|
|
June 25, 2004
Teens relive nightmare
March of Living participants want to teach others.
KYLE BERGER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
On April 18, thousands of Jewish teens from around the world gathered
together to relive a nightmare. However, if you asked any of them,
including the 14 from Vancouver, they'd tell you it was one of the
most positive experiences of their lives.
The teens were part of the annual March of the Living program, which
involves a two-week journey, first to various concentration camps
in Poland, then to Israel. The focal point of the trip takes place
on Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah), when the teens,
make the three-kilometre "death march" from the Auschwitz
to Birkenau concentration camps; the same trek thousands of European
Jews made during the Second World War before being murdered by the
Nazis.
Vancouver's Roxanne Lewin and Emanda Colton, both aged 16, said
the trip gave them a different look on the life they have in Canada.
"Before the trip, I knew about the Holocaust from stories and
pictures, but I couldn't possibly feel same way as I do having actually
seen [where] it [took place]," Lewin told the Bulletin.
"I have always appreciated the good things I have in my life.
But going on this trip made me realize that I'm more than just lucky."
"I don't take things for granted as much anymore," said
Colton. "I try to enjoy every moment to its fullest. But most
importantly I learned how important my family is to me and how lucky
I am to have so much love in my life."
Lewin, whose grandparents survived the Holocaust, said she now feels
that she has a responsibility to pass on much of what she learned
on the March of the Living to others who may not have the chance
to participate in a similar program.
"The trip's purpose is for us to learn, and then come back
and share what we learned with others," she said. "If
we do not share our knowledge, and do so with a passion, then the
trip would have been for nothing. That is the most integral part."
Colton said that she was surprised about some of the positive feelings
she had during the actual march.
"At first I thought the march would be quite depressing since
we were walking the same route as the death marches," she said.
"But when I arrived at the march there were so many Jewish
teens, all there to celebrate Jews today, who we are and how proud
we are to be Jewish. It really made me feel like I was part of something."
Lewin agreed that she was surprised and encouraged by the positive
atmosphere during the march.
"The actual march was incredible," she said. "I cannot
describe the feeling of pride that engulfed me as we marched and
I could see the flood of 7,000 young Jews ahead of us."
As for lasting impressions, Colton said she will never forget the
message offered by one of the many survivors they met in Poland.
"When we were in Majdanek, a survivor told us, 'We have to
cry together, but we also have to laugh together.'" Colton
recalled. "The trip was not about dwelling on the past, but
remembering it and remembering we have to live."
The local participants included Lewin, Colton, Joshua Aknin, Karin
Anolik, Nicholas (Nick) Folk, Aviva Goldberg, Hannah Krikler, Roxanne
Lewin, Alexandra (Alexi) Millman, Gal Minnes, Hana Nagel, Brett
Rudolph, Sean and Ryan Vaisler.
Kyle Berger is a freelance journalist and graphic designer
living in Richmond.
^TOP
|
|
