THE Australian contingent of March of the Living (MOTL) returned home this week after an emotional journey that saw them shed tears for the victims of the Holocaust in Poland and then cheer for the Jewish State’s birthday a week later in Israel.
On Yom Hashoah, the 45-strong adult delegation and 10 year 11 members of the student delegation joined thousands of Jews, non-Jews and survivors from around the world in marching from Auschwitz to Birkenau for a solemn ceremony, including witness testimonies and prayers.
While in Poland, the Australian groups also visited Majdanek and Trebelinka.
From Eastern Europe, they set off for Israel, where the trip included visits to Masada, the Dead Sea and Tel Aviv, as well as experiencing Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut in Jerusalem.
Discussing the success of this year’s trip, MOTL Australia co-president Cedric Geffen told The AJN that the program deviated from previous years by combining the year 11 students with counterparts from New Zealand and the United States.
Full report by Zoe Kron in the Australian Jewish News