Application Deadline Is December 21
The Holocaust decimated the Jewish community of Europe, and when it ended, on May 8, 1945, it was a focal point of Jewish life for the next generation.
Now, 67 years have passed. The number of survivors who are able to give first- hand testimony and teach the lessons they learned about the importance of tolerance and diversity, to what extent man’s inhumanity to man can reach, how quickly cruelty can spread and how pervasive it can become when a group is singled out and labeled as less than human, is getting fewer every year.
Who will bear witness tomorrow? Who will keep us from repeating the mistakes of the past? Who will be our teachers?
The answer is our children, and they have the opportunity to learn what they need to know by participating in the March of the Living from April 3-17, 2013.
The March of the Living brings together thousands of young people from around the world, including approximately 3,000 from North America, to walk from Auschwitz to the gas chambers and crematoria of Birkenau singing of Hatikvah, reaffirming “Am Yisrael Chai – The Jewish People Live.”
From Poland, participants will fly to Israel to join the entire Jewish community in celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, part of a week of unforgettable experiences.
Special themes for the 2013 March of the Living include:
- Remembering the Children – Among the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis, over one million were Jewish children. Over 500 child survivors are expected to participate in the 2013 March of the Living and will be given special recognition during the trip.
- 70th Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
- 65th Anniversary of the State of Israel
- 25th Anniversary of the March of the Living
In Louisville, the Jewish Community Center is looking for a group of high school sophomores and juniors to participate in this program. Interested teens must formally apply to the program and pass an interview and screening process to be accepted.
Participants will miss some school during the March and must make arrangements with school officials and teachers beforehand. When they return, participants can be resources for their schools and the community, sharing their experiences in their classrooms and other venues.
Applications are available now and the deposit on the trip is due by December 21.
For more information, contact Jewish Community of Louisville Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sara Wagner, 238-2779 or swagner@jewishlouisville.org. Information is also available online at www.motl.org.