Six contest winners will be recognized in person at the Community Holocaust Commemoration ‘Yom HaShoah’ at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall on Sunday, April 16 at 2 pm. They will also receive airfare for a trip to the U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, in November. The contest and community event are sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP). JCRC is supported in the essay contest   by Facing History and Ourselves. The DC trip is underwritten by New England Friends of March of the Living (NEF MOTL).

Essays must be 400-800 words on the theme ‘Remembering Our Past, Meeting this Moment, Ensuring Our Future.’ Entries will be judged on originality, knowledge, style, and depth. The entry deadline is March 3.

Organizers say the lessons from the Holocaust are important to combat the recent rise in prejudice, hate crimes and violence The contest is a tribute to ‘Izzy’ Arbeiter, who died in 2021 at age 96. Most of his family was murdered by the Nazis during World War II. After resettling in Boston, Izzy devoted over half a century to teaching younger generations about his life, origins of antis-Semitism, and prejudice. During presentations, he often rolled up his sleeve to show audiences the prisoner ID number forever tattooed on his arm. Izzy was president of the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston and helped to plan Boston’s Holocaust Memorial at Faneuil Hall.

Follow this link to view essay contest rules: https://jcrc.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023_YH_EssayFlyer-FINAL.pdf

Irv Kempner, President/CEO of New England Friends of March of the Living, says the nonprofit raises funds to support scholarships for New England teens who wish to participate in future March of the Living heritage trips to Poland and Israel. The educational trip annually attracts some 10,000 high schoolers from 50 countries. For more about MOTL, teen trip stipends, tax-deductible donations, and NEF MOTL, visit www.motlnewengland.org/