The Triumph Of Life

Local BBG members share emotional experience

of touring sites ofJewish destruction in Poland.

Editor's Note: The following stories were written
by Emily Feldman and Maggie Lee, two
Michigan participants on the April 7-21 March
of the Living. They joined with 26 other mem-
bers of the worldwide B'nai B'rith Youth
Organization on the international, educational

program. MOTL brings Jewish teens to Poland
to view the death camps of the Holocaust, culmi-
nating with a tour of Israel. Because of the cur-
rent situation in Israel, MOTL, for the first
time, brought the teens to see Jewish sites in
Spain.

Feeling Closer To The Jewish People

because we were doing it together.
y experiences on the March of the
Before a tear ever reached my chin,
Living are incredibly hard to put into
someone
was there to comfort me.
words.
These
amazing
people I met helped me
As a whole, this trip changed my
learn
the
qualities
of compassion and
life. I have a new outlook on everything that I do. I
respect.
I
carry
myself
with a little _
have learned to recognize the important things in
more
dignity
and
pride
for who I am
life and try not to dwell on the trivial. I want to
and
what
I
am
capable
of
accomplish-
have time in my life to hug and kiss my family, even
ing.
I
have
learned
that
I
have
a pur-
if it means staying up an hour later to finish my
pose
in
life
and
that
life
is
a
blessing.
homework.
On the first day we arrived in Poland,
I have so much more pride in myself now as a
we
immediately went to Birkenau, a
Jew. My people have endured such hard times, and
former
German death camp. The next
the fact that they kept their dignity through it all
day
was
our actual "march of the liv-
swells my soul with pride. We resisted as much as
ing,"
from
Auschwitz to Birkenau. The
we could and did not go like sheep to the
third camp we visited was
slaughter. We kept our dignity and tried
Treblinka.
to destroy what was destroying us, in any
On the actual march;
way we could.
there
was an ocean of blue
I felt a connection with both the past
jackets
and Israeli flag. I
and present-day worldwide Jewish com-
marched
holding tears
munity. In less than two weeks, I had the
inside,
but
with a sense of
opportunity to meet with Jews from all
pride
in
my
people. I
over the world. I shared prayers with
looked
around
and realized
Emily Feldman places a personal marker about the
them. I shared tears with them. Together,
that
surrounding
me were
importance of remembering the Holocaust on train tracks at
we remembered our past, while looking
the people with whom I am
Birkenau, a former German death camp in Poland
toward our future. We were all united to
going to build the future.
walk on the March of the Living, and
We
must build it with better
that by itself is an incredibly beautiful
EM ILY
understanding
of differences and peace. me shudder. Another aspect of Maidanek that
thing. Our lives are vastly different, but
FELD MAN
affected me was the Mausoleum. It's an enormous
We
must
be
the
witnesses. As the
two things unite us. We are Jewish and
Spec ial to
circle memorial with 17 tons of ashes displayed
Holocaust
survivors
die,
we
are
the
we remember.
the Jew ish News
— 68,000 people. The ashes were disgusting and
ones
who
will
keep
their
stories
alive
This experience really inspired me to
it was hard for my eyes to see.
and I believe that is one of the most
make Judaism a larger part of my life.
Half of this trip is about educating those who
important
things
that
I
can
do
after
this
trip.
I have decided to put my Judaism at a much
did
not see what I did. My goal is to educate as
The last concentration camp we visited was
higher priority in my life. I am filled with questions
many
as I possibly can and I sincerely hope I have
Maidanek. Touring this camp was, by far, the
and I have a growing thirst to know about my her-
the opportunity to speak as much as I am able.
most
emotional
experience
for
most
of
my
group
itage.
The places where I stood will be etched in my
and is the hardest for me to talk about. Maidanek
The people that I shared this experience with
mind forever. I am the reality of what evil tried to
just
made
it
all
tangible.
There
were
many
shoes
became my family. It eased some of the pain
destroy. If revenge is possible, we are it — the liv-
[of Jews who died] at Auschwitz, but so many
ing Jewish community of the world. As I remem-
more shoes at Maidanek. It overwhelmed me.
Emily Feldman, 16, of West Bloomfield is a student at
ber my ancestors' strength and courage, I feel a
Tears just flowed and I can't put my finger on
West Bloomfield High School. She is a member of
why. It was so dark and I could feel the shoes sur- connection and swell with pride. I am an
Savage BBG and Temple Israel.
rounding me. Just thinking about that now makes American Jew and I will never forget. 0

ill

5/24
2002

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