From February 14 to 16, 2025, the 10th March of Life Conference took place at the TOS Community and Conference Center in Tübingen under the motto “Unwavering. For Jewish Life and Israel”. Organizers, supporters and people interested in the March from over 25 nations came together to be inspired against antisemitism and to network for the coming season.
The conference began on Friday evening with a report by Ilan Dalal, father of Guy Dala-Gilboa, who was taken hostage by the terrorist organization Hamas on October 7. With pictures and videos, he reported on the terrible events of October 7. Ilan Dalal’s report was a stirring and groundbreaking prelude to the conference.
The weekend was filled with lectures, seminars and personal testimonies. Jobst Bittner, founder and president of the March of Life Movement, spoke in the morning about the roots of antisemitism and the need to take to the streets for Israel and raise our voices publicly. “We can only fight antisemitism if we come to terms with our family history,” was just one of the central statements that would characterize the entire conference.
In the afternoon, activist and freelance journalist Sarah Maria Sander spoke about the bias of public media in Germany and antisemitism on social networks. A special highlight was the Night to Honor Israel. In addition to special artistic contributions such as that of Bar Zemach, solo horn and shofar player in the West Divan Orchestra, Gita Koifmann, Holocaust survivor from Israel, reported on her harrowing experiences during the Shoa, but also on the terrible consequences of October 7: “I survived the Holocaust, and my husband and I have lived through all the wars in Israel, but the one on October 7 is the worst.
Finally, the new motto of the March of Life 2025 was published: “We will not be silent! For Israel and against Antisemitism”. A special day ended with this call to become active together for Israel and to organize March of Life marches ourselves.
Michel Gourary, European Director of the March of the Living, thanked the participants on Sunday morning: “You have the courage to stand up and raise your voices against antisemitism and for Israel. I bow to you as the courageous among the nations. A panel discussion with Ilan Dalal, Aniella Goldberg from Metulla in northern Israel, and Igal Even-Ziv, Director of the Israeli March of Life, spoke about the difficult situation in Israel, but also about the hopes of Israelis for the future. Igal Even-Ziv concluded by inviting the conference participants to come to Israel this year for the March of Nations: “We need you. We need all of you. You can do it. Come to Israel in May!
Participants left the conference with a renewed determination to take action and set an example against antisemitism in their cities. The 10th March of Life conference thus became a powerful impulse to stand up fearlessly for Jewish life and Israel.
