Freed Hostage Agam Berger and Daniel Weiss to Perform Together at the Main March of the Living Ceremony

The October 7 Delegation, led by Menomadin Founder Haim Taib and WZO Chairman Yaakov Hagoel, includes Holocaust survivors, freed hostages & bereaved families

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL, April 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Menomadin Foundation will lead a special delegation of October 7 survivors and bereaved families to the 37th global March of the Living, marking 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz and the end of World War II. The delegation, part of the international Holocaust remembrance event for the second year in a row, includes freed hostages, bereaved families, and residents of Gaza border communities—united under the message: "Never Again is Now."

The March will be led by President of Israel Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog, together with Polish President Andrzej Duda and 80 Holocaust survivors from Israel and around the world.

At the central ceremony in Birkenau, freed hostage Agam Berger will perform with Daniel Weiss, a resident of Kibbutz Be’eri whose parents were murdered on October 7. Berger will play a 130-year-old violin that survived the Holocaust and was brought to Israel.

The October 7 Delegation is an initiative of the Menomadin Foundation, led by its founder and president Haim Taib, in collaboration with the World Zionist Organization, chaired by Yaakov Hagoel, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. The group includes survivors of Hamas captivity, bereaved and hostage families, and residents of communities directly impacted by the October 7 attacks.

Sharon Sharabi, who will march together with his brother, released hostage Eli Sharabi, stated: “It is a great privilege to participate in the March of the Living in Auschwitz this year, and despite the immense emotional and physical difficulty, it will be an important mission to cry out to the entire world the cry of our brothers who remain in Hamas tunnels and to demand that the world uphold its promise of ‘Never Again.’ The lives of Jews are not to be forsaken.”

Haim Taib, founder and president of the Menomadin Foundation: "I’m proud to lead, for the second consecutive year, the delegation of October 7 survivors and heroes to the March of the Living. This year, we will march alongside people who were abducted to Gaza and experienced atrocities not seen in 80 years. NEVER AGAIN IS NOW – this is a message that must echo in every home around the globe. We cannot remain indifferent when we see the parallel lines between the horrors the Jewish people experienced in the Holocaust, the October 7 pogrom, and the terrible days of captivity."

Tzili Wenkert, grandmother of Omer Wenkert, who returned from captivity: "I won twice – once against the Nazis and once against Hamas. I will march in the March of the Living as living proof that the Jewish people survive despite all attempts to destroy us."

Michael Kuperstein, grandfather of Bar Kuperstein, who is held hostage in Gaza: "I’ve lived a very difficult life and survived such hard times. I hear what those who returned are saying about the hostages, and it’s like a second Holocaust. Bar is only 23, just at the beginning of his life, with so much ahead of him. I’m 84, fighting today so that all my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will have better lives. I want all the hostages to return home so we can get our lives back."

Daniel Weiss, who will perform alongside Agam Berger, said: “Standing on the stage at Birkenau is a profound and moving mission for me. Sharing this moment with Agam Berger, as she plays a violin that survived the Holocaust, is a powerful reminder of music’s ability to connect generations, to heal, and to preserve the stories that must never be forgotten.”

Yaakov Hagoel, Chairman of the World Zionist Organization: "As we mark eighty years since the liberation of Auschwitz, we face the memory of the Holocaust not only as a historical legacy but as a moral call to action in the present and a foundation for shaping the future. The delegation of returnees, IDF wounded, and heads of authorities joining the March of the Living on behalf of the World Zionist Organization reflects the strength of the Zionist spirit – the one that rose from the ashes and builds life, society, and state. The presence of the President of the State of Israel and the President of Poland at this event underscores the shared responsibility to preserve memory, fight antisemitism, and educate future generations on the lessons of the past. This is not just a commitment to the memory of the victims – it is a commitment to life. The World Zionist Organization will continue to strengthen Jewish identity and the connection with communities around the world."

Dr. Shmuel Rosenman, Chairman of the International March of the Living: "The horrific events of October 7 and the rise of antisemitism worldwide remind us how important it is to preserve our Jewish and Israeli identity, remember history, and work for a better world free of hatred and antisemitism. We will continue to educate about the Holocaust and to combat antisemitism on all fronts."

Since the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, the Menomadin Foundation – which develops and implements national roadmaps to strengthen Israel’s social and economic resilience – has supported local authorities in the south and north, helping enhance municipal and community recovery efforts.

Participants in the delegation include:

• Tzili Wenkert, grandmother of Omer Wenkert (returned from captivity), who will march alongside her son Shai, Omer’s father.
• Ofer Wiener, father of Yehav Wiener z”l, and son of Holocaust survivor Yosef Wiener, will march with Shaylee Atari, widow of Yehav.
• Agam Berger, freed observer, will march with her mother Merav and twin sister Bar.
• Ori Megidish with her mother Margalit.
• Raaya Rotem, resident of Be’eri and Hamas captivity survivor.
• Malki and Shelly Shem Tov, parents of Omer, a freed hostage.
• Eli Sharabi, who survived Hamas captivity, will march with his brother Sharon in memory of their brother Yossi Sharabi z”l, whose body remains in captivity.
• Faina and Michael Kuperstein, Holocaust survivors and grandparents of hostage Bar Kuperstein.
• Freed hostages: Hagar Brodetz, Meir Almog Jan (marching with his mother), Moran Stella Yanai, Gadi Moses (marching with daughter Moran), Aviva and Keith Siegel (with their daughters), Shiri Weiss, and Chen Goldstein-Almog.
• Reuven and Vered Yablonka, parents of Hanan z”l, murdered on October 7.
• Hanan and Rachel Tzarfati, parents of Ofir Tzarfati z”l, whose body was returned.
• Ilana Aline Atias, mother of Amit Buskila z”l, whose body was returned.
• Nissim and Amit Louk, father and brother of Shani Louk z”l.

As part of its ongoing mission, the Menomadin Foundation will be joined by key partners advancing national recovery and strengthening resilience throughout the war, including Yohanan Mali, Director-General of the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience; Einav Peretz, Head of the Northern District at the Ministry of Interior; Boaz Yosef, Chairman of the Northern District Planning and Building Committee; Dror Lalush, CEO of the Kinneret Valleys Cluster; and Sigal Yaniv Feller, CEO of JFN.

About March of the Living

Each year, thousands of Jewish and non-Jewish youth from around the world march alongside Holocaust survivors, heads of state, ministers, religious leaders, and cultural figures in a profound tribute to memory and resilience. Over 300,000 participants have walked the railway tracks from Auschwitz to Birkenau. For Jewish youth, the March is part of a broader educational journey that concludes in Jerusalem with the March of Independence on Israel’s Independence Day.

Raoul Wootliff
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