands of Jews and others, who were forced by the Nazis to take part in the infamous death Marches, across vast expanses of European terrain, under the harshest of conditions. This time, however, there will be a difference. It will be a March of the Living among thousands, marching shoulder to shoulder.

You will participate in a memorial service at one of the gas chambers/crematoria, in Birkenau, which will conclude with the singing of Hatikvah, reaffirming Am Yisrael Chai – The Jewish People Live. From Poland, you will fly to Israel to join the entire Jewish community in celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, on April 29, 2020.

The March of the Living to Poland and Israel will cause you to encounter both the richness and anguish of our past and the hope for our future.

On the March of the Living you will travel with individuals from all over the world to Poland and Israel in order to study the history of the Holocaust and to examine the roots of prejudice, intolerance and hate. Each group is accompanied by world-renowned Holocaust scholars as educators.

POLAND: You will spend the first week in Poland traveling around the country, searching for traces of a world that no longer exists. You will discover that, of the hundreds of Jewish schools, synagogues and institutions that once existed in Warsaw before the war, sadly, very little remains. The century old Nozyk synagogue (used by the Nazis as a stable during the war) and the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery – the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe – are among the only reminders of the glorious Jewish life that once thrived there. Yet, you will also have moments of hope in Poland as you encounter a resurgence of Jewish culture. You will encounter Polish peers and witness a blossoming of new synagogues, schools, organizations and youth groups. Like many, you may leave Poland wondering how it was possible for the destruction of almost an entire generation of Jews to occur – yet you will pledge to keep their memory alive. The highlight in Poland will be on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, when delegations of all ages from around the world will join together to march down the 3-kilometer path from Auschwitz to Birkenau, as a tribute to all victims of the Holocaust.

ISRAEL: You will then fly to Israel and encounter a country that is striving valiantly to keep the age-old flame of Jewish nationhood alive. From the majestic landscapes of the North, the beaches of Tel Aviv and the hills of Jerusalem, you will also have the opportunity to travel to world-renowned museums and meet with leading scholars. On Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, you will join together with all of Israel as they mourn their fallen soldiers and victims of terror. The trip will culminate on Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, when all delegations will once again join for another March to the Old City in Jerusalem, followed by a Mega Event Concert at the Armoured Corps Museum at Latrun - the Tank Museum - where the Battle of Latrun took place in 1948.

Your trip will not end once you get home. Participants and educators continue to correspond after the trip to reflect on their experience together. The bonds that form on this trip will last a lifetime.

The March of the Living will bring together Jewish teens from 52 countries and regions around the world including Israel, the USA, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Panama, South Africa, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Austria, and Poland. You will have an opportunity to meet and together you will share moments of both sadness and joy that will create long-lasting bonds.

High school students in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades (at the discretion of local communities) are eligible to participate. All qualified applicants will be carefully screened. Not everyone can be accepted. Applicants must complete an application, medical form, submit an essay, participate in a personal interview and supply letters of recommendation. If you are chosen, you will be provided with a study curriculum of Poland and Israel and will be expected to attend educational seminars that have been specifically created to prepare you for the March.

Please click HERE to find your local regional offices to apply.