The March of the Living
The March of the Living is an annual educational program which brings students from around the world to Poland, where they explore the remnants of the Holocaust. On Holocaust Memorial Day, observed in the Jewish calendar [Yom HaShoah], thousands of participants march silently from Auschwitz to Birkenau. Eli assumed the role of National Director in 1989 and led his first Canadian delegation on the March in 1990, where he first met Elie Wiesel. To date, over 300,000 people worldwide have participated in the March.
March of the Living 30th Anniversary Legacy Gala
Eli Rubenstein’s keynote speech: telling stories about the righteous.
Eli reaffirmed his government’s commitment to apologize for turning away the MS St. Louis from Canadian shores almost 80 years ago. Over 100 Canadian Holocaust survivors have taken part in the March of the Living since its inception, with almost half of them from Toronto. March of the Living Scholarship funds were set up in the names of each Toronto survivor and in honour of Eli Rubenstein to ensure the program's future viability.
Eli Thanks Colleagues: March of the Living 30th Gala
Eli Rubenstein’s Tribute Video: March of the Living 30th Anniversary Gala.
ONE WORD
March of the Living celebrated its 30th anniversary by honouring Holocaust survivors who participated in the March since 1988 and its National Director, Eli Rubenstein, for his 30 years of service.
In this video, participants and survivors were asked to describe their experience on the March in one word, using words such as “legacy, closure, sadness,” and more. Watch the video.