Orlee Richman, a 1998 par-
ticipant who did have a positive
experience on the March,
remembers Poland as "dark and
gloomy." She cites only . neaa-
rive encounters with Polish
non-Jews, mostly people throw-
ing things and making com-
ments.
The March relies on a 1950's
vision of the creation of Israel
only as a response to the events
of 1933 to 1945, not as an out-
growth of earlier Zionist
impulses. By spending one
week in Poland and one in
Israel, Friedman argues, stu-
dents are taught that Israel and
the Holocaust are equally
important in Jewish history,
that Israel is a solution to, and
result of, the Holocaust.
"Israel," Friedman insists, " is
obviously much more."
The itinerary for the Israel
portion of the March varies
according to the interests and
background of individual
groups; traditional sites on the
Detroit teens at Birkenau in May, 199 7
agenda include a visit to Yad
Vashem, the Holocaust memorial
Hdatzmaut. The March's director,
museum in Jerusalem, and the natural
Kedem, notes that there are "lots of
wonders of the Negev desert. All the
facets to show." Because not every-
contingents join together for what are,
thing can be seen in one week, orga-
respectively, the most solemn and the
nizers encourage students to return
most joyous events on the Israeli cal-
again
for a longer visit.
endar: Yom Hazikaron and Yom

Marchers do not, for example,
learn about either the peace process
or the struggle between the secular
and the religious, although Kedem
stated that such a program could be
arranged if a group expressed interest.

The official March curriculum
has little to say about modern
day Israel's military power, and
major sections are little more
than recitations of the tragedies
that have befallen the Jews
amid suggestions they might
occur again.
March organizers say they
want to transform a generation
of undereducated and uncom-
mitted Jewish teenagers into
proud and involved members
of their community, compen-
sating for the failure of their
Hebrew schools and camps and
getting young Jews excited
about their religion.
But critics say the trip
encourages marchers to base
their Jewish identity on a foun-
dation of destruction and fear.
"Its a scary notion that [the
trip] in itself is what a Jew
should focus on in terms of
strengthening Jewish identity,"
said Weinger, now a Jewish
Campus Service Corps Fellow.
"Holocaust should be a
priority but not the priority,"
says Friedman. "Let's reach
them about. . . socialism, chasidut,
Zionism. Let them walk away
knowing the names of great Jewish
figures in history rather than the
names of all of the concentration
camps.

Friendship through these adversities."
in such an event where the world
The trip was "tough,
Judah Isaacs, interim executive direc-
takes
notice,
that
they
wanted
to
but I disagree that it was
tor
of the Agency for Jewish Education,
behave
in
that
manner."
too physically grueling,"
said
the trip provided ample educational
The
participants
did
not
feel
said Amanda Warner, a
value
for these "self-selected teenagers."
pressured
by
leaders
to
react
in
a
University of Michigan
"We
take a very small group of peo-
certain way to what they saw.
sophomore from
ple,"
he
said. "I think for this group, for
Katz, a University of Michigan
Farmington Hills. "The
the right emotionally mature teenager,
freshman,
said,
"Through
the
trip,
trip is emotionally and
it can have a profound impact." Li
members felt comfortable and free
physically draining, but I
to
let
loose
with
whatever
knew that before I
they felt. They never felt
embarked on it."
The Agency for Jewish Education of
bound by their group lead-
Warner, who attended
Metropolitan Detroit, and the Michigan/
ers. I believe that because
the 1997 MOTL, said she
Israel Connection has "basically finished"
we
were
allowed
such
Marchers saw evidence of continuing anti-Semitism in Poland
didn't think the trip was
accepting applications for the March of
emotional
freedom,
our
too pro-Israel and anti-gen-
the Living scheduled for April 11-25,
group became incredibly
encountered were rude, obscene and
tile. "In fact, we discussed
1999, according to Judah Isaacs, AJE
close, a very important dynam-
still had negative feelings towards
the righteous gentiles, along with listen-
interim
executive director.
ic of this type of trip."
Jews," said the Michigan State
ing to stories of survivors whose rescue
The
two
groups will send 60 marchers
1 tell people that the trip is a
University senior, who went on the
was based on the generosity of others,"
—
45
from
here and 15 from Israel —
selfish trip," added Warner, 19.
1994 MOTL through BBYO.
she said.
with the Jewish Federation of
"That
is,
you
express
those
emo-
During the actual march from
Answering criticism that the group
Metropolitan Detroit helping to under-
tions that you feel are necessary
Auschwitz to Maidanek, "Polish peo-
traveled around in a protective bubble,
write
the trip's cost of $1,695 per
when you need to. Everyone
ple were flipping us off, screaming at
with no meaningful "interaction" with
marcher.
The Michigan/Israel
reacts to the concentration
us to 'Go back where you came
Poles, Kimberly Weiss, from West
Connection,
AJE and the federation
camps and synagogues different-
from,'" said Weiss, 21. "Our Polish
Bloomfield, chuckled.
sponsor the trips in odd-numbered years..
ly.
The
magic
of
the
March
of
guide kept apologizing for the people
"I think it's sad to say, but 98 per-
the Living is to make bonds of
.,Z- rtraatfttatMlaa.
we encountered. I couldn't believe that
SessakV.,
cent of the Polish people than we

b

I

12/18
1998

10 Detroit Jewish News

