1. What is motivating you to take part in the 2024 March of the Living?

Each year at my synagogues Holocaust memorial we usually have a few speakers. When I was younger, I remember a couple speakers from Saskatoon talking about the March and how much of a priceless and meaningful experience it was. Ever since then I hoped to go on the march someday. There has not been anyone from Saskatoon on the March for around 10 years, so I hope to also inspire future generations to take part in this program in the future too.

2. Why is your Jewish identity important to you?

I feel my Jewish identity is something that makes me unique and interesting. I love all the cool traditions, culture, and holidays we celebrate as Jews as well as the big, amazing family of the Jewish community. It feels that no matter who you are and where you are from there is an instant connection between Jewish people due to the shared heritage and culture.

3. How do you feel about the rise in antisemitism that we see around the world?

I find the rise of antisemitism quite disappointing especially with how people tend to veil their antisemitism by saying they are instead “anti-Zionist” or “anti-Israel”. It seems many people know what the Holocaust is and what happened during that time but are unable to see the similarities between the scapegoating of the Jews of the past with how it is happening in a different way to the Jews of the present.

4. What do you hope to learn on the trip to Poland & Israel?

I hope to learn more about the individuals who lived through the Holocaust and what their lives looked like in the concentration camps. I feel that going to Poland in person will be an indescribable experience and I am excited to have this opportunity to go. For Israel I am mostly just excited to go there in person as I have never been yet and to see what it is like living there. I hope to be able to take the information I learn from being in Israel to better educate the people in my hometown who may be anti-Israel or anti-Zionist.

5. What do you think you intend to do upon your return home, as a follow up to what you have learned on the March of the Living?

The first thing I plan to do immediately on return is to tell my family and friends all about the trip and what I learned. Later on I plan to do a few presentations with my local synagogue and Hebrew school to share my experience and hopefully inspire more people from Saskatoon to do the march in the future.