• Holocaust Survivor Eva Kuper’s Appeal to Students Returning to School

    on September 6, 2026

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justify-content:center !important;gap:14px !important;padding:10px 0 12px !important; background:rgba(255,255,255,.96) !important;box-shadow:0 -4px 18px rgba(13,27,54,.14) !important} .motl-sticky a{width:40px !important;height:40px !important;box-shadow:none !important} .motl-sticky svg{width:17px !important;height:17px !important;margin:11.5px auto !important} } @media (max-width:600px){ .motl-ol__share{margin-top:52px !important;padding:34px 20px 36px !important} .motl-ol__share a{width:46px !important;height:46px !important;margin:0 5px !important} .motl-ol__share svg{width:20px !important;height:20px !important;margin:11px auto !important} } @media (max-width:600px){ } @media (max-width:600px){ .motl-ol{padding:0 20px 64px !important} .motl-ol__head{padding-top:44px !important} .motl-ol__deck p{font-size:18px !important} .motl-ol__body p{font-size:18px !important;line-height:1.75 !important} .motl-ol__pull{padding-left:20px !important;margin:36px 0 !important} .motl-ol__pull p{font-size:20px !important} .motl-ol figure{margin:38px 0 !important} } Holocaust Survivor Eva Kuper’s Appeal to Students Returning to School Eva Kuper — marching with students on the March of the Living Photo: Ryan Blau In her open letter for the new academic year, the lifelong educator warns that “intelligence without conscience is not enough” and calls on students to challenge misinformation, defend their classmates and choose dialogue over slogans: “Antisemitism is not only a Jewish problem; it is an assault on truth, human dignity and the values education is meant to defend.” Dear Students, My name is Eva Kuper. I am a Holocaust survivor and a lifelong educator. I was born in Warsaw in 1940, confined with my family in the Warsaw Ghetto and saved from deportation as a small child. I survived the war in hiding. My mother did not survive. As you begin a new academic year, you are probably thinking about classes, friendships and the future you hope to build. I ask you to think as well about the kind of person you intend to become. I learned early how quickly a society can lose its moral bearings. The Holocaust did not begin with the gas chambers. It began with words, propaganda, exclusion and the gradual acceptance of the idea that some people mattered less than others. It advanced because hatred was organized and too many people remained silent. The academic world was not immune. Beginning in 1933, Jewish professors in Nazi Germany were dismissed and Jewish students faced growing restrictions. By 1938, they had been excluded from German universities altogether. Institutions devoted to knowledge can still fail their purpose when prejudice replaces truth and intimidation replaces inquiry. That is why education must be more than preparation for a career. It should teach you to think critically, distinguish evidence from assertion and understand that intelligence without conscience is not enough. You are entering campuses at a time when information travels in seconds and falsehood often moves faster than fact. Slogans can replace serious thought, while outrage is rewarded more readily than understanding. Many Jewish students are also returning with fears that earlier generations hoped would not return. Some have been isolated or intimidated. Some have wondered whether to conceal symbols of their identity, avoid certain spaces or remain silent about who they are. No student should be made to feel that way. Antisemitism is not only a Jewish problem; it is an assault on truth, human dignity and the values education is meant to defend. A university should be a place where ideas are tested through reason, disagreement leads to honest dialogue and every student can learn without fear. Dialogue is one of our strongest defenses against prejudice: it tests assumptions, makes room for lived experience and allows us to encounter a person rather than a stereotype. It does not require agreement. It requires intellectual honesty and recognition of another person’s humanity. The answer to hatred is not more hatred. But neither is it silence. The answer is dialogue joined with courage: to question misinformation, listen before judging, speak truth without dehumanizing and defend another person’s dignity even when doing so carries a cost. Stand beside classmates who face prejudice because of their religion, race, ethnicity or background. Build friendships across difference and create opportunities for honest conversation. Choose dialogue over slogans, curiosity over assumption and truth over convenience. A conversation may seem like a small act, but it can interrupt prejudice before it hardens into hatred. Eva Kuper with students on the March of the Living Photo: Ryan Blau I spent my professional life in education and educational administration, teaching and leading programs for children and adults. Since retiring, I have shared my testimony with thousands through the Montreal Holocaust Museum, where I serve on the Board, and with students on March of the Living journeys to Poland. Again and again, I have seen young people listen, reflect and change. That is why I still have hope. Soon, survivors will no longer be able to tell you in person what we witnessed. Our memories—and the responsibility to recognize lies, dehumanization and indifference—will pass into your care. As you begin this academic year, I hope you leave your classrooms with more than knowledge. I hope you leave with wisdom, compassion and the courage to stand for what is right. Build a future worthy of those who did not live to see it, and of every generation still to come. Sincerely, Eva Kuper Holocaust Survivor and Educator Eva Kuper Photo: Ohad Kab About Eva Kuper Eva Kuper is a Holocaust survivor and lifelong educator. Born in Warsaw in 1940, she was confined with her family in the Warsaw Ghetto and survived the Holocaust in hiding. She has shared her testimony with thousands of people through the Montreal Holocaust Museum and on March of the Living educational journeys to Poland. Share Eva’s message Pass this letter on to a student who needs to read it. 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  • Una carta abierta a los estudiantes judíos: Nunca permitan que el odio los defina

    on September 1, 2026

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padding:44px 30px 46px !important;text-align:center !important;border-radius:4px !important} .motl-ol__share h2{font-family:'Raleway',Arial,sans-serif !important;font-weight:800 !important; font-size:clamp(19px,2.4vw,25px) !important;letter-spacing:.02em !important;line-height:1.25 !important; color:#FDD000 !important;margin:0 0 10px !important} .motl-ol__share p{font-family:'Spectral',Georgia,serif !important;font-style:italic !important; font-size:17px !important;line-height:1.6 !important;color:#ffffff !important;margin:0 auto 26px !important;max-width:460px !important} .motl-ol__share a{display:inline-block !important;margin:0 7px !important;width:52px !important;height:52px !important; line-height:0 !important;padding:0 !important;border:0 !important;transition:transform .15s ease !important;border-radius:50% !important; text-decoration:none !important;vertical-align:middle !important} .motl-ol__share svg{width:22px !important;height:22px !important;margin:13px auto !important;display:block !important;fill:#ffffff !important} .motl-ol__share a:hover{transform:translateY(-2px) !important} .motl-ol__sh--email{background:#0D1B36 !important} .motl-ol__sh--facebook{background:#1877F2 !important} .motl-ol__sh--instagram{background:linear-gradient(45deg,#F58529 0%,#DD2A7B 45%,#8134AF 72%,#515BD4 100%) !important} .motl-ol__sh--whatsapp{background:#25D366 !important} .motl-ol__sh--x{background:#ffffff !important} .motl-ol__sh--x svg{fill:#000000 !important} /* ---------- floating share ---------- */ .motl-sticky{position:fixed !important;right:20px !important;bottom:20px !important;z-index:9990 !important; display:flex !important;flex-direction:column !important;gap:10px !important; opacity:0 !important;visibility:hidden !important;transform:translateY(10px) !important; transition:opacity .25s ease, transform .25s ease, visibility .25s ease !important} .motl-sticky.is-on{opacity:1 !important;visibility:visible !important;transform:translateY(0) !important} .motl-sticky a{display:block !important;width:44px !important;height:44px !important;border-radius:50% !important; line-height:0 !important;text-decoration:none !important;border:0 !important; box-shadow:0 6px 18px rgba(13,27,54,.28) !important;transition:transform .15s ease !important} .motl-sticky a:hover{transform:translateY(-2px) !important} .motl-sticky .motl-ol__sh--x{border:1px solid #d9d4cb !important} .motl-sticky .motl-ol__sh--x svg{fill:#000000 !important} .motl-sticky svg{width:19px !important;height:19px !important;margin:12.5px auto !important;display:block !important;fill:#ffffff !important} @media (max-width:700px){ .motl-sticky{right:0 !important;left:0 !important;bottom:0 !important;flex-direction:row !important; justify-content:center !important;gap:14px !important;padding:10px 0 12px !important; background:rgba(255,255,255,.96) !important;box-shadow:0 -4px 18px rgba(13,27,54,.14) !important} .motl-sticky a{width:40px !important;height:40px !important;box-shadow:none !important} .motl-sticky svg{width:17px !important;height:17px !important;margin:11.5px auto !important} } @media (max-width:600px){ .motl-ol{padding:0 20px 64px !important} .motl-ol__head{padding-top:44px !important} .motl-ol__lockup{display:block !important} .motl-ol__lockup .motl-ol-video{max-width:250px !important;margin:0 auto 30px !important} .motl-ol__headtext{text-align:center !important} .motl-ol__rule{margin:26px auto 0 !important} .motl-ol__body p{font-size:18px !important;line-height:1.75 !important} .motl-ol__pull{padding-left:20px !important;margin:36px 0 !important} .motl-ol__pull p{font-size:20px !important} .motl-ol figure{margin:38px 0 !important} .motl-ol__share{margin-top:52px !important;padding:34px 20px 36px !important} .motl-ol__share a{width:46px !important;height:46px !important;margin:0 5px !important} .motl-ol__share svg{width:20px !important;height:20px !important;margin:11px auto !important} } 1 de septiembre de 2026 Una carta abierta a los estudiantes judíos:Nunca permitan que el odio los defina Queridos estudiantes judíos: Me llamo Nate Leipciger y soy un sobreviviente del Holocausto de 98 años. Hoy se cumple el 87.º aniversario del estallido de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, el día que cambió mi vida, y la de tantos otros, para siempre. Tenía quince años cuando los nazis deportaron a mi familia del gueto a Auschwitz-Birkenau. Mi padre y yo sobrevivimos juntos. La mayoría de nuestra familia no lo hizo. Al comenzar un nuevo año académico, les escribo porque muchos de ustedes regresan a los campus cargando mucho más que libros, planes y ambiciones. Desde el 7 de octubre de 2023, también cargan con el duelo, el miedo, la ira y la dolorosa conciencia de la rapidez con la que el antisemitismo puede entrar en espacios que prometen conocimiento, apertura y pertenencia. Es posible que hayan visto el asesinato y el secuestro de judíos recibidos con excusas, con celebración o con silencio. Es posible que hayan escuchado acusaciones antiguas formuladas en lenguaje moderno, o que se les haya exigido responder por hechos lejanos antes de que alguien les preguntara si estaban de duelo, si tenían miedo o si estaban a salvo. Algunos de ustedes se han preguntado si debían esconder una estrella de David, una kipá o su propia voz. Por favor, recuerden: ustedes no son responsables del odio dirigido contra ustedes. No tienen que ocultar quiénes son para ganarse el derecho a pertenecer. Nunca permitan que quienes los odian los definan. El antisemitismo tiene hábitos reconocibles. Atribuye culpa colectiva a los judíos, reduce a las personas a símbolos y exige que los judíos respondan por el hecho de ser judíos. La herida es especialmente profunda en un campus. Una universidad debería ser un lugar donde la evidencia importe, donde las preguntas difíciles se examinen con honestidad y donde el desacuerdo nunca se convierta en intimidación. Criticar a cualquier gobierno, incluido el de Israel, es legítimo. Hostigar o excluir a estudiantes judíos, celebrar la violencia contra los judíos o exigirles que renuncien a una parte de su identidad no es crítica. Es discriminación. No permitan que nadie los obligue a elegir falsamente entre su identidad judía y su lugar en el mundo. Nate en la Marcha por la Vida de 2026 Foto: Kinneret Rifkind La identidad judía no es solamente una respuesta a la persecución. Es una herencia de fe, estudio, familia, creatividad, justicia y esperanza. Durante milenios, los judíos han estudiado, preguntado, rezado y florecido. Nos define lo que creamos y lo que transmitimos. Conozcan esa herencia. Lean la historia judía más allá de la persecución. Pidan a su familia que les cuente sus historias. Entren en una sinagoga, en un centro de estudiantes judíos o siéntense a una mesa de Shabat. Aprendan una palabra en hebreo, una melodía o una página de texto. Cuanto más profundamente sepan quiénes son, menos poder tendrá un eslogan para definirlos. Nadie debería exigirles que nieguen la historia judía, que renieguen del pueblo judío o que renuncien a su vínculo con Israel. Para quienes vivimos en una época en la que los judíos no tenían ningún lugar seguro al que acudir, un hogar nacional judío no es una abstracción. Es una respuesta a la impotencia judía. Los derechos de los judíos no son un favor especial que solo deba concederse cuando resultamos populares. Como ya he dicho antes: los derechos de los judíos son también derechos humanos. Sean valientes, pero no se queden solos. Encuéntrense unos a otros. Apoyen al compañero que tiene miedo o que se siente aislado. Construyan alianzas. Opónganse al racismo, al odio hacia otras minorías y a toda forma de deshumanización y discriminación. E igual de importante: estudien con seriedad la historia judía para poder enfrentar todas las mentiras y toda la propaganda que se difunden contra el pueblo judío y el Estado judío. El orgullo judío es más fuerte cuando va unido al valor moral. Quisiera recordarles que, durante el Holocausto, jóvenes judíos hicieron el sacrificio máximo para preservar la dignidad y el honor del pueblo judío, luchando hasta la muerte en el gueto de Varsovia y en toda la Europa ocupada por los nazis. Hoy no les pedimos que arriesguen su vida. Pero sepan que hay otros, de la misma edad que ustedes, que ponen su vida en riesgo cada día en el Estado de Israel, defendiendo al Estado judío y el futuro del pueblo judío. Nate ofrece su testimonio a los estudiantes en la Marcha por la Vida Foto: Igal Hecht Después de todo lo que presencié, la gente me pregunta cómo puedo seguir teniendo esperanza. Tengo esperanza porque he visto la vida judía reconstruirse. Durante casi tres décadas he caminado en Auschwitz junto a miles de estudiantes de la Marcha por la Vida que vinieron a afirmar la vida judía. Los he visto escuchar, aprender y cambiar. El futuro de la vida judía pasa a sus manos. Llévenlo sin pedir disculpas, con compasión y con fuerza. Pertenecen a un pueblo que ha soportado el exilio, la persecución y los intentos de borrarlo, y que sin embargo sigue aprendiendo, celebrando, amando y esperando. El antisemitismo es antiguo. El futuro de ustedes no lo es. Atentamente, Nate Leipciger Sobreviviente del Holocausto y educadorMarcha por la Vida (March of the Living) Nate en la barraca donde estuvo recluido en Birkenau Foto: Ziv Koren Nate Leipciger (98 años) Nate Leipciger nació en Chorzow, Polonia, en 1928. Tras la invasión de Polonia, los alemanes decidieron dejar Chorzow «Judenrein», es decir, vaciada de judíos. La familia de Nate se vio obligada a trasladarse a Sosnowiec, que se convirtió en un gueto. A los 15 años, Nate y su familia fueron deportados a Auschwitz, donde Nate fue separado de su madre, Faigel Leah, y de su hermana, Linka, a quienes nunca volvió a ver. Nate recuerda que su padre le salvó la vida dos veces durante su reclusión. «Una vez me encontré en la fila hacia la cámara de gas, y mi padre logró sacarme y llevarme con él al campo. En otra ocasión, los nazis estaban a punto de enviar a mi padre a una fábrica en Alemania, pero él convenció a un oficial de que yo era un electricista competente, y me permitieron acompañarlo». Nate sobrevivió a la marcha de la muerte y a los campos de Auschwitz-Birkenau, Funfteichen, Gross Rosen, Flossenberg, Leonberg, Muhldorf am Inn y Waldlager, dos subcampos de Dachau. Nate y su padre fueron liberados el 2 de mayo de 1945 por las tropas estadounidenses. Nate emigró a Canadá en 1948, donde se casó con Bernice y tuvo tres hijas, y más tarde 16 nietos y 12 bisnietos. Nate ha participado 22 veces en la Marcha por la Vida de Toronto, más que cualquier otro sobreviviente del Holocausto de la Diáspora. En esos viajes, Nate aconseja a los jóvenes que no guarden odio en su corazón. «No se puede tener odio en el corazón sin volverse hostil hacia uno mismo... cuando uno está lleno de odio, se amarga, le molesta todo, y eso termina formando parte de su carácter». Comparte el mensaje de Nate Envía esta carta a un estudiante que necesite leerla. 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  • Lettre ouverte aux étudiants juifs : Ne laissez jamais la haine vous définir

    on September 1, 2026

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justify-content:center !important;gap:14px !important;padding:10px 0 12px !important; background:rgba(255,255,255,.96) !important;box-shadow:0 -4px 18px rgba(13,27,54,.14) !important} .motl-sticky a{width:40px !important;height:40px !important;box-shadow:none !important} .motl-sticky svg{width:17px !important;height:17px !important;margin:11.5px auto !important} } @media (max-width:600px){ .motl-ol__share{margin-top:52px !important;padding:34px 20px 36px !important} .motl-ol__share a{width:46px !important;height:46px !important;margin:0 5px !important} .motl-ol__share svg{width:20px !important;height:20px !important;margin:11px auto !important} } @media (max-width:600px){ .motl-ol{padding:0 20px 64px !important} .motl-ol__head{padding-top:44px !important} .motl-ol__lockup{display:block !important} .motl-ol__lockup .motl-ol-video{max-width:250px !important;margin:0 auto 30px !important} .motl-ol__headtext{text-align:center !important} .motl-ol__rule{margin:26px auto 0 !important} .motl-ol__body p{font-size:18px !important;line-height:1.75 !important} .motl-ol__pull{padding-left:20px !important;margin:36px 0 !important} .motl-ol__pull p{font-size:20px !important} .motl-ol figure{margin:38px 0 !important} } 1er septembre 2026 Une lettre ouverte aux étudiants juifs :Ne laissez jamais la haine vous définir Chers étudiants juifs, Je m’appelle Nate Leipciger et je suis un survivant de la Shoah âgé de 98 ans. Aujourd’hui marque le 87e anniversaire du déclenchement de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, le jour qui a changé ma vie, ainsi que celle de tant d’autres personnes, à jamais. J’avais quinze ans lorsque les nazis ont déporté ma famille du ghetto vers Auschwitz-Birkenau. Mon père et moi avons survécu ensemble. La plupart des membres de notre famille n’ont pas survécu. Alors qu’une nouvelle année académique commence, je vous écris parce que beaucoup d’entre vous retournent sur les campus en portant bien plus que des livres, des projets et des ambitions. Depuis le 7 octobre 2023, vous portez également le deuil, la peur, la colère et la douloureuse prise de conscience de la rapidité avec laquelle l’antisémitisme peut s’introduire dans des lieux qui promettent le savoir, l’ouverture et un sentiment d’appartenance. Vous avez peut-être vu le meurtre et l’enlèvement de Juifs accueillis par des justifications, des célébrations ou le silence. Vous avez peut-être entendu d’anciennes accusations formulées dans un langage moderne, ou été sommés de répondre d’événements lointains avant même que quiconque ne vous demande si vous étiez en deuil, si vous aviez peur ou si vous étiez en sécurité. Certains d’entre vous se sont demandé s’ils devaient cacher une étoile de David, une kippa ou leur voix. S’il vous plaît, souvenez-vous de ceci : vous n’êtes pas responsables de la haine dirigée contre vous. Vous n’avez pas à dissimuler qui vous êtes pour mériter le droit d’avoir votre place. Ne permettez jamais à ceux qui vous haïssent de vous définir. L’antisémitisme a des habitudes reconnaissables. Il attribue une culpabilité collective aux Juifs, réduit les individus à des symboles et exige des Juifs qu’ils se justifient d’être juifs. La blessure est particulièrement profonde sur un campus. Une université devrait être un lieu où les faits comptent, où les questions difficiles sont examinées avec honnêteté et où le désaccord ne se transforme jamais en intimidation. Critiquer n’importe quel gouvernement, y compris celui d’Israël, est légitime. Harceler ou exclure des étudiants juifs, célébrer la violence contre les Juifs ou exiger d’eux qu’ils renient une partie de leur identité n’est pas une critique. C’est de la discrimination. Ne laissez personne vous imposer un faux choix entre votre identité juive et votre place dans le monde qui vous entoure. Nate lors de la Marche des Vivants 2026 Photo : Kinneret Rifkind L’identité juive n’est pas simplement une réponse à la persécution. Elle est l’héritage d’une foi, d’un attachement à l’étude, d’une famille, d’une créativité, d’une justice et d’une espérance. Depuis des millénaires, les Juifs étudient, questionnent, prient et s’épanouissent. Nous sommes définis par ce que nous créons et par ce que nous transmettons. Apprenez à connaître cet héritage. Lisez l’histoire juive au-delà des persécutions. Demandez à votre famille de vous raconter son histoire. Entrez dans une synagogue, un centre d’étudiants juifs ou prenez place autour d’une table de Shabbat. Apprenez un mot en hébreu, une mélodie ou une page de texte. Plus vous saurez profondément qui vous êtes, moins un slogan aura le pouvoir de vous définir. Personne ne devrait exiger de vous que vous niiez l’histoire juive, que vous reniiez le peuple juif ou que vous abandonniez votre lien avec Israël. Pour ceux d’entre nous qui ont vécu à une époque où les Juifs n’avaient aucun endroit sûr vers lequel se tourner, un foyer national juif n’est pas une abstraction. C’est une réponse à l’impuissance juive. Les droits des Juifs ne sont pas une faveur particulière qui ne devrait nous être accordée que lorsque nous sommes appréciés. Comme je l’ai déjà dit : les droits des Juifs sont aussi des droits humains. Soyez courageux, mais ne restez pas seuls. Retrouvez-vous. Soutenez le camarade qui a peur ou qui se sent isolé. Créez des alliances. Opposez-vous au racisme, à la haine envers les autres minorités ainsi qu’à toutes les formes de déshumanisation et de discrimination. Tout aussi important, étudiez avec sérieux l’histoire juive afin d’être capables de faire face à tous les mensonges et à toute la propagande diffusés contre le peuple juif et l’État juif. La fierté juive est plus forte lorsqu’elle s’accompagne de courage moral. Je voudrais vous rappeler que, pendant la Shoah, de jeunes Juifs ont consenti au sacrifice ultime afin de préserver la dignité et l’honneur du peuple juif, en combattant jusqu’à la mort dans le ghetto de Varsovie et partout dans l’Europe occupée par les nazis. Aujourd’hui, nous ne vous demandons pas de risquer votre vie. Mais soyez conscients que d’autres jeunes, du même âge que vous, mettent chaque jour leur vie en danger dans l’État d’Israël, pour défendre l’État juif et l’avenir du peuple juif. Nate témoigne devant des étudiants lors de la Marche des Vivants Photo : Igal Hecht Après tout ce dont j’ai été témoin, les gens me demandent comment je peux encore garder espoir. J’ai de l’espoir parce que j’ai vu la vie juive se reconstruire. Depuis près de trois décennies, je marche à Auschwitz aux côtés de milliers d’étudiants de la Marche des Vivants venus affirmer la vie juive. Je les ai vus écouter, apprendre et changer. L’avenir de la vie juive passe entre vos mains. Portez-le sans vous excuser, avec compassion et avec force. Vous appartenez à un peuple qui a survécu à l’exil, aux persécutions et aux tentatives d’effacement, et qui continue pourtant d’apprendre, de célébrer, d’aimer et d’espérer. L’antisémitisme est ancien. Votre avenir ne l’est pas. Bien sincèrement, Nate Leipciger Survivant de la Shoah et éducateurMarche des Vivants (March Of The Living) Nate dans la baraque où il était détenu à Birkenau Photo : Ziv Koren Nate Leipciger (98 ans) Nate Leipciger est né à Chorzow, en Pologne, en 1928. Après l’invasion de la Pologne, les Allemands décidèrent de rendre Chorzow « Judenrein », c’est-à-dire vidée de ses Juifs. La famille de Nate fut contrainte de s’installer à Sosnowiec, qui devint un ghetto. À l’âge de 15 ans, Nate et sa famille furent déportés à Auschwitz, où Nate fut séparé de sa mère, Faigel Leah, et de sa sœur, Linka, qu’il ne revit jamais. Nate se souvient que son père lui a sauvé la vie à deux reprises pendant leur détention. « Une fois, je me suis retrouvé dans la file menant à la chambre à gaz, mais mon père a réussi à m’en sortir et à me ramener dans le camp avec lui. Une autre fois, les nazis étaient sur le point d’envoyer mon père dans une usine en Allemagne, mais il a convaincu un officier que j’étais un électricien compétent, et ils m’ont donc autorisé à accompagner mon père. » Nate a survécu à la marche de la mort ainsi qu’aux camps d’Auschwitz-Birkenau, Funfteichen, Gross Rosen, Flossenberg, Leonberg, Muhldorf am Inn et Waldlager, deux sous-camps de Dachau. Nate et son père furent libérés le 2 mai 1945 par les troupes américaines. Nate a immigré au Canada en 1948, où il a épousé Bernice et a eu trois filles, puis 16 petits-enfants et 12 arrière-petits-enfants. Nate a participé 22 fois à la Marche des Vivants de Toronto, plus que tout autre survivant de la Shoah vivant dans la diaspora. Lors de ces voyages, Nate conseille aux jeunes de ne pas garder de haine dans leur cœur. « Vous ne pouvez pas avoir de haine dans votre cœur sans éprouver de haine envers vous-même... Lorsque vous êtes rempli de haine, vous devenez amer, vous en voulez à tout et cela finit par faire partie de votre nature. » Partagez le message de Nate Transmettez cette lettre à un étudiant qui a besoin de la lire. 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  • Open Letter to Jewish Students: Never Let Hatred Define You

    on September 1, 2026

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justify-content:center !important;gap:14px !important;padding:10px 0 12px !important; background:rgba(255,255,255,.96) !important;box-shadow:0 -4px 18px rgba(13,27,54,.14) !important} .motl-sticky a{width:40px !important;height:40px !important;box-shadow:none !important} .motl-sticky svg{width:17px !important;height:17px !important;margin:11.5px auto !important} } @media (max-width:600px){ .motl-ol__share{margin-top:52px !important;padding:34px 20px 36px !important} .motl-ol__share a{width:46px !important;height:46px !important;margin:0 5px !important} .motl-ol__share svg{width:20px !important;height:20px !important;margin:11px auto !important} } @media (max-width:600px){ } @media (max-width:600px){ .motl-ol{padding:0 20px 64px !important} .motl-ol__head{padding-top:44px !important} .motl-ol__body p{font-size:18px !important;line-height:1.75 !important} .motl-ol__pull{padding-left:20px !important;margin:36px 0 !important} .motl-ol__pull p{font-size:20px !important} .motl-ol figure{margin:38px 0 !important} .motl-ol__lockup{display:block !important} .motl-ol__lockup .motl-ol-video{max-width:250px !important;margin:0 auto 30px !important} .motl-ol__headtext{text-align:center !important} .motl-ol__rule{margin:26px auto 0 !important} } September 1st, 2026 An Open Letter to Jewish Students:Never Let Hatred Define You In partnership with Dear Jewish Students, My name is Nate Leipciger, and I am a 98-year-old Holocaust survivor. Today marks the 87th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II—the day that changed my life, and the lives of so many others, forever. I was fifteen years old when the Nazis deported my family from the ghetto to Auschwitz-Birkenau. My father and I survived together. Most of our family did not. Young Nate As a new academic year begins, I am writing because many of you are returning to campus carrying more than books, plans and ambitions. Since October 7, 2023, you have also carried grief, fear, anger and a painful awareness of how quickly antisemitism can enter spaces that promise knowledge, openness and belonging. You may have seen the murder and kidnapping of Jews met with excuses, celebration or silence. You may have heard ancient accusations in modern language, or been asked to answer for distant events before anyone asked whether you were mourning, afraid or safe. Some of you have wondered whether to hide a Star of David, a kippah or your voice. Please remember: You are not responsible for the hatred directed at you. You do not have to conceal who you are to earn the right to belong. Never permit those who hate you to define you. Antisemitism has recognizable habits. It assigns collective guilt to Jews, reduces individuals to symbols and demands that Jews answer for being Jews. The injury is especially deep on a campus. A university should be a place where evidence matters, difficult questions are examined honestly and disagreement never becomes intimidation. Criticism of any government, including Israel’s, is legitimate. Harassing or excluding Jewish students, celebrating violence against Jews or demanding that they renounce part of their identity is not criticism. It is discrimination. Do not allow anyone to force you into a false choice between your Jewish identity and your place in the wider world. Nate on the 2026 March of the Living Photo: Kinneret Rifkind Jewish identity is not merely a response to persecution. It is an inheritance of faith, learning, family, creativity, justice and hope. Across millennia, Jews have studied, questioned, prayed, and thrived. We are defined by what we create and carry forward. Learn that inheritance. Read Jewish history beyond persecution. Ask your family for its stories. Enter a synagogue, a Jewish student centre or a Shabbat table. Learn a Hebrew word, a melody or a page of text. The more deeply you know who you are, the less power a slogan has to define you. No one should demand that you deny Jewish history, disown the Jewish people or surrender your connection to Israel. For those of us who lived when Jews had nowhere safe to turn, a Jewish homeland is not an abstraction. It is an answer to Jewish powerlessness. Jewish rights are not a special favor to be granted only when we are popular. As I have said before: Jewish rights are also human rights. Be courageous, but do not stand alone. Find one another. Support the classmate who is afraid or isolated. Build alliances. Stand against racism, hatred of other minorities and every form of dehumanization and discrimination. And as importantly, diligently study Jewish history so you are able to confront all the lies and propaganda being spread against the Jewish People and the Jewish state. Jewish pride is strongest when joined to moral courage. I would like to remind you that during the Holocaust Jewish youth made the ultimate sacrifice in order to preserve the dignity and honour of the Jewish people - by fighting to their deaths in the Warsaw Ghetto and all across Nazi occupied Europe. Today, we do not ask you to risk your life. But please be aware that there are others, the same age as you, who do put their young lives at risk every day in the state of Israel, defending the Jewish state and the future of the Jewish people. Nate gives his testimony to students at the March of the Living Photo: Igal Hecht After everything I witnessed, people ask how I can still have hope. I have hope because I have seen Jewish life rebuilt. For almost 3 decades, I have walked in Auschwitz with thousands of March of the Living students who came to affirm Jewish life. I have seen them listen, learn and change. The future of Jewish life is passing into your hands. Carry it without apology, with compassion and strength. You belong to a people that has endured exile, persecution and attempts at erasure, yet continues to learn, celebrate, love and hope. Antisemitism is old. Your future is not. Sincerely, Nate Leipciger Holocaust Survivor and EducatorMarch of the Living Nate in the barrack he was held in Birkenau Photo: Ziv Koren Nate Leipciger (98) Nate Leipciger was born in Chorzow, Poland, in 1928. After, the Germans invaded Poland. They decided to make Chorzow “Judenrein.” Nate’s family was forced to move to Sosnowiec, which became a ghetto. At age 15, Nate and his family were transported to Auschwitz, where Nate was separated from his mother (Faigel Leah) and sister (Linka), who he never saw again. Nate recalls his father saving his life twice while there. “Once, I found myself in the queue for the gas chamber, only for my father to pull me out and bring me into the camp with him. On a second occasion, the Nazis were about to send my father to a factory in Germany, but he convinced an officer that I was a practical electrician, so they let me accompany my father”. Nate survived the death march and the camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Funfteichen, Gross Rosen, Flossenberg, Leonberg, and Muhldorf am Inn and Waldlager (two sub-camps of Dachau). Nate and his father were liberated on May 2, 1945, by American troops. Nate immigrated to Canada in 1948, where he married Bernice and had 3 daughters, and later 16 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. Nate has attended the Toronto March of the Living 22 times, more than any other Holocaust survivor from the Diaspora. On the trip, Nate advises young people not to hold hatred in their hearts. “You cannot have hate in your heart without being hateful against yourself....when you are hateful, you become bitter, you resent everything, and that becomes part of your nature.” Share Nate’s message Pass this letter on to a student who needs to read it. 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