Holocaust survivor Bellha Haim, whose grandson, Yotam, was held hostage and then killed in Gaza, said recently, “I was born in Poland, and I survived the Holocaust. I had promised my grandchild a better world, but I couldn’t fulfill this promise. I never imagined that I would visit Auschwitz, but since Yotam marched there, I will march in his footsteps.”
Bellha is one of seven Holocaust survivors personally impacted by the October 7 attack who will be among the leaders of the 36th International March of the Living on Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day, on Monday, May 6. With her will march Danit Gabay, who was with her children in Kibbutz Re’im during the attack; Daniel Louz from Kibbutz Be’eri; Smil Bercu Sacagiu whose home was bombed in Ashkelon; Judith Tzamir from Kibbutz Mefalsim; Jacqueline Gliksman from Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha, and Zili Wenkert, grandmother of Omer Wenkert, who was abducted from the Nova music festival.
Marching alongside the Holocaust survivors will be several former hostages released from Hamas captivity, along with families of Israeli hostages, bereaved families, wounded survivors, Ashkelon mayor Tomer Glam, and the head of the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council Tamir Idan.
Dr. Shmuel Rosenman, Chairman, and Phyllis Greenberg Heideman, President of the International March of the Living, jointly stated, “This year’s March of the Living holds profound significance, as the horrors of the past intertwine with the present ongoing nightmare faced by the State of Israel.
“The recent incomprehensible massacre on October 7 serves as a constant reminder of the persistent threat posed by antisemitic hatred. This year, more than ever, we understand why preserving the memory of the Holocaust is still essential. Fighting against the continuous and overwhelming wave of antisemitism makes the March of the Living’s mission to remember more important and more relevant than ever. We will strenuously continue to teach about the history of the Holocaust, and we will continue to stand together against antisemitism.”
Haim Taib, Founder and President of the Menomadin Foundation and leader of the October 7 delegation to the March said: “The link between the Holocaust, experienced by Jews 80 years ago, and the horrors of the onslaught of October 7 underscores our collective obligation as a nation and society to remain resilient, to defend ourselves and to continue shaping the remarkable narrative of our people. I take pride in marching alongside the courageous individuals of the October 7 delegation. Together, we will rise from the ashes of this horrific attack and foster prosperity and abundance in the years ahead.”
BOARDING A TRAIN TO AUSCHWITZ
This year’s commemorations will begin in Budapest on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day with a March marking 80 years since the destruction of Hungarian Jewry during the Holocaust. Led by 80 Hungarian Holocaust survivors and joined by thousands of others, the March will begin at the Dohany Synagogue adjacent to the birthplace of Theodore Herzl-the father of modern Zionism-and conclude with a ceremony at the Keleti Train Station where the first deportation of Jews from Budapest to Auschwitz-Birkenau took place.
Following the formal ceremony, a “Train of the Living” will depart for Auschwitz on an educational journey retracing the path of the death transports from Hungary. Accompanied by hundreds of Hungarian students, the train will arrive at Oswiecim after which they will then join the thousands of participants gathered at Auschwitz.
More than 550,000 Hungarian Jews perished in the final stages of World War II. Within weeks in the Spring of 1944, the majority of these victims met their life’s end in Auschwitz-Birkenau or during death marches to Austria. Close to 15,000 people were murdered per day and tens of thousands were tragically slain along the banks of the Danube in Budapest.
