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6 Million Steps
Campaign Comes to
Philadelphia HEATHER M. ROSS | STAFF WRITER
I n advance of Yom Hashoah, about
100 people participated on April
24 in a Holocaust memorial walk
dedicated to the 1.5 million children
who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

Walkers wearing white shirts, carry-
ing yellow roses and waving Israeli fl ags
started at the “Rocky” steps outside the
Philadelphia Museum of Art then headed
down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
to the Philadelphia Holocaust Memorial
Plaza. A ceremony there hosted by the
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
culminated the event.

Th e walk was part of the international
6 Million Steps campaign sponsored by
the Israeli American Council. Its goal is to
remember the lives lost in the Holocaust
and build community to combat resur-
gent antisemitism across the globe.

Th e campaign urges people across
the world to dedicate their steps from
their walks to remember those killed.

Since the campaign began on April 1
it has reached more than 30 million
steps, surpassing its goal of 18 million.

Th e IAC has set a goal for each com-
6 Million Steps participants
munity to complete 6 million steps.

Before embarking on the walk,
participants outside the art museum
shared stories of Holocaust survivors,
sang “Eli Eli” by Hannah Szenes and
donned nametag stickers where they
wrote in the names of the people they
were walking to remember.

Szenes was a Hungarian Jewish
World War II resistance fi ghter who
wrote the poem in 1942; the song was
set to music by David Zehavi, an Israeli
composer, in 1945.

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Ella Dotan and Rotem Shcori told the
story of their grandmother, a survivor,
in Hebrew and in English. Th e crowd
listened silently while the girls spoke,
telling their grandmother’s story about
how some members of her family went
one direction and lived while others
were sent the other way at the camp and
were never seen or heard from again.

Participants ranged from babies in
strollers to grandparents. Together,
they each logged more than 5,000 steps.

Many of the attendees were members
of Shevet Paamon, the Israeli Scouts of
Philadelphia. Th e scouts held a program
for children from third to 12th grade
where they discussed the Holocaust.

Th e event also included about 20
people who were visiting from Israel.

“We defi nitely made a mark. We
brought people closer together. We
strengthened our community through
this event,” said Adi Ozery, the regional
director for the IAC.

Ozery and her husband, Boaz,
walked with their three children.

Ozery told her children why they were
walking and why it was so important.

“Th is is our heritage, this is our
history. We say that we remember and
will never forget. We don’t want it to
happen again,” Ozery said.

Ozery, 38, came to Philadelphia with
her family two years ago for her hus-
band’s job. Her family is closely con-
nected to Israel and it was diffi cult to
leave, so she said she aims to bring her
family closer to Israel and its traditions.

Although the event has passed,
would-be participants can still contrib-
ute and remember the Holocaust.

People can walk independently this
month and dedicate their walks online
to contribute their steps. Walkers can
log their steps at 6msteps.org. JE
hross@midatlanticmedia.com 10
APRIL 28, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



COMMUNITY NEWS
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia mobilizes
financial and volunteer resources to address the
communities’ most critical priorities locally, in Israel and
around the world.

E Jewish Federation of Greater
Philadelphia Grantee Makes Big
Impact in Ukraine
Romirowsky, chief strategy and impact officer for the
li Beer first saw 90-year-old Holocaust survivor
Jewish Federation.

Mikhael crying in a refugee soup kitchen at the
Although United Hatzalah is based in Jerusalem,
border of Ukraine and Moldova. The stark real-
Beer and his team have been at the border of Ukraine
ity of running from war again was too much to bear.

and Moldova
since the war in Ukraine erupted. At the
Traveling five days to Kishinev, Moldova, Mikhael
border, the
team provides refugees medical treatment,
was exhausted and at a crossroads as to what to do next.

shelter and
food and secures entry permits to Israel
“I told him we’d bring him to Israel,” said Beer,
before flying
refugees for aliyah.

president of United Hatzalah of Israel. “But he was
“Our mission
is to
make sure Israel is safe, but now,
hesitant.” we
cannot stand
by the
sidelines watching this horrible
Despite having family in Israel, Mikhael did not own
human disaster
take place
and not
help,” Beer reflected.

a passport. He also had never left Ukraine.

United Hatzalah of Israel President Eli Beer meets
In the
first three
weeks of
the war alone, United
But Beer didn’t give up. After a phone call with Mikhael, 90-year-old Holocaust survivor from
Hatzalah provided
medical assistance
to more than
Mikhael’s family, spirits rose, and the necessary entry Ukraine.
Courtesy of United Hatzalah
5,000 people,
served more
than 40,000
hot meals and
permits were filed for Israel. The morning after their
helped approximately
1,700 refugees
travel to
Israel. meeting, Mikhael began the journey to Israel with 160 other refugees.

“We are proud to partner with an agency that goes above and beyond when
Similar to Beer’s first encounter, Mikhael was again crying, but now they were
circumstances call for it,” Romirowsky said.

tears of joy as he made his journey to safety.

Now in the second month of war, United Hatzalah and 34 other NGOs have
United Hatzalah has a three-year grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater
Philadelphia, which it uses to train volunteers to save lives in Israel’s southern secured additional funding from the Jewish Federation system’s emergency
region. It is the largest independent, nonprofit and entirely volunteer Emergency response efforts. As of April 18, $50 million has been raised for humanitarian aid
Medical Service organization based in Jerusalem, and is the first on the scene in for Ukrainian residents and refugees. As the war rages on, this additional funding
an emergency when time matters most.

will support and expand United Hatzalah’s lifesaving work.

“It is encouraging to see our local community coming together as part of the
The Jewish Federation supports many organizations, like United Hatzalah, as
part of its ongoing commitment to create deep connections in Israel to ensure national effort within the Federation system, giving generously in support of our
Ukrainian Jewish brothers and sisters,” said Adam E. Laver, chair of the local
safety, security and prosperity.

“Helping fellow brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world in their Jewish Federation’s Emergency Response Committee. “Dollars received from our
time of need, United Hatzalah embodies the qualities that we look for in a part- Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia contributors are supporting organiza-
ner as we work toward our pillars of security and resilience in Israel,” said Kelly tions that are saving lives each and every day.”
The Federation system has raised
$50 million to support refugees
and Jewish communities in Ukraine
and bordering countries during
their time of need.

Funds have been directed to partner agencies such as The Jewish Agency
For Israel, The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, World ORT,
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), Hillel International, The Israel Trauma
Coalition, JCC Krakow, United Hatzalah, and more.

12,100 refugees fed and housed
7,000 refugees received on-the-ground support in Ukraine
5,500+ Jewish Ukrainian refugees arrived in Israel
7,800 beds rented
55,000+ answered calls through various hotlines
20,500 Jewish elderly and children relied on funds
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 11