The events of the Holocaust seem to lie far in the history. However, they are only a few generations away from us. The witnesses of the Holocaust, back then children and teenagers, still live among us. Each one of them has a deeply moving story to tell. Our generation is the last one to hear their stories first hand — and this is what we want to do in our new project “Memories Alive”.
During the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Holocaust survivors have been forced to endure weeks of social isolation, which often intensifies their traumas and evokes difficult memories. It is for this reason that March of Life has launched unique ZOOM-Encounters with befriended Holocaust survivors, groups of students and young people. The project has been met with great enthusiasm — both from the survivors as well as the young participants.
We invite you to gather a group of people and register to hear ‘Memories Alive’ on ZOOM. The March of Life staff will assist you with the preparations and arrange a meeting with a Holocaust survivor for you.
Testimonials
Jana Schmidt
Tjumen, Russia
The meeting with Holocaust survivor Luda was very exciting and moving for us. It was extremely interesting to hear her life story, which is linked to the history of Belarus and Russia. We were also very impressed by her joy and the warmth that characterized the meeting, which allowed very open questions and honest answers.
Michael Ruh
Secondary School Principal in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland
The ZOOM meeting with the Holocaust survivor Tirza was a very special moment for our students. In history lessons they had dealt with the Second World War and the Holocaust. Through Tirza’s narration of her escape as a small Jewish child from Germany over the Rhine to Switzerland — very close to us — the history lesson became tangible and relevant. Tirza’s enthusiasm and charisma deeply impressed us all. It will remain in the students’ memories for a long time and will have a very positive influence on their attitude towards xenophobia and antisemitism.
What Holocaust Survivors say about the project
Dr. Arie Itamar,
Holocaust survivor, Beit Nir, Israel
The children, all about 11 years old, were highly concentrated on my story which was accompanied by a presentation and video clips. They were lovely and performed a dance for me. I was excited and it was a wonderful atmosphere — I had the impression that the children felt and understood all what I had shared.
Gita Koifman,
Holocaust survivor,
Chairperson of the Association of Concentration Camp and Ghetto Survivors in Israel
Our meeting took place during the Corona quarantine. The time spent together with you was very touching and I appreciate your efforts to preserve the memory of the Holocaust. To see the faces of the young people on the screen, who stand up against antisemitism and are eager to continue the exchange with the Holocaust survivors, is very precious, valuable and unforgettable for me. God bless you!
