March of Remembrance Dallas says "Not On Our Watch" in response to anti-Semitism

DALLAS, Jan. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In 1933, over nine million Jews lived in Europe, working hard and raising families in the harsh reality of the worldwide economic depression. By May of 1945, the number alarmingly fell to three million.

Following Adolf Hitler's appointment as German chancellor on January 30, 1933, the road from persecution to genocide was paved with the lives of six million Jewish men, women, and children. That the Third Reich and their collaborators had murdered two-thirds of the population of European Jews as part of a systematic "Final Solution" was horrific— that a nation of people and much of the world for that matter stood by silently while the atrocities were being committed was incomprehensible.

As the horrifying images of what the Allied troops discovered when they entered the concentration camps began to spread throughout the world, it became a time of collective mourning.

Yet living amongst the stench of death and destruction, amongst the piles of corpses, bones, and human ashes, soldiers also found thousands of survivors—Jews and non-Jews alike—suffering from starvation, disease, and memories that would leave a genetic footprint and pass between generations.

For those who survived the Holocaust, the journey to rebuild their lives was daunting; it was also a testimony to the power of faith, and the strength of spirit.

The March of Life began as an initiative of Jobst and Charlotte Bittner and the Evangelical Free TOS Ministries in Tübingen, Germany, as a German-Christian response to the Holocaust. Together with descendants of members of the German armed forces, police, and the SS (Nazi political soldiers), they organized memorial and reconciliation marches in locations significant to the Holocaust in Europe, as well as in locations around the world.

The March of Life was brought to the US in 2007, giving birth to March of Remembrance.

Since then, Marches of Remembrance are being held around the world in more than 20 nations and over 400 cities and towns and have grown to become a worldwide movement.

As organizations around the country partner with March of Remembrance, people from all walks of life come together with a common goal; to remember the Holocaust, stand against anti-Semitism and hate, and reconcile with the Jewish community during the month of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). A time when tens of thousands of people around the world join together with one voice—one heart—and one collective goal; to honor, educate, remember, and engage.

March of Remembrance Dallas is the local chapter of this international organization, partnering with Hillel and several other departments from SMU. We invite you to join the march on Sunday, April 19, 2020, as we come together on the campus of Southern Methodist University to host this powerful, often life-changing event. The day will include a ceremony, music, a peaceful march around campus, and a closing ceremony with dignitaries, World War II Veterans, Holocaust survivors, and repentant Nazi descendants.

March of Remembrance is not a political statement, a rally, or a publicity stunt. We march to honor the Holocaust survivors and their descendants and let their voices be heard and their stories told. It is not a platform for publicity to promote an agenda on the part of any person or organization and is no platform for proselytizing. We march to remember those who were lost and those who were brave enough to stand up against the horror, raise their voices, and act. We march to educate a generation that despite the overwhelming documentation of the reality of the Holocaust, there are many who deny it even happened or claim that the reports were exaggerated. And we march to engage with our local communities as we take to the streets in peaceful assembly, and collectively raise our voices against today's antisemitism, hatred and any form of racism, motivating people all over the globe to take a stand and speak out.

"I've experienced the power of incredible unity as people of all ages from different religions and ethnicities come together for the basic human right to exist," said Dr. Victoria Sarvadi, Author, Hebraic Theologian, and Executive Director of the Dallas chapter of March of Remembrance. "We're also excited to be offering several scholarships, within participating departments, to current SMU students who take part in this event," she added. "We invite individuals, families, congregations, clubs, bible study groups, home groups and communities to join the event as we raise our voices together for remembrance, reconciliation, and friendship. A special day that will change the way you view tradition, history, and the power of the human spirit."

Save-the Date
Sunday, April 19, 2020

The Mack Ballroom at Southern Methodist University (SMU)
3300 Dyer Street
Dallas, TX 75205

Check-in starts at 1:00 PM, and the event is from 2:00 - 5:00 PM

To register and get more information and ways you can donate, visit:
https://thebethanycenter.org/2020-march-of-remembrance-dallas

SOURCE March of Remembrance Dallas