Dear Friend,

Welcome to the May 2023 newsletter.

Over the years I have heard about the March of the Living, I have heard how impactful it is, I have heard how unique the experience is. But to have had the honour of experiencing the program for myself with such an extraordinary group of individuals was extremely special. I was privileged to be asked by my younger adult son to join him on this trip, and as a parent, it was with great interest and pride that I watched his, and the other young adult participants', maturity, understanding of the importance of retracing their ancestors footsteps and their conviction to memorialise the Holocaust and carry on their Jewish heritage.

The group this year included Jewish young adults, Jewish adults and a  gentiles from various backgrounds. There were lots of discussions, lots of questions but most of all there was lots of respect and love.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cedric for his tireless work and to thank our amazing guide,Julian Resnick, who made each and every event and location come to life and resonate so impactfully.

Yael (Administrator of March of the Living Australia)

In this edition (if viewing this on a desktop, click on each heading to skip to that section):

ZFA Public Affairs Officer Mai Gutman participated in this year's March of the Living program with a delegation of more than 40 Australian from different backgrounds. The group walked through neighbourhoods in Krakow and Warsaw that, prior to the Second World War, thrived with Jewish life. They also visited synagogues which once radiated with Jewish prayer services, now either transformed into museums or abandoned all together. On Yom Ha'Shoah, Mai marched with 10,000 other participants from around the world through the gates of Auschwitz to Birkenau in memory of the six million innocent Jewish men, women and children, who were murdered throughout the Holocaust. This cohort was particularly privileged to be able to march alongside holocaust survivor Henry Buch, who shared his testimony at the Majdanek concentration camp where his father perished on the death march.

The group then flew together to Israel, a symbol of moving from the 'darkness' of the Holocaust to the 'light' of the establishment of the modern State of Israel in the Jewish ancestral homeland. Visiting museums and hearing from various speakers, participants were introduced to some of Israel's key achievements and challenges as a relatively young country in a hostile region. In continuation of the march from Auschwitz, the International March of the Living participants marched through the gates of Jerusalem down to the Western Wall on Yom Ha'atzmaut. Once they arrived there, participants from around the world, of all ages and backgrounds, danced, sang and prayed together at the wall in a moving display of the truly undying spirit of the Jewish nation. An emotionally intense experience, Mai said it was one of the most important journeys she embarked on and urges everyone, regardless of age or background, to undertake the responsibility of bearing witness to the atrocities and to never forget. Never again.

This article was written by Mai Gutman and published in the "Around ZFA Newsletter" on 12th May 2023

Mai Gutman flying the Israeli flag on the march to the Kotel

Please click here to read the in depth blog Alex Kats wrote during the program.

We are pleased to share with you a digital version of the Jerusalem Post Special Issue on the 2023 March of the Living:

https://simplebooklet.com/jpost_motl_2023

If you are interested in  joining the program in 2024 - we are already accepting Expressions of Interest for our 2024 programs  so click on the button below if you would like to be added to our mailing list and to receive details about our 2024 program.

March of the Living Australia together with J"accuse Oz are pleased to invite you to the screening of the world acclaimed documentary J'Accuse! a film by Michael Kretzmer, which focuses on Jonas Noreika, unearthing Holocaust denial and exposing official cover-up by the Lithuanian government which resulted in an internationally-followed lawsuit. These special screenings will be followed by a panel discussion with director Michael Kretzmer, Grant Gochin an American philanthropist, journalist, politician, and activist and Silvia Foti, Noreika's granddaughter, author and Nobel Peace Prize nominee whose goal is to upend Lithuania's narrative that Lithuanians had nothing to do with killing Jews, that it was all done by German Nazis. 

Jonas Noreika, a Nazi collaborator, signed orders that led to the massacre of approximately 14,500 Lithuanian Jews in conditions of unimaginable cruelty and despite compelling evidence of his atrocities, this murderer is hailed as an heroic patriot in Lithuania to this day. J'Accuse! has become a powerful tool in the world to inform genocidal murderers that they will be held to account. J'Accuse! has put into effect the words "Never Again". 

Bulawayo born Kretzmer left for England in 1976 and became a journalist and film-maker, writing for the London Sunday Times and producing many documentary films for the BBC, Channel 4 and other international broadcasters. He built a small media company which he sold in 2010 allowing him to retire. His first trip to Lithuania in 2019 had a profound impact on him and led to him making this film. He now lives on a tiny farm in the English countryside where he grows vegetables and entertains recalcitrant chickens.  He is a father and grandfather and likes motorbikes, travel and a bit of Torah study. 

Gochin was forced to leave South Africa after being detained for his anti-Apartheid activities. Now living in California, Gochin works as CEO/Wealth Advisor and Certified Financial Planner. Gochin has investigated and worked to prosecute more than a dozen Lithuanian leaders who participated in or were complicit in Lithuanian Holocaust activities, seeking to strip them of state honours. After applying for Lithuanian citizenship and being denied because of his Jewish ancestry, Gochin pursued multiple lawsuits to prove he was eligible. He wrote "Malice, Murder and Manipulation" documenting the persecution of his Litvak family.

Foti, author of the memoir "Storm in the Land of Rain: A Mother's Dying Wish Becomes Her Daughter's Nightmare" is an award-winning investigative journalist in Chicago and a high school literature teacher. She holds Master's degrees in journalism, education, and creative non-fiction. Foti made a deathbed promise to her mother to write a book about her famous, WWII hero grandfather. Silvia's grandmother begged her not to write about her husband: "Just let history lie", she whispered. Silvia had no idea that in keeping her promise to her mother, her discoveries would bring her to a personal crisis, challenge her Catholic faith, unearth Holocaust denial, and expose an official cover-up by the Lithuanian government.

March of the Living is proud to promote this original production which is true to our core of telling stories related to the Holocaust.

Driftwood The Musical tells the inspirational story of the renowned Austrian/Australian sculptor Karl Duldig and his artist/inventor wife, Slawa Horowitz-Duldig. We follow their lives in pre-war Vienna, Slawa's ingenious invention of the foldable umbrella, and an incredible chain of events: miraculously escaping the Holocaust and rebuilding their careers as artists in Melbourne. A magical story of art and creativity, survival and perseverance, family, freedom and love.

 MOTL in conjunction with The Joint Australia welcomed Brett Kaye for an online event: In Conversation with Brett Kaye from Tallinn Estonia.

Brett Kaye combines his love for Jewish Education, social justice, music and travel in all the work that he does. He has taught and held senior leadership positions in Jewish schools in both Melbourne and Sydney, and is passionate about ensuring that young Jewish people are given the opportunity to become literate and knowledgable in their Jewish faith. Brett completed his Masters degree in Jewish education at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and studied with the then chief Cantor of the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem, Naftalia Herstik. Brett has been the Chazzan and Musical Director of St Kilda Synagogue in Melbourne for the past 10 years. Brett is the National Director of The Joint Australia. He is proud to be associated with an organisation that for 108 years has been at the forefront of rescuing Jews and empowering them to live safe and proud Jewish lives.

Are you a 2nd or 3rd generation holocaust survivor, who also has your own mental health experience to share? We're exploring the link between the holocaust and our current experiences of mental health, as a community, at Brave Talks. Brave Talks is an event that invites 3 community members to share their mental health story from the stage, with the aim of reducing stigma and making it easier for us to reach out for help. Our last two events have sold out; we're determined to keep bringing honest, vulnerable stories out of the shadows, so you feel less alone in whatever you're experiencing. If you would like to know about sharing your story at Brave Talks, please email t.rabinovitz@jewishcare.com.au

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:

• A new chapter for Arabs and Jews – at Auschwitz
• The Last Passover in the Warsaw Ghetto
• Holocaust survivor and 'Exodus' passenger Fruma Gallant, defense minister's mom, dies
• Director Jonathan Glazer's horrifyingly ordinary Auschwitz tale chills Cannes
• 'It's painful for us': Poland invites Noa Kirel for visit after Eurovision remarks

We greatly encourage all friends and supporters of March of the Living to play an active role in improving and influencing March of the Living Australia, its work, outreach, engagement and programs by becoming a paid MEMBER of the Association for 2023. In doing so, you will have a voice and influence across the organisation. 

The annual membership fee is $18.  If you would like to apply to become a member of March of the Living Australia Inc,  click on this link to download the application form.

Please fill in your details on the form and get two (2) current Members of March of the Living Australia Inc. to support your membership application.  If you do not know any other association Members, please email your completed Membership Form (without endorsement) to the Secretary - Shirley Atlas - at shirley@motl.com.au, and she will be in touch thereafter with regard to endorsement.  Please note that Membership is not automatic and that all applications for membership need to be approved by the Committee of Management.

We greatly look forward to hearing from you, and to hopefully having you join us as a Member of the Association in 2023!

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