On the March of the Living, you will travel with individuals from all over the world to Poland and some will continue on to Israel in order to study the history of the Holocaust and to examine the roots of prejudice, intolerance, and hate. Each group is accompanied by world-renowned Holocaust scholars as educators.
POLAND: You will spend the first week in Poland traveling around the country, searching for traces of a world that no longer exists. You will discover that, of the hundreds of Jewish schools, synagogues and institutions that once existed in Warsaw before the war, sadly, very little remains. The century old Nozyk synagogue (used by the Nazis as a stable during the war) and the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery – the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe – are among the only reminders of the glorious Jewish life that once thrived there. Yet, you will also have moments of hope in Poland as you encounter a resurgence of Jewish culture. You will encounter Polish peers and witness a blossoming of new synagogues, schools, organizations, and youth groups. Like many, you may leave Poland wondering how it was possible for the destruction of almost an entire generation of Jews to occur – yet you will pledge to keep their memory alive. The highlight in Poland will be on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, when delegations of all ages from around the world will join together to march down the 3-kilometer path from Auschwitz to Birkenau, as a tribute to all victims of the Holocaust.
Participants on the Young Professional Delegation need to arrange their own travel to Krakow at the start and from Warsaw at the conclusion of the time in Poland. Hotel accommodation is covered for arrivals on April 12. Programming begins the morning of April 13; anyone arriving that day should come early. In Warsaw, official events end late afternoon of April 19, but departures can be scheduled anytime. Travelers heading to Israel may join an optional group flight from Warsaw to Tel Aviv on April 19 at night.
OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO ISRAEL – APRIL 19- 23, 2026
ISRAEL: You will then fly to Israel and encounter a country that is striving valiantly to keep the age-old flame of Jewish nationhood alive. From the majestic landscapes of the North, the beaches of Tel Aviv and the hills of Jerusalem, you will also have the opportunity to travel to world-renowned museums and meet with leading scholars. On Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, you will join together with all of Israel as they mourn their fallen soldiers and victims of terror. The trip will culminate on Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, when all delegations will once again join together.
Your trip will not end once you get home. Participants and educators continue to correspond after the trip to reflect on their experience together. The bonds that form on this trip will last a lifetime.