On November 10, the first March of Life on Italian soil took place in Merano (South Tyrol) to mark the anniversary of the 1938 pogrom night. The event was organized by Christian Hartmann from South Tyrol. The goal of the march was to send a strong signal against anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel and to express solidarity with the Jewish community in Merano and worldwide.
The event began at Pfarrplatz in Merano, where around 70 participants from all over Tyrol gathered. From there, the participants, including members of the Jewish community of Merano, who were very grateful for the support and the clear signal against anti-Semitism, marched to the synagogue in Merano. The closing event took place in the old synagogue and was characterized by gratitude and mutual appreciation.
In her speech, Elischeva Rossi Borenstein, President of the Jewish community of Merano, expressed her gratitude to the organizers. She emphasized how important such signs of solidarity and remembrance are for the Jewish community, especially in view of the growing anti-Semitism of today. The highlight of the evening was the El Male Rachamim, a prayer for the souls of the victims of persecution, sung by the cantor of the Jewish community. This gesture, deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, touched many of those present and underlined the importance of remembrance during the march.
Merano pastor Timm Harder gave a powerful speech in which he clearly spoke out against “replacement theology” in the church – a theological doctrine that denies the fact that Israel is chosen. Harder emphasized that Christians should honor the Jewish people and Israel, as they are God’s chosen people in the biblical sense, and provided a theological rationale for the importance of valuing Israel.
In his speech, Ari Bittner, representative of the March of Life movement, called on people to no longer keep silent about anti-Semitism in their own families and emphasized the need to speak openly about the guilt of National Socialism and to face up to the truth. Anna Rager reported on how her own family was involved in crimes against Jews during National Socialism. She expressed her shock at her grandfathers’ history of guilt and how important it was to take personal responsibility and tell the story. Together with Kim Kasch, she concluded by singing the song “Am Yisrael Chai” as a declaration of Israel’s and the Jewish people’s right to exist.
The first March of Life in Merano marked an important event in South Tyrol and sent a clear signal against hostility towards Jews and hatred of Israel in Italy. The participation and speeches underlined the solidarity with the Jewish community and emphasized the importance of remembrance, reconciliation and a voice for Israel. Further marches are planned in Italy. Just one month later, on December 15, the March of Life will take place in Vo near Padua.
