Wednesday, May 1 - Sunday, May 12, 2024

March of the Living is a special program that brings together people worldwide to learn about the Jewish community that once flourished in Europe, the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the revival of Judaism in Eastern Europe today.

Join thousands of Jews and non-Jews, from countries all around the world, and share in a once-in-a-lifetime experience as we 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 the Nazis forced 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.  The March of the Living to Poland will cause you to encounter both the richness and anguish of our past and the hope for our future. 

TRIP DETAILS

Thousands of Jews and non-Jews, from countries worldwide 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 the Nazis forced 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. You will fly to Budapest to learn more about Jewish life and revival in Eastern Europe from Poland. We will meet with World-renowned Holocaust scholars as we study the history of the Holocaust and examine the roots of prejudice, intolerance, and hate. 

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

When is the trip? The tentative dates are Wednesday, May 1 - Sunday, May 12, 2024. We arrive in Poland and immediately begin the program.

How do I sign up? Registration opens this spring.

Cost: $5,500/person is the approximate cost based on double room occupancy. There is an additional fee for a single room (plus flights)

When is a deposit due? A $200 deposit will be due when you register. Deposits are refundable until October 15, 2023. After that, as spaces are limited, deposits are not refundable but they may be transferred to another person to take your place on the trip.

Program Itinerary Overview:

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, minimal 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. Poland's highlight will be on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, when delegations of all ages worldwide will join together to march down the 3-kilometer path from Auschwitz to Birkenau, as a tribute to all victims of the Holocaust. 

BUDAPEST:  We will explore Budapest’s Jewish heritage on a cultural tour that showcases the Jewish community’s past and present in the Hungarian capital. Hear stories of tragedy and triumph as you stroll through the historic Jewish Quarter with a guide, visiting important sites like the Jewish Museum, Raoul Wallenberg Holocaust Memorial Park, and Dohány Street Synagogue — the largest synagogue in Europe.

Eastern European extension is being explored. More locations and details to be shared once confirmed.