2024 International March of the Living
The 2024 March of the Living took place against the backdrop of the 80th anniversary of the destruction of Hungarian Jews during the Shoah, the October 7th attack on Israel, and the dramatic rise in antisemitism across the globe.
On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, a March was held in Budapest followed the next day by the March of the Living from Auschwitz to Birkenau, 36 years since the first March took place in 1988.
Israeli Singer Noa Kirel performed “Eli, Eli” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Some 60 members of her family perished in the Shoah.
Dr. Shmuel Rosenman, Chairman, and Phyllis Greenberg Heideman, President of the International March of the Living, jointly stated, “This year’s March of the Living holds profound significance, as the horrors of the past intertwine with the present ongoing nightmare faced by the State of Israel. The recent incomprehensible massacre on October 7 serves as a constant reminder of the persistent threat posed by antisemitic hatred. This year, more than ever, we understand why preserving the memory of the Holocaust is still essential. Fighting against the continuous and overwhelming wave of antisemitism, makes the March of the Living’s mission to remember more important and more relevant than ever. We will strenuously continue to teach about the history of the Holocaust, and we will continue to stand together against antisemitism.”
The 36th International March of the Living on Yom HaShoah was led by 55 Holocaust survivors from countries around the world.
Among them 21 Holocaust survivors from Hungary and seven Holocaust survivors who were personally impacted by the October 7th attack in Israel: Bellha Haim, grandmother of the murdered Yotam Haim, who was abducted during the attack; Danit Gabay, who was with her children in Kibbutz Re’im during the attack; Daniel Louz from Kibbutz Be’eri; Smil Bercu Sacagiu whose home was bombed in Ashkelon; Judith Tzamir from Kibbutz Mefalsim; Jacqueline Gliksman from Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha, and Zili Wenkert, grandmother of Omer Wenkert, who was abducted from the Nova music festival. Marching alongside the Holocaust survivors will be several former hostages released from Hamas captivity, along with families of Israeli hostages, bereaved families, wounded survivors, Ashkelon mayor Tomer Glam, and the head of the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council Tamir Idan.
The delegation of Holocaust Survivors and surviving victims from the deadly attack of October 7th was organized by the Menomadin Foundation under the leadership of Haim Taib, a third-generation Holocaust survivor from Tunisia. Following the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel War, the Foundation has collaborated with many local authorities in Israel to bolster communal resilience.
Haim Taib, Founder and President of the Menomadin Foundation and leader of the October 7th delegation to the March said: “The link between the Holocaust, experienced by Jews 80 years ago and the horrors of the onslaught of October 7 underscores our collective obligation as a nation and society to remain resilient, to defend ourselves and to continue shaping the remarkable narrative of our people. I take pride in marching alongside the courageous individuals of the October 7th delegation. Together, we will rise from the ashes of this horrific attack and foster prosperity and abundance in the years ahead.“
Thousands of Jewish and non-Jewish students and adults from around the globe, University Presidents from campuses in the United States and Canada, a global delegation of top TikTok creators, Pastor Larry Huch representing the New Beginnings Church and Pastor Larry Huch Ministries, and a Transnational Law Enforcement delegation were among those lending voice and commitment to the importance of remembrance and resilience.
Furthermore, in light of these events, the March of the Living, KKL-JNF in Israel, the Jewish Agency and the Hungarian Jewish Heritage Foundation MAZSOK jointly held an international conference in Budapest focusing on the Holocaust of Hungarian Jewry. This conference featured participation from young Jewish leaders across Europe, initiated by the Jewish Agency and with involvement from the leadership of the JNF, led by Chair Yifat Ovadia, among others. Participants of the conference also took part in the March of the Living events in both Budapest and Poland.
Ifat Ovadia-Luski, Chair of KKL-JNF, said: “At a time when war is raging in Israel, it is of the utmost importance to remember what the Jewish people experienced 80 years ago. KKL-JNF will continue its many years of activities to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and raise the flag of the revival of the Jewish people in their own country for the sake of those who perished and for the sake of future generations.”
Doron Almog, Brigadier General (Ret.), Chairman of the Jewish Agency: “The Jewish Agency endeavors to empower young leaders to actively engage in Holocaust remembrance and tell the story of Hungarian Jewry. In the face of escalating anti-Semitism, we emphatically declare ‘Never Again!’ Our resolve is fortified by the legacy of Hannah Szenes, a fighter and paratrooper executed by the Nazis in her hometown of Budapest. She famously declared, ‘A voice calls, and I go.’ As that same call resonates with us, we are united in our determination to heed it, drawing strength from her courage. We recognize the weight of our generation’s duty to safeguard the continuity of the Jewish people.”
This year, a diverse team of 25 leading TikTok content creators from Israel, the USA, Canada, Italy, Hungary, Poland, the UK, and Germany joined the March. The TikTok team traveled to Budapest and Poland, attended the main ceremony in Auschwitz, and commemorated the Holocaust through the usage of their cellphones, allowing millions of TikTok users from around the world to watch the program.