Holocaust survivors, tech leaders and March of the Living executives marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27 through a series of central commemorative events in New York, including a special session at the U.N. General Assembly and a closing bell ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange, bringing remembrance and responsibility to two of the world’s most influential institutions.
Holocaust survivor Sara Weinstein, 90, a Polish-born Israeli citizen, addressed the U.N. General Assembly in a special session held at U.N. headquarters in New York City in the presence of the U.N. Secretary-General, at the invitation of Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon. In her address, Weinstein recounted her childhood during the Holocaust, from her deportation to the ghetto and hiding with a Righteous Among the Nations, through the murder of her mother before her eyes while protecting her, the severe injuries she sustained, and her years of survival in the forests under conditions of hunger and extreme cold. Her father was murdered near the end of the war, and she was left orphaned, together with her brothers and sisters.
Weinstein warned of the resurgence of antisemitism worldwide, saying: “Antisemitism is raising its head, Jews are being attacked, and the world is silent. We must not accept a reality in which a Jew is forced to hide their identity, in which synagogues are burned, and in which words of hatred turn into acts of violence. Hatred and incitement spread like fire, burning everything we hold dear: compassion, justice, trust and peace. From here, I call on every person, everywhere: Stand up to hatred. Do not remain silent.”
From the podium at the United Nations, Weinstein also addressed the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, saying: “I never believed I would see again in my lifetime children fleeing a burning home, as I once did, after their parents were murdered before their eyes. I never believed I would hear of Jews bound in chains, imprisoned in underground cages, without air and without light, in terrible darkness, starved and subjected to physical and psychological abuse. The greatest nightmares of us Holocaust survivors returned to us. Only yesterday, when the last of the hostages returned to us, I was finally able to breathe again. And for the first time in a decade, there are no Israeli hostages in Gaza. The great wound that was torn open in my beloved country will begin to heal and recover.”
Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, stated: “As we mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jewish people continue to be attacked and hatred continues to spread throughout the world. ‘Never Again’ is not just a slogan. It must be a call to action in the real fight against anti-Semitism and violence against Jews. Sara Weinstein’s testimony is a living reminder of the heavy price of the world’s silence and of the moral obligation not to be silent again.”
Later in the day, four Holocaust survivors rang the closing bell from the balcony of the New York Stock Exchange: Nate Leipziger, 97, from Canada; Celia Kenner, 90, from New York; Eva Kuper, 85, from Canada; and Weinstein. They were joined by tech leaders and executives from the March of the Living. The four survivors will take part in this year’s March of the Living in Poland on Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 14, as part of a global delegation of 81 Holocaust survivors from Israel and around the world.
Convened by the high-tech delegation to the March of the Living, the ceremony marked the close of global trading on this year’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day, bringing memory and responsibility to one of the world’s most influential fiscal institutions. The collaboration followed last year’s march, when the tech sector committed to enabling the participation of the largest survivor delegation to date.
This coming April, leaders and employees from across the high-tech ecosystem will march alongside survivors, together with as many as 200 representatives from the sector.
Participating companies include Fiverr, Wix, Matrix, JFrog, Monday.com, Riskified, NEWERA, Papaya Global, Check Point, Pitango, CrazyLabs, Claroty, Ctera, Minute Media, Bringg, Qumra Capital, Glilot Capital, PICO Venture Partners, Merit Spread Foundation, NextGen philanthropic, ELAL, TLV Partners, Adir and Israeli Mapped In NY.
Micha Kaufman, founder and CEO of Fiverr, said that “standing alongside the dear survivors on the balcony of the New York Stock Exchange, the heart of the global economy, is a historic, emotional and extraordinary moment. As they ring the trading bell for the first time in their lives, the survivors deliver a human and universal message about resilience, compassion and courage. This year, survivors and high-tech professionals will march together in Auschwitz for the second time in an especially large delegation, as a demonstration of strength and renewal to the world. High-tech embraces this memory not as a symbol, but as a commitment to shaping a future that connects values with action and responsibility.”
At the event, Holocaust survivor Eva Kuper said to the high-tech leaders: “It is a privilege to be here with you today, with the leadership of the high-tech industry. The fact that we are here today—at the New York Stock Exchange—is meaningful and historic. It is only in partnership, only with leaders like you, that we can assume the responsibility of carrying the torch of the survivors, those like us who are with you today, and the thousands who are sadly no longer with us, forward to the future. I anticipate, with hope, seeing many of you marching alongside the survivors at the March of the Living 2026.”
Revital Yakin Krakovsky, CEO March of the Living Israel, said: “The March of the Living is a march of strength and victory, and Israeli high-tech companies represent this spirit more than anyone. Holocaust survivors are becoming fewer; our duty is to listen to them, and our responsibility is to carry their stories forward to future generations. This is the mission of the March of the Living. Today’s events at the U.N. and the New York Stock Exchange are an expression of commitment and responsibility for Holocaust remembrance for future generations.”
