ASHER led a deeply meaningful journey through Poland, bringing together a group from across generations to bear witness and strengthen our shared responsibility to Holocaust education and remembrance.
Over four powerful days in Krakow, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Kielce, Warsaw, and Treblinka, our delegation, guided by our Jewish Agency senior emissary Adi Farkash, walked through places where Jewish life once flourished, where unimaginable loss occurred, and where the enduring strength of the Jewish spirit continues to resonate.
Our journey began in Krakow’s historic Jewish Quarter, where centuries of vibrant Jewish life were remembered through visits to synagogues, cemeteries, and community landmarks. That evening, we joined the official March of the Living Yom HaShoah ceremony, entering the week with reflection and unity.
On Yom HaShoah, our delegation came together in Auschwitz to hear stories and reflections from Tova Friedman, one of the youngest survivors of the camp, about her time spent there, as well as a visit through the museum’s striking and powerful exhibits. Later that day, we marched from Auschwitz to Birkenau alongside Holocaust survivors and Jewish communities from around the world in the annual March of the Living. The experience was emotional and deeply personal, serving as powerful reminder that remembrance is not passive, but an active commitment to preserving truth.
Throughout the mission, we encountered stories of courage, resilience, resistance, and survival. In Kielce and Warsaw, the group explored both the devastation and perseverance of Jewish life after the Holocaust, including meaningful visits to the Nożyk Synagogue, Mila 18, and the Rapoport Memorial. Conversations, reflections, and shared moments throughout the trip fostered profound connection among participants and reinforced the importance of carrying these stories forward.
The journey concluded at Treblinka, where participants gathered in reflection at one of the most solemn memorial sites in the world. Standing together in silence, many expressed the weight of what had been witnessed over the course of the mission sharing grief for what was lost, gratitude for the survivors who continue to share their testimony, and renewed responsibility to combat antisemitism and hatred in all forms.
This mission was not only an educational experience, but a transformational one. Together, the ASHER delegation returned home with strengthened bonds, a deeper understanding, and a shared commitment to preserving stories from the Holocaust.
We are profoundly grateful to all who joined us on this journey and to the survivors and partners who helped guide these meaningful experiences. Their voices and stories will continue to inspire our work long after the journey has ended.
