Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht (Man Plans, God Laughs)
Posted on 03/18/2022 @ 08:00 AM
Each year, Miami’s March of the Living works tirelessly to provide valuable educational content for each participant. The March is not only a two-week immersive travel experience; it is a six-month program that takes time, dedication, qualified professionals, and resources to achieve.
Our main goal is for March participants to come away from this experience with the knowledge and confidence to continue their Jewish journey with a connection to our collective past and a passion for being an upstander.
We have had three meaningful educational sessions this year. In February, for the first time in two years, participants had the opportunity to join together in person to learn about the history and evolution of antisemitism, propaganda and antisemitsm today.
Some takeaways from after the session highlighted their ability to gain a deeper understanding of Zionism and Antisemitism and that the session really opened their eyes “about the prevalence of antisemitism going on in [their] own backyard”. The teens left the session with a profound level of education and appreciation of what they learned.
In March, the teens met virtually for their third session where they had the opportunity to participate in the Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s Super Sunday and partake in their largest phone-a-thon of the year, raising thousands of dollars for the community in just one day.
They also heard from Holocaust Survivor Allan Hall, who spoke about how he was able to hide in plain sight and shared the importance of having a Jewish state.
Overall, the participants were thrilled that they had the opportunity to meet another Holocaust survivor, ask detailed questions, and become a witness to Allan’s message so that they can share his testimony in the future.
We know that the time the teens have spent in these educational sessions have increased their ability to be compassionate leaders who are proud of their Judaism and more knowledgeable about their past.
However, it is with a heavy heart that the three Florida delegations made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s March of the Living trip portion of the program due to the situation in Ukraine.
Although this year’s March of the Living trip will not take place, we look forward to sharing with our families what the International March of the Living will be doing to commemorate Yom HaShoah virtually as well as what our own Holocaust Memorial on Miami Beach plans locally.
For more information about the Miami March of the Living program please contact us at MiamiMOTL@caje-miami.org.
