By Ynet News and COLlive
Photos by Israel Bardugo
Around 11,000 people participated in the annual March of the Living in Poland Monday afternoon, among them Holocaust survivors, youth, labor delegations, IDF soldiers and Jews from Israel and throughout the world.
The march, which has been held for 25 years, began in the Auschwitz death camp and ended three kilometers away at Birkenau, known as the “big death camp.”
The march marks 70 years since the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and 70 years since the murder of the children of Greece, specifically, of Salonika. The mayor of Salonika and his Jewish deputy are participating in the event.
Among the participants in the march was Michael Goldman, a Holocaust survivor who was among the interrogators of Nazi Adolph Eichman, and was present at his execution and the spreading of his ashes at sea.
Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Israel Meir Lau told marchers: “(Today) we have a home, we have hope, we have independence, we have a place to go back to. We will not remain here. We are going home. There are words people couldn’t dream of saying 68 and 70 years ago.”
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz commented that “it doesn’t matter how many books you read, or how many lessons you listen to, we are all going to be speechless against the Nazi death mechanism.”
Marching with Gantz was Rabbi Shraga Dahan, a Lubavitcher chossid who is head of halacha department of the IDF. They was brought with them to Auschwitz the small Torah scroll used by the late Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon.
Chabad Shliach in Krakow, Rabbi Eliezer Gurary has also attended the march, following a few days of intense arrangements to provide visitors with kosher meals. A group of Chabad bochurim were on hand as well, offering young men to put on Tefillin.
Singer Dudu Fischer and the Farkash father and son of Australia sang ‘Kel mole rachamim’.
…just, wow
wow, im so touched, im crying…
that picture of the survivor in his unifor, andthe youth in a weelchair with a tora was so inspiring
The one on that shuttle unfortunately was destroyed, they did find fragments of it. There was another Holocaust survivor who also was given a torah just like the one Ilan Ramon had by the same Rabbi in the camps and the survivor gave it to Ramon’s wife to replace the one that was destroyed.
Great photo! Levi, may your friendship bring about great things for klal Yisroel!
Don’t worry about it. You gotta do what you gotta do, go where you must, and spend where it is most convenient for you.
It is a good thing, and a thorn in the eye of the anti-Semites that we are there. Don’t worry about the rest.
injecting Poland-these anti semites with all this money to stay ,buy food etc. there . I just don’t know if that is right.
But 6,000,000 did not!
We are honored that a young, gifted, brilliant and amazing personality, a Chabad chassid, the Rav of our Shul, The Beit David Highland Lakes Synagogue, is there too, leading a group of teens! We are proud of our Rabbi who is wise beyond his years, and we are honored by his presence! An Admirer and Shul Member
I was wondering the same thing……
So touching,emotional, and inspiring!!
Ilan Ramon took a Sefer Torah on the Shuttle with him, how did it survive when the Shuttle exploded etc.?
ronauld lauder..
very moving! never again!!
very powerful images
Sorry, But I can not stomach those pictures where jews were treated worse that objects. scared of their every movement.
Pics are really moving.
Wow!