Holocaust Survivor, 98, Sends Message to Jewish Students Amid Campus Antisemitism

TORONTO (VINnews) — A 98-year-old Holocaust survivor is urging Jewish students to embrace their identity and stand together against antisemitism as they return to college campuses for the new academic year.

Nate Leipciger, who survived Auschwitz-Birkenau and several other Nazi concentration camps, is sending a letter and video message to Jewish students around the world through an initiative organized by the International March of the Living.

The message is being distributed Tuesday, Sept. 1, the anniversary of the start of World War II, through Jewish organizations and student groups, including the World Union of Jewish Students, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the World Zionist Organization, IAC on Campus and Students Supporting Israel.

Leipciger was 15 when he and his family were deported by the Nazis from the ghetto to Auschwitz-Birkenau. He was separated from his mother and sister and never saw them again. He survived the camp, a death march and other concentration camps with his father.

For nearly three decades, Leipciger has shared his testimony with younger generations through the International March of the Living.

In his letter, Leipciger tells Jewish students that they should not hide their identity because of hostility directed at them. He encourages students to support classmates who feel isolated or afraid, learn about Jewish history and build relationships with others who oppose antisemitism, racism and discrimination.

Leipciger also distinguishes between criticism of the Israeli government and discrimination against Jewish students because of their identity or connection to Israel.

The initiative comes amid heightened concerns about antisemitism on college campuses since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. Jewish students have reported incidents involving harassment, exclusion and hostility related to their Jewish identity and views on Israel.

Leipciger’s message also follows an incident at the Toronto apartment building where he lives, where mezuzahs were torn from the doors of apartments belonging to elderly Jewish residents, including Holocaust survivors, according to the International March of the Living.

In April, Leipciger took part in the March of the Living for the 22nd time. Organizers said he has accompanied young participants through the program more times than any other Holocaust survivor from the Diaspora.

At 98, he again walked from Auschwitz to Birkenau with thousands of participants, continuing his efforts to educate younger generations about the Holocaust.

Leipciger’s message to Jewish students emphasizes that they should not face antisemitism alone and calls on them to remain connected to their Jewish identity and history.