An Evening of Legacy: Honoring the Voices That Must Be Heard
Posted on 03/28/2025 @ 06:00 AM
Last week, CAJE’s Miami Leo Martin March of the Living hosted An Evening of Legacy — a gathering created with one powerful goal: to raise the necessary funds to bring Holocaust Survivors to Poland so they can share their testimonies directly with community teens.
More than just a fundraiser, the event highlighted the power of memory, testimony, and generational responsibility, reminding us all why this mission matters now more than ever.
Central to the evening was a stunning visual exhibition by Laszlo Selly, both a Holocaust Survivor and photographer, who captured intimate portraits of fellow Survivors.
His images anchored the space in living memory.
The portraits of Survivors gave a face to history and honored those who continue to share their stories with courage and grace, as well as those who are no longer able to do so.
Not everyone photographed is still with us, and this exhibition served as a tribute to their lives, resilience, and legacy.
Some of those Survivors will be traveling with Miami community teens on the March from April 21–30, bearing witness in the very places where the Holocaust unfolded.
As the number of Survivors able to make the journey to Poland grows smaller each year, the evening also underscored the growing importance of Second - and Third - Generation (2G and 3G) descendants.
Their voices, woven together with Survivor testimony, ensure that future generations of teens hear not only the facts of history but also its emotional and spiritual imprint.
As Marian Kruss, Chair of the March of the Living Committee, expressed:
“Ensuring Holocaust Survivors join the March is crucial for our teens. They are the heart of the March. For as long as Survivors are willing to take on this difficult journey, it is our responsibility to bring them— with dignity, with care, and with the respect they deserve. This event reinforced the urgency of our mission, and I am grateful for and appreciative of the community's support and the incredible team who put this together.”
The Leo Martin March of the Living is not simply a trip.
It is an immersive, transformational journey where memory is brought to life through story, presence, and place.
An Evening of Legacy reminded us that the past is not behind us. It walks with us— and it must be carried forward.
This vital work does not end with one evening.
With your continued support, we can ensure that Survivors and their descendants continue to share their stories, inspiring teens and shaping a more compassionate, informed Jewish future.
To learn more about the March of the Living and support these efforts, visit: caje-miami.org/teens/miamimotl. Follow the March of the Living journey (April 21-30) @MiamiMOTL on Facebook and Instagram... don't forget to ❤ and share!
