New York Yankees and International March of the Living team up to fight antisemitism and racism on Holocaust Remembrance Day

On May 5, 2024, on the afternoon before the onset of Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, child Holocaust survivor Dr. Martha Greenblatt was honoured for her courage and resilience in front of some 50,000 fans at Yankee Stadium. The moving moment took place before the start of the New York Yankees Vs. Detroit Tigers Sunday afternoon baseball game.

The event was organized by the New York Yankees baseball organization and International March of the Living, a Holocaust education organization dedicated to teaching young people about the dangers of prejudice, intolerance and hatred.

Every year, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, March of the Living brings thousands of students, Holocaust survivors, educators and distinguished leaders from all over the world to Poland. On this solemn day, they march arm in arm from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the most infamous of all Nazi German death camps. They march in memory of six million Jewish Holocaust victims and in memory all victims of Nazi Germany’s genocidal policies and against antisemitism and all forms of racism.

Karie Swindal and her husband Stephen Swindal both participated in the 2019 March of the Living from Auschwitz to Birkenau. They were left deeply moved by the experience.

After the March of the Living, they reached out to Dr. David Machlis, Vice Chairman International March of the Living, who they had met on the trip, to see what they could do to help.

“I was immediately struck by their sincerity, commitment, and passion,” said Dr. David Machlis, himself is a lifelong baseball fan. “Unfortunately, the COVID-19 Pandemic soon followed and the in person March of the Living had to postponed for a number of years.”

With the waning of the pandemic, and the resumption of the March of the Living, the couple once again reached out to Dr. Machlis with a novel idea. To mark 2024 Holocaust Remembrance Day, they wanted to publicly honor a Holocaust survivor at Yankee Stadium before a game, as well as make a donation in support of the work of the March of the Living.”

“We are living at a time when too many people are staying silent. Participating in the March of the Living a few years ago, we saw with our own eyes, the destruction that silence can bring. We strongly feel that it’s everyone’s responsibility to not only speak up against the antisemitism that is occurring rampantly in our country and throughout the world, but all forms of hatred,

As Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, approached, we knew we could no longer stay silent.” said Karie and Stephen.

Dr. Machlis put the young couple in touch with Eli Rubenstein, Director of Education for International March of the Living. He immediately thought of his Aunt, Dr. Martha Greenblatt, a highly accomplished Professor of Chemistry at Rutgers University, who was deported to Auschwitz 80 years ago, in the spring of 1944, when she was only 3 years of age.

“Miraculously her life was saved,” noted Rubenstein, “and she eventually moved to America, pursued her studies diligently, created a new family, and embarked on a very successful academic career. Like so many survivors, she made the best of the opportunities she was granted, despite the harrowing early years of her life.”

Added Karie and Stephen:

“Dr. Martha Greenblatt is not only a survivor but an inspiration. Hearing not only her achievements but her continued dedication to her Judaism even after all that her family endured is truly remarkable. Listen to her story. Hear her words and heed her warnings. She has seen this before and it is all too familiar. What’s happening in our world today is what happened 80 years ago. And now is the time to speak up against antisemitism, racism, injustice. It is our hope that by raising awareness and sharing Dr. Greenblatt’s incredible story we can make a small impact on the world today.”

“It is truly wonderful to see the next generation of young people so dedicated to Holocaust education, accepting the torch of memory from Holocaust survivors, and committing to build a better world for all humanity,” Rubenstein reflected.

In a special video message filmed for Holocaust Remembrance Day, part of which was shown at Yankee Stadium, Dr. Greenblatt addressed her closing words to the young people of today:

“Young people, treasure the freedom that you have in the United States of America, my beloved adopted country. You are fortunate to live in one of the world’s great democracies – cherish that! And stand up and fight against antisemitism, racism and injustice – and stand for human rights for all! For what happened to the Jews in Europe and Hungary in the 1940s – what happened to me – could happen again, even here.”

To see Dr. Greenblatt being honoured at Yankee Stadium click here.

To see the full video message for Yom Hashoah from Dr. Greenblatt, click here.