The Federation is proud to announce that in 2009, members of the Young Leadership Division will travel to Poland and Israel to participate for the first time in the March of the Living. The trip will be held from April 19-May 1, 2009.

The March of the Living is an international program that brings 10,000 Jews from around the world to Poland on Yom Ha’ Shoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) to march from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest concentration camp complex built during World War II. After spending a week in Poland and visiting several concentration camps, groups fly to Israel to observe Yom Ha’ Zikaron (Israel Memorial Day) and participate in a second March on Yom Ha'Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day).

For the past 16 years, the Bureau of Jewish Education, a Federation beneficiary agency, has brought a delegation of teenagers halfway across the world to participate in this experience. Now, YLD wants to provide members of the division with the same intensely emotional and educational opportunity.

The Federation has planned several sessions where YLD members who are interested in participating in this once-in-a-lifetime journey can learn more. At the sessions, a preliminary itinerary will be handed out, and a Holocaust survivor who has participated in the March of the Living will speak about his/her experiences on the trip. These sessions are open to all YLD members.

The information sessions are scheduled for September. To learn more about the dates of the sessions or about the March of the Living, please contact Cassie Kirschbaum at (323) 761-8132 or CKirschbaum@JewishLA.org.