Dear Friend,
We have been extremely distressed by the recent spate of terrorist attacks in Israel over the past two weeks. We mourn the lives lost, and pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded. At the same time, our thoughts and prayers remain with those who continue to be affected here locally by the extreme floods in NSW and QLD, and the innocent Ukrainian and Russian civilians whose lives continue to be upended by the current war.
We are certainly living in difficult times. As we approach the Chag/Festival of Pesach/Passover, may we heed its lessons as we gather safely with our loved ones, remembering to never take our incredible freedoms for granted, and pray that such freedoms may be afforded to all people around the world. We would also like to take this opportunity to wish our Muslim and Christian readers a safe, memorable and meaningful Ramadan and Easter.
In this edition (if viewing this on a desktop, click on each heading to skip to that section):
March of the Living Australia
stands in solidarity with Ukraine
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In last month's newsletter we brought to your attention the vital work being done by several organisations whose efforts are essential in securing the safety and wellbeing of the Ukrainian Jewish community - see below:
1) The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)
One of the oldest Jewish aid organisations dedicated to assisting Jewish communities under threat, the JDC is on the ground in Ukraine continuing to deliver urgent, lifesaving care to Jewish seniors and families who are counting on them.
Click here to donate to the JDC
2) Simon Wiesenthal Center - Ukraine Emergency Fund
The Simon Wiesenthal Center has launched a special urgent appeal in support of the people of Ukraine. All monies donated will be sent to vetted charities and humanitarian organisations.
Click here to donate to this special appeal
We wish to expand on this by sharing with you this heartbreaking appeal from Rabbi Avraham Wolf, Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Odessa and Southern Ukraine. Working alongside Mishpacha Odessa, Children/Refugee's Nursing home, the Odessa community is currently in dire need of support. Please, if you are able to, donate generously to these organisations so that we might help keep our fellow brothers, sisters and children safe.
Yom HaShoah | Yom Hazikaron | Yom Ha'atzmaut
2022
- MOTL and Community Events -
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This coming month will be particularly eventful for us here at MOTL and for our community at large. Starting with Yom HaShoah and moving through Yom Hazikaron and finally Yom Ha'atzmaut, over the coming weeks we will collectively traverse many emotional peaks and troughs, shifting from intense and overwhelming mourning, remembrance and memorialisation through to immense joy, pride, jubilation, triumph and gratitude.
Ordinarily, our MOTL participants would be experiencing this emotional roller-coaster 'on the ground' and in person as part of the March of the Living program. While the continued global effects of COVID-19 (and other events) have once again denied us from being able to send an Australian delegation in 2022, we are immensely grateful for the possibility and opportunity that technology has and continues to afford us all to remain connected and united. As such, we are honoured to be able to share with you the great variety of online and in-person events (both local and international) which will honour these important days in our calendar.
Of note, we would like to make particular mention of the following events:
- Thursday 28 April at 9:30am AEST - Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and Zikaron BaSalon's co-sponsored event (ONLINE) - "From Australia to New York: Bringing Holocaust Survivors to Living Rooms Around the World", featuring Survivor Abe Goldberg from Melbourne - Click here for more information and to register your attendance.
- Thursday 28 April / Friday 29 April (Time TBC) - Virtual March and International March of the Living (USA) Yom HaShoah Ceremony. This will be broadcast to International March of the Living's Website and Facebook page, and will be available for viewing after it has aired. More information to follow.
The Wittenberg Affair: An Example of
Choiceless Choices
- The Impact and Influence on the Vilna Ghetto
Online Event Recording
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On Thursday 7 April, March of the Living Australia was thrilled to welcome Eva Zeleznikow, a current student in the Weiss Livnat MA in Holocaust Studies in Haifa, Israel, for an online event where she presented one of her research topics, the Wittenberg Affair. Eva unpacked some key findings on the notion of 'choiceless choices' and survival in the Vilna Ghetto.
This was a truly informative and illuminating presentation, and we warmly encourage you to click on the image below to view a recording of this event.
Not Just a Survivor: A Portrait of My Mother
- with author Rochy Miller
Online Event Recording
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Several weeks ago, we were honoured to host author Rochy Miller in conversation about her new book - Not Just a Survivor: A Portrait of My Mother - which recounts the life & legacy of her mother, Lea Leibowitz.
In a most moving presentation, Rochy recounted how Lea was so much more than just a Survivor of the Holocaust - she was somebody truly special who survived and enriched people's lives not because of the Holocaust but despite it. Rochy's presentation (the first to a local Australian audience), gave us great insight into the warm, intelligent and amazing person Lea was.
Originally from South Africa, Rochy emigrated to Australia over 30 years ago and now resides in Brisbane. She is a retired medical doctor and writer, having obtained both Medical Journalism and Master of Journalism degrees in addition to her medical qualifications.
We warmly invite you to click on the image below to view a recording of this event.
The Abraham Accords, Holocaust Memorialisation and the fight against Antisemitism
with the Hon. Eitan Na'eh, inaugural Israeli Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain
Online Event Recording
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In this recent fascinating online event, March of the Living Australia had the privilege to welcome the Honourable Eitan Na'eh, inaugural Israeli Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain and son of a Holocaust Survivor, to share his unique insight and perspective on the recent Abraham Accords, as well as his personal connection to Holocaust memorialisation.
We warmly invite you to click on the image below to view a recording of this event.
David Prince z"l, delivering his testimony to the 2009 Student March of the Living delegation in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Photograph by Emmanuel Santos.
It is with immense sadness that we recently learned of the passing of Holocaust Survivor David Prince z"l.
David was one of the Survivors who accompanied the 2009 Australian Student March of the Living delegation along its unforgettable journey, alongside his daughter Frances (one of the lead educators that year) grandson Noey (student participant), and France's mother-in-law, Judy Kolt, herself a Survivor. His contribution was immeasurable, and there is no doubt that the experiences of all the students and staff were enriched through his presence, and by his willingness, openness and generosity in sharing his life's story. We wish Frances, Noey and the whole Prince and extended family a long life and send them our sincerest condolences - may David's memory, story, life and legacy be a blessing.
In honour of David, we warmly invite you to view the two videos below: the first, David's recorded testimony from the Melbourne Jewish Holocaust Centre's archive; the second, a recording of an online event hosted by the Jewish Holocaust Centre in October last year - a book launch for Gift of Time: Discoveries from the daily ritual of reading with my father by Frances Prince.
Meet the Committee of Management
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We are excited to continue this segment where we introduce and feature individual members of the March of the Living Australia Committee of Management and get to know them better.
This month, we are excited to meet Alex Kats! Click here to learn more about him.
We warmly invite you to learn more about each of our Committee of Management members by clicking on this link and scrolling down to the Member Bio section.
Here is a selection of recent articles and videos from around the world, many of which we have shared across our social media over the past few weeks:
Wishing you an upcoming Chag Pesach Same'ach - may it be safe, happy, joyous, and filled with treasured family and friends. We leave you with the below Pesach greeting from the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra - enjoy!
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We greatly look forward to being in touch again next month!
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