The traditional March of the Living will set out today (Thursday) from Auschwitz to Birkenau at 14:00 and is expected to last about two and a half hours. This year, 8,000 participants are taking part in the march, including Holocaust survivors, survivors of the October 7 massacre, freed hostages with their families, and bereaved families.
Eighty Holocaust survivors from around the world—approximately 40 of them from Israel—will participate in this year’s event. Leading the march will be Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal, alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda. Also attending will be Merrill Eisenhower, the great-grandson of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who commanded the liberation of the camp in the final days of World War II.
Delegation of Former Hostages
Joining them will be a special delegation of dozens of former hostages and their families—including Eli Sharabi, who was freed from Hamas captivity and flew out this morning to participate, accompanied by his brother Sharon.
At the conclusion of the march, a central ceremony will take place. Appearing on stage will be Daniel Weiss, a resident of Kibbutz Be’eri whose parents were murdered on October 7, together with Agam Berger, a freed hostage. Agam is scheduled to perform on a 130-year-old violin that survived the Holocaust in Europe and was later brought to Israel.
