Chaperone the Toronto March of the Living

Be a chaperone on a March of the Living journey and have a direct impact on the participants.

Do you have experience in formal/informal education and leadership of teenagers/young adults? Do you want to be more involved in the Jewish community and Holocaust awareness and education?

We are looking for chaperones, doctors, nurses, musicians, and spiritual leaders of all denominations and ages. Chaperones pay the cost of the program and receive a tax receipt.

“My experience as a chaperone educated me, inspired me, and provided me with a sense of fulfillment—and I have all the amazing participants, survivors, co-chaperones, and staff to thank for that.”

- Michelle Tsesler, 2019 March of the Living chaperone

Trip Details

Join thousands of people from all over the world to experience March of the Living. Walk the three kilometres from Auschwitz to Birkenau on Yom HaShoah in honour of those who survived and in memory of those who perished. Mourn with Israel on Yom HaZikaron and celebrate with Israel on Yom Ha’Atzmaut. Participants will meet with Polish students to engage in a dialogue around Holocaust remembrance and commemoration, as well as hear stories of Righteous Among the Nations, who inspire tremendous courage.

PRE-TRIP

Students are required to attend several educational seminars and a Shabbaton specifically created for the March of the Living Canada. These sessions are designed to equip participants with basic knowledge and background on the Holocaust and Israel prior to their departure. Key themes include Jewish life before the war, the history of antisemitism and Nazism, the Final Solution, Zionism and the State of Israel, Israeli peoplehood, as well as life as a Jewish person living in the Diaspora.

TRIP: PART TWO (ISRAEL)

The second part of the trip takes place in Israel, where participants will celebrate the establishment and the survival of the Jewish State through the lens of Holocaust education. Participants will take part in many national and international events organized specifically for the March of the Living. On Yom HaZikaron—Israel’s Remembrance Day—students will attend ceremonies honouring Israel’s soldiers who gave their lives in defense of their country. The next evening, Yom Ha’aztmaut, will include an incredible party to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel.

TRIP: PART ONE (POLAND)

The first part of the trip takes place in Poland and includes visits to several Polish cities and villages that were once vibrant centres of Jewish life, including Warsaw, Krakow, and Lublin. Participants will visit the concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Majdanek, and Treblinka, where much of European Jewry was annihilated. The experience in Poland will be marked by special observances, including the March of the Living itself on Yom HaShoah. While this part of the trip is incredibly emotional, there will also be moments of hope. Students will meet with a new generation of Polish Jews who are committed to keeping Judaism alive, as well as some Righteous Among the Nations, whose stories inspire tremendous courage.

There is an educator, UJA staff, and security on each bus for the entire duration of the program.

Eligibility & Cost:

Chaperones pay the cost of the program and receive a tax receipt.

Chaperones must submit a completed application and interview to be considered for the program. Interviews for chaperones will be conducted on a rolling basis.

Chaperones must be able to make a personal time commitment for MOL programs

Qualities:

Ability to facilitate program and discussions with a sense of open mindedness
Demonstrated involvement in the Jewish community
Passion for Holocaust awareness and education
Strong interpersonal skills, including communication and mediation
Ability to maintain a positive attitude and work ethic on little sleep
Willingness to put the collective interest above your own

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto Israel Engagement

Chaperone the Toronto March of the Living