Alumni Spotlight: Dafna Michaelson Jenet (’90, Staff ’98-’00), Colorado, USA

Dafna Michaelson Jenet (’90, Staff ’98-’00), Colorado House of RepresentativesThis week, on the occasion of Chanukah, a holiday that brings light onto the world, we are honored to feature Colorado State Representative and March of the Living Alumna Dafna Michaelson Jenet. In the ultimate expression of bringing light onto the world, she is responsible for creating, and recently successfully passing a bill that has made Holocaust and Genocide Education mandatory in the state of Colorado. I attended the March of the Living in 1990, on the second March. After hearing about the trip on a BBYO Shabbaton, I knew it was something I was destined to do. They were offering a scholarship and I fought with everything that I had to receive it. I have been consumed by Holocaust history ever since I was a young kid; my family lost over 56 members on my maternal father’s side and countless more on my paternal side. I knew I had to do this and experience for myself what I could of my family history. I felt deeply rooted while standing in the Warsaw Jewish cemetery. It’s hard to explain but I felt more at “home” in that spot in Poland than anywhere else in the world, yet, I felt disassociated from the experience – I could not cry. Flying from Poland to Israel and seeing the entire shape of the country lit up from the airplane window was one of the most emotional experiences of my life. I finally started to cry and was able to release all of that emotion – understanding that I had walked on the hallowed ground of Auschwitz and Birkenau, where my family was almost decimated, and was now entering Israel where I felt safe to cry and experience what I just witnessed. This moment renewed my love for the land of Israel and gratitude for her existence. Upon returning home, I started to talk about my experience in the public-school system. During one such talk, a 4th grader told me “but I thought all Jews were dead.” This shocking moment taught me that it was critical to talk not only about the genocide of my people, but also about the vibrancy of the Jewish community. I went on to study in Stern College (where I met up with several March of the Living alumni) and then became the Director of the Holocaust Awareness Institute at the University of Denver. I attended the first March of the Living reunion in Israel and spoke at the Kotel at that event – a real personal triumph for me. There I was recruited to run March of the Living for the Board of Jewish Education in New York and subsequently attended the program three more times. After working for over 20 years in the Jewish nonprofit arena, I decided to run for public office in Colorado, in a quest to become a problem solver, instead of always searching for answers. I have just been reelected to my 3rd term in the Colorado House of Representatives. One of my proudest achievements was starting a bill in the house, which subsequently became law in the state of Colorado, that in order to receive your HS diploma you must complete Holocaust and genocide education. All members signed on and became co-sponsors. In a time of great political divide, that’s a miracle.Click here to read the bill »

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Jenn Green (’06, ’14, ‘17-’18), Toronto, Canada

Jenn Green (Toronto ’06, Staff ’14, ’17-’18), Holocaust Education PromoterThis week we are proud to feature Jenn Green (Toronto ’06, Staff ’14, ’17-’18), alumna from March of the Living Toronto, Canada, whose experience on the March of the Living has propelled her to become a champion of Holocaust education.  As a 16-year-old travelling on the March of the Living I did not know what to expect. My grandfather, Nate Leipciger, is a survivor so I grew up hearing stories of the Holocaust. I had also read a few books on the subject. Nothing had prepared me for what I was going to learn about my own history, the tragedy that occurred and the lessons of how hate can incite and embolden a population to commit unspeakable horrors against its fellow man.  Hearing from Holocaust survivors, including my grandfather – in the places they experienced these atrocious acts and where their families were murdered – stayed with me and shaped my life trajectory. My grandfather brilliantly simplifies the reason he and his family were ripped from normal life, became numbers, living on death row, suffering terrible hardships and living with constant fear of being murdered for no reason at all. It was an accident of birth – being born Jewish in Poland in 1928 – that condemned him to death. With this understanding, I have made it my mission to help those who are in need because of an accident of birth. I was honoured to be asked to accompany my grandfather as he toured Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, through Auschwitz and Birkenau. Witnessing my grandfather, who was in this murderous place 75 years earlier facing death and destruction, back now with his wife, daughter, granddaughter and the Prime Minister of his country, reinforced for me the power of resilience and that one’s life is not defined by where they come from. This is every Holocaust survivor’s truth and is inspiration for all – no matter your background. In an effort to continue teaching and spreading the lessons I have learned on the March of the Living I travelled on the MOL again, twice as a chaperone and once as a survivor liaison, helping to ignite this fire in the next generation. As well, I co-founded the Mahj for the March to fundraise for the Young Adult March of the Living and was a co-chair of the March of the Living “Legacy Gala” in Toronto. To share my grandfather’s history and lessons with the next generation, I am now working with Carrying Testimony, where I present my grandfather’s story aided by recordings of his testimony as well as pictures and documents from the Holocaust. The MOL has inspired the direction of my professional life. I am the Director of Affordable Housing and Corporate Social Responsibility at Greenwin Corp., a real estate development company in Toronto, Canada. I have been blessed with the responsibility to develop and build safe and affordable housing for those who cannot afford market rent. In this role, I also have the privilege to support at-risk youth, and provide them with meals, mentorship, education and empowerment through our company’s social outreach arm, Greenwin Cares.

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Alumni Spotlight: Sabrina Naimark (’09, ’19), Panama

Sabrina Naimark (Panama ’09, Staff ’19), Founder and CEO, ImpactaThis week we are proud to feature Sabrina Naimark (Panama '09, '19), alumna from March of the Living Panama, whose experience on the March of the Living inspired her to found a company, Impacta, whose goal is to foster social impact to create a better world. As a young and passionate member of the Panamanian Jewish Community, I have always carried around the feeling of being a proud Jew. I strongly believe that our culture and traditions bring happiness to our lives. With this in mind, I had one mission when I was 17 years old – to commemorate Iom Hashoa in Poland and Iom Haatzmaut in Israel by attending the March of the Living. After having the opportunity to attend as a janija (student) in 2009 and again as a madrija (staff) in 2019, I can definitely confirm that no books can teach you nor make your heart ache the same way as if you were there personally. Walking through the concentration camps in Poland, with more than 8,000 people from all over the world is a moment that I will never forget. That experience taught me the true meaning and value of the word unity. We were such a diverse group of people, from different cultures and traditions, coming from countries all around the world, standing together for the same purpose – declaring NEVER AGAIN. The March of the Living inspired me to bring that sense of unity back home. I experienced the power of bringing people together for the greater good on the March of the Living – and sought to create a similar experience, making an impact in communities that need us the most back in Panama. I founded the social impact company Impacta. We create social impact projects with the main goal of bringing people together to help others in need, by creating a strong and powerful impact in our society. I identify communities in need, create projects from the ground up, and connect them with volunteers and companies that want to make a difference. The power of unity will help us all create a better world.

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Alumni Spotlight: Joana Kirsch (’19), Costa Rica

Joana Kirsch (Costa Rica ’19), EducatorThis week we are proud to feature Joana Kirsch (’19), alumna from the Costa Rican Adult delegation, whose experience on the March of the Living inspired her to pursue a career in early childhood education, where she helps instill a love for the Jewish people and Jewish heritage among her students on a daily basis. I traveled with the March of the Living Costa Rican Adult Delegation in 2019. I experienced the March of the Living as a married woman, and as a mom of three, making this journey vastly unique. For many years prior to the trip, I had wrongly believed that traveling to the concentration camps was superfluous since I had already attended a Jewish day school and had learned about the Holocaust in depth. Boy was I wrong! Being in Poland was entirely different than learning about the Holocaust through books and movies. By visiting the different shtetls, synagogues and camps and learning from our extremely knowledgeable guide about all facets of WWII, I was moved to heights that I never believed possible. Even prior to the trip, I was active in my Jewish community by volunteering for WIZO and for my children’s Jewish day school, Scheck Hillel Community School, in my current home state of Florida, but this trip strengthened my resolve to do so even further. Upon my return, I was offered a position as an early childhood educator at the aforementioned Jewish school, and I knew instantly that this was how I could do my small part in ensuring Jewish continuity. Daily as a teacher, I think about the struggles that the people who endured the Holocaust navigated in order to guarantee the survival of the Jewish nation. This motivates me to instill in my students a love for their people and their heritage even at their young age. Overall, I value life so much more now than I did before the March of the Living, and I am especially grateful for the freedom of religion and speech that we enjoy today.

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Alumni Spotlight: Robin Ashleigh (’15-‘19), United Kingdom

Robin Ashleigh (United Kingdom ’15-‘19 ), Marcher, Leader, EducatorThis week we are proud to feature Robin Ashleigh, an alumnus from March of the Living UK. Since first attending the program in 2015, Robin has made the March of the Living a priority, returning as bus leader and soon, as lead educator. My journey with MOTL UK began when I participated on the programme as a young adult in 2015. Even though I had grown up very involved in the Jewish community, I had never been to Poland and, until this point, I had never prioritised my own learning about the Holocaust in any great depth. The week I spent in Poland had a profound and lasting effect on me. My educator helped me to appreciate the rich Jewish history that existed before the Holocaust. At the sites of the Jewish ghettos and Nazi death camps, the expertly prepared programme, and the opportunity to memorialise and reflect, deepened my understanding of such a dark chapter of history. The survivors I met taught me so much about the events of the past and, more importantly, I was inspired by their positive outlook and message of responsibility for the future. This message has stayed with me, and has motivated me to further my own knowledge so I can educate others. After my first MOTL experience in 2015, I knew there was so much more I wanted to learn, and so much more I could contribute, so I started volunteering my time. I got involved in events to fundraise and recruit participants for the programme, and since then the March of the Living has become a much bigger part of my life. I have returned to volunteer as a Bus Leader, and on the next March will serve as a lead guide and educator. Making this important experience happen for so many other participants has been a very worthwhile and rewarding journey. I’ve been lucky to learn from so many great educators over the years, so I decided that training as an educator was the logical next step for me so that I can really give back, and hopefully start others off on a similar journey to my own. This is a huge responsibility, but it is also an honour that was made possible by my initial MOTL experience, and the subsequent investment in me, without which my development as an educator would have been impossible. Now, I hope to help many more Jewish people connect with their own heritage, and live out their lives in a way that is faithful to their Jewish values. As Elie Wiesel says, “When you listen to a witness, you become a witness”. MOTL has made this possible for me, and for thousands of others who have participated and will participate in the life-changing programme.

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Alumni Spotlight: Bryna Sherman Miller (’88), Cincinnati, USA

Bryna Sherman Miller (Ohio ’88), First Generation MarcherThis week we are proud to feature Bryna Sherman Miller, an alumna from the very first March of the Living in 1988. She made it her mission to share her life-changing experience with family, friends and strangers to educate them about the horrors of the Holocaust. That promise came full circle when she sent her daughter, Sammi Miller, as a second-generation Marcher on the program in 2019. I was fortunate enough to be chosen as a US delegate of the inaugural MOTL in 1988. We were a relatively small group (around 1500 worldwide) compared to the over 10,000 who now attend each year. The week we spent in Poland was chilling (literally and figuratively). To a 16-year-old who had only learned about the Holocaust during religious school and from survivors, this was an eye-opening experience and one that remains with me to this day 32 years later. Walking through the gates of Auschwitz and into the barracks and gas chambers brought this devastating period to life. Witnessing how close the concentration camps were located to cities of Polish citizens, many who turned a blind eye or claimed they had no idea what was happening, was maddening. Wearing our blue windbreakers and waving our Israeli flags while proudly marching through snow flurries arm in arm from Auschwitz to Birkenau showed the world that we stand together and will never again let anyone try to destroy our people. Attending a memorial service in Warsaw to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising taught us the true meaning of never giving up. Perhaps the most memorable event of the entire trip for me occurred in Warsaw after the Memorial service. We were introduced to Irena, a Righteous Gentile who acted as an up-stander and helped save many Jewish lives. She spoke with us through an interpreter and entrusted us with her medal to bring back to the states to display in the Holocaust museum. Looking back on the newspaper articles and press about this trip in 1988, I was quoted as saying I planned to share this experience with my family, friends and strangers to educate them on the horrors of the Holocaust. As a teenager, I spoke to local Jewish and community organizations as well as in the public schools. I continued that mission teaching the Holocaust at religious school during my college years and now through my involvement with the Cincinnati Holocaust and Humanities Center. A proud moment that made this experience come full circle was supporting my daughter as she attended the 2019 MOTL with the Cincinnati delegation. From generation to generation, we remember!

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Alumni Spotlight: Tsutomu Matsumoto (’16), Japan

Tsutomu Matsumoto (Japan ’16), MusicianThis week we are proud to feature Tsutomu Matsumoto, who, along with his rock band, Night de Light, attended the March of the Living with Bridges for Peace Japan in 2016. Tsutomu, a devout Christian, was truly inspired by his experience in both Poland and Israel. Upon returning to Japan, he, along with his band, have continued to spread their love for the State of Israel and for the Jewish people as well as messages of hope through their music to fans around the globe. As a devout Christian, it has been my dream to visit Israel with my band. In 2016, not only did my dream come true, but we also had the opportunity to join the March of the Living in Poland. During my time at Auschwitz, we learned about the atrocities that took place, and what I saw shook me to my core. Though time has passed, I can still feel and see vivid traces of each and every person. Bundles of hair on the floor, shoes, glasses; each of these things belonging to a person who had a life, a family. What I had witnessed was a painful and sorrowful testimony of the Jewish people. While marching among them, I felt a colossal gap between what I saw, and my reality.  What can I take from this tremendous experience, and how can I apply it to my life? As someone who had the privilege to take part in this, what are the responsibilities and the expectations that I will now bear? Will I be able to stand against such terrors should they happen in the future? These are some of the questions that I reflected on as we made our way to Israel. At the peak of our tour in Israel, we had the honor to perform at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony. On stage, we shouted, “We will stand with Israel. We want to serve this Nation.” We poured our heart, our soul, our passion into our song, and what arose in our hearts changed our lives. It was then that we devoted ourselves to spreading the message of hope through our music with a strong heart of compassion, and love for Israel and her people. To this day we continue to sing to the people in Japan, and share with them the life changing experience we had in Israel. In February 2020, we stood in front of 900 people, many of whom knew little to nothing about Jewish people and Israel, and talked about the March of the Living. It has been 4 years since, yet our hearts remain the same. To be a bridge between Israel and Japan – this is our passion. Our Hope. 

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Alumni Spotlight: Marlene Goldstein (’16, ’18, ’19), HMTC Adults, USA

Marlene Goldstein (HMTC Adults ‘16, ‘18, ’19), AuthorDuring this holy period of the Yamim Noraim, leading up to Yom Kippur, this week, we are proud to feature Marlene Goldstein (’16, ’18, ’19), alumna from the The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC) Adults group, whose experience on the March of the Living inspired her to write a memoir detailing her father’s story as a Holocaust survivor. As the one-year anniversary of his death approaches on Yom Kippur, Marlene encourages all to listen and re-tell survivors’ stories, before it is too late. I was already well into my 50’s when, on a whim, I answered a Facebook pop-up and spoke with Andrea Bolender, leader of the MOTL Long Island HMTC group. I didn’t know at the time how life changing that moment would become. Auschwitz tracks… stones at Treblinka… mound of ashes at Majdanek… all remnants of a vibrant people whose blood flows through my veins. I recall sitting in the hotel steam room after a day that included standing inside the gas chamber at Majdanek. I tried to imagine the horror and anguish of my Jewish brethren as they entered this awful chamber, naked and terrified, never to see the light of day again. Now in the steam room my eyes traced the pipes along the wall and ceiling, pipes that ended at the floor where they emitted the aromatherapy vapor I was breathing in. A shocking parallel, and I wept for my fallen brethren. Back home in New Jersey, I was driven to interview my Polish father, and the book that resulted took two years to complete. I was to repeat The March twice more with Andrea, each trip compelling me to urge others to seek out and capture eyewitness accounts.My MOTL experience with the HMTC group was the driving force that led to the memoir in my hands, the story of my father’s incredible survival against impossible odds. When he passed away peacefully last Yom Kippur, I realized how close I’d come to having his story lost forever, along with the 6 million other lost stories. Going on the March of the Living rescued my dad’s Shoah legacy from oblivion. There are still survivors out there who are willing – even needing – to tell their story. Every Shoah survivor is an eyewitness to mankind’s darkest hour. But time grows short. It is my hope that every person who reads this will seek out a remaining eyewitness story and capture it before time runs out altogether.

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Alumni Spotlight: Eli Jonah Karls (’17), Montreal, Canada

Eli Jonah Karls (Montreal ’17), Global Change MakerThis week we are proud to feature Eli Jonah Karls (’17), alumnus from March of the Living Montreal, whose experience on the March of the Living served as the catalyst for his entire life’s purpose, and has transformed him into a social media influencer, impacting thousands of lives across the globe. My life has taken a series of unexpected twists and turns.While I did grow up as an active member of the Jewish community in Montreal, I ended up attending an ex-catholic public school for high school. These opposing experiences had a profound impact on my life and future, but attending the March of the Living was the ultimate catalyst in forming who I am today. I always knew I was destined to be a change maker. I wanted to change the world but I had no idea how. While in Grade 10, I heard about the March of the Living program from my cousin. I knew that I had to attend, no matter what. I was going to make it happen, no matter the challenges that stood in my way. Being a part of the March while in Grade 11, and visiting Poland and Israel for the first time, was an earth-shattering life-changing experience. It caused me to connect with myself, my greater surroundings, and humanity, on a deeper level than ever before. One day, I found myself on the top floor balcony of the hotel I stayed at in Jerusalem. I made a promise to myself, on that spot, that I would return in less than a year and re-discover my life. At that moment, I never felt more at peace with myself. I was on cloud 9. Three months later, and after many obstacles, I returned to study at a Yeshiva in Jerusalem and day by day, I began to discover myself. I decided to extend my 6-month trip to one year, and that turned out to be two years – and it was the best decision of my life. My experience in Israel was so life-changing that I wanted to influence others to come. I decided then and there, that if I couldn’t bring people to Israel to experience the amazing way it can change life, I was going to bring that experience to the people back home.Upon returning from my life changing journey in Israel, I started planning for the launch of The Daily Wiz, a social media series of inspiring, impactful and relevant wisdom, which has now reached over 100,000 views since its birth. I’ve also been given the opportunity to co-create a mental health challenge with a close friend, and NHL prospect of Detroit Redwings, Joe Veleno, reaching over 100,000 people & been featured on the NHL.COM, the SUBURBAN.COM, and multiple other reputable media publications. We launched the CELLY FORWARD CHALLENGE, a social media initiative promoting mental health among youth during the COVID-19 crisis. CELLYFORWARD CHALLENGE provides a platform for athletes, artists and influencers to advocate for mental health. This Mental Health Challenge has garnered support and participation from numerous celebrities and athletes which include U.S. & Canada Open Champion Bianca Andreescu, Montreal Canadians forward Nick Suzuki, 3x Juno Awards musician Karl Wolf, third overall pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft Kirby Dach, social media sensations On The Bench and Pavel Barber, Israel Olympian and pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, Alex Katz. My life’s purpose is to make wisdom relevant and spread it across the globe. My philosophy is simple, “water breaks through a rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” With patience, persistence, and with a burning purpose to break through barriers, anything is possible.Thank you to the March of the Living for inspiring me to become who I am today.

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Alumni Spotlight: Maayan Shapurkar (’17), India

Maayan Shapurkar (India ’17), Jewish Young Adult Engagement ProfessionalThis week we are proud to feature Maayan Shapurkar (’17), an alumna who traveled with a delegation from India with March of the Living UK, whose experience on the March of the Living has inspired her to elevate Holocaust awareness and commemoration amongst the Jewish community in India. Life has been kind to Jews in India. For more than 2000 years my ancestors have lived amongst peaceful and friendly neighbours and enjoyed the fruit of a secular and tolerant nation. Although I felt a connection to the Jews who were lost in the Shoah when I studied about it in school, I was only able to deeply understand the monstrosity of the Nazis, the scale of the killing and the power of hatred, when I had the opportunity to go on the March of the Living in 2017. This was made possible solely due to the endless support we received from Mr. Scott Saunders and the UK delegation that welcomed us with open arms.  I have a vivid memory of us singing the Havdalah prayer in the dim candle lights. There, I thought about how the land we were standing on had once heard the painful cries of so many Jews and how today, it hears the voices of strength and hope of the thousands of Jews who come to Poland firmly affirming “Never Again.” This experience transformed me into a witness and gave me a feeling of responsibility to share my experiences with the members of my community back home. My role as a JDC professional (Programme Manager for Young Adult Engagement) offered the perfect platform for this. Holocaust Awareness has since become a vital part of my programming. I, with the support of my team, organized various Holocaust education sessions at our Mumbai JCC and synagogues, as well as hosted International Holocaust Remembrance Day and Yom HaShoah events, using them as a medium to share our personal experiences and tell stories of survivors. I make it a point to include a Holocaust awareness session at our local JYP (Jewish Youth Pioneers) camps and the annual Limmud India, engaging participants in discussions about topics ranging from anti-Semitism and racial discrimination to Jewish resistance and the Righteous among the Nations. Not only does Mr. Scott Saunders make a personal visit to our community each year but he remains dedicated to his mission of Holocaust education by making sure our Indian community members have the opportunity to learn and see for themselves. With a group of Indians participating in the March as part of the UK delegation each year, I have a growing team of alumni and together, we continue our effort in sensitizing our people, telling them about our past and preparing them for the future.

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