The Difference between ‘Remembering’ and Remembering to Stand Up

The truth is that when I knew I was going to embark on the March of the Living, I was going to be slightly distracted. You see, I was hired by the March of the Living to help in their Social Media and PR efforts. Although I have been connected to the Jewish community my entire life and have battled Anti-Semitism many times in my life, I thought the work load would certainly distract me. I was wrong…

Alon in his “first tourist picture for this trip”

When I was 15 years old I was harassed by a Neo-Nazi gang out of Woodland Hills California. No matter what happened, and no matter what was reported the Jewish kids that attended this high school were aware of the problems that this gang brought to the school and did nothing. I stood up by myself and was expelled from the entire school district because of it. Due to the law suit that happened I am not at liberty to divulge specific information, but what I can do is provide you with a very watered down article about the situation linked here. Although this experience would take the piss out of the average person, I made it a point to make sure it would never happen again. How you may ask? By acknowledging the fact that there are people who need to be protected and those that must protect.

On the train to Krakow. “Like a Boss”

Going on a March will help to motivate you to remember, but will it motivate you to stand up? Just because we remember doesn’t mean it will never happen, it means we must promise ourselves, and sometimes sacrifice ourselves to make sure it never happens again. I have the battle scares to prove that I stood up, do you?

Alon Aloni is the official Social Media manager for March of the Living 2013. Follow Alon’s LIVE tweeting on behalf of @March_of_Living or on his personal Facebook page