This year's event commemorates the 60th anniversary of the allied liberation of Auschwitz, the largest and most prolific of the German extermination camps. The 30-minute march will begin at the gates of Auschwitz and proceed to the entrance of Birkenau, the sister camp to Auschwitz. Birkenau served as the Nazis' largest forced labor camp during the war.

"This delegation is especially significant because it represents the true essence of the March," said Abby Pitkowsky, JDC's Director of Jewish Education, Global Programs. "These are the grandchildren and great grandchildren of people who died in camps, such as Auschwitz, or lived through the horrors of places like Birkenau. Our students are a living testament to the resilience of the Jewish people and the vibrancy of Jewish communities that were slated for annihilation by the Nazi regime."

The JDC group will spend four days in Poland, where members will visit Jewish historic sites as well as meet with contemporary leaders of Poland's reviving Jewish community. From Poland the group will travel to Israel where it will spend eight days. In Israel the students will attend briefings on Israeli history and modern Israeli society and they will talk to representatives from various segments of the Jewish state's diverse population.

"Our goal is to provide a historical lens for the March that encompasses the past, present and future of the Jewish people in Europe and Israel," Pitkowsky said. "By providing this context, we believe that these students will gain a true appreciation for the vital role they play in shaping a pluralistic and thriving global Jewish community. They are at the forefront of Jewish revival in Europe and Asia, and this experience will help them conceptualize exactly what that means."