It had long been a goal of Voices of Hope CT — a non-profit educational organization created by descendant to raise consciousness about the Holocaust and other genocides — to send a delegation to March of The Living. 

The group was slated to go in 2021, but due to the pandemic, had to cancel their trip.  But this year, things changed, and the group of 27 people, mostly from Connecticut, that included descendants of survivors, as well as Andy Sarkany, a Holocaust survivor from New Haven, Voices of Hope board members, Rabbi Zerin of Beth El Temple, Sam Kassow, Voices of Hope educator and historian, and Joel Lohr from Hartford International, embarked on this historic trip.

Held annually on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), March of the Living sets off on its journey by marching from Auschwitz to Birkenau with 10,000 others, mostly students, from 25 countries, in triumph of those who survived and in remembrance of the six million who were murdered. The day following Yo Hashoah, the group heads for Israel for the annual celebration of Israel Independence Day.

The Voices of Hope group left plaques on the train tracks at Auschwitz that carried so many to their deaths at Birkenau to memorialize those who died. 

“Having Andy Sarkany join us on the trip was truly an honor, as he was one of 45 survivors in attendance,” noted Kathy Fishman, executive director of Voices of Hope. “One of the highlights was hearing Andy share his story with 750 students from Panama. They were in awe of his presentation, positivity and the lessons he shared and serenaded him at the end with a rendition of the song Hallelujah.

“For me, as the Executive Director of an organization whose mission is to stand up against hatred through Holocaust and genocide education and remembrance, it was an important, meaningful, educational, life changing trip. Not having a connection to the Holocaust,” said Kathy Fishman, Executive of Voices of Hope. “I witnessed first hand the atrocities that occurred at Auschwitz, Birkenau, Majdanek, Treblinka and the Warsaw Ghetto. 

“Our delegation left with a renewed hope that we will remember and with the promise to continue to share their families’ stories.”

PHOTO: March of the Living

CAP: Andy Sarkay of New Haven (center, red hat) was among a delegation of 27 adults from Connecticut who joined March of the Living in Ma 2023. 

PHOTO: Sarkany and Panamanian students

CAP: Voices of Hope member Andy Sarkany talks about his Holocaust experience to a group of Panamanian high school seniors who were part of this year’s March of the Living