Atlanta Cyclists Ride for the Living in Krakow

Traveling more than 5,000 miles to reach Krakow, Poland, a group of 11 Jewish Atlantans participated in the city’s annual Ride for the Living, a four-day event that enables participants to immerse themselves in Krakow’s Jewish past, present and future while raising money to support the resurgence of Jewish life in Poland. The event is sponsored by the JCC Krakow.

The Atlanta group of cyclists was assembled by Marcia and Mark Miller. Marcia Miller had been to Poland a few times, including a five-day tour in February 2020, and she had dreamed of returning soon afterward. The pandemic hit and her plans were delayed; but return she did – and this time with a group of 10 friends accompanying her.

Attending this summer’s RFTL with the Millers were Eric Robbins, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, and his daughter, Sasha; Cherie and Gary Aviv; Deborah and Lou Jacobs; Shelley and Bruce Gaynes; and Ryan Kaplan, who had worked at the JCC Krakow as the director of RFTL. Trekking 60 miles – from the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau to the JCC Krakow – the group was touched immensely by the experience.

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(From left) Survivors Marcel Zielinski and Bernard Offen with Jonathan Ornstein speak to cyclists at Auschwitz before ride commences // Photo Credit: JCC Krakow

“We saw the four-day event — the bike ride and all the activities associated with it — as an opportunity for us as Jewish people to help others when the world largely did not help us. I have a hard time understanding the evil that causes people to do what they did. I ask myself how we stop the genocide that keeps happening to different people at different times,” said Miller.

Certainly, the group was moved by the large numbers of Ukrainian refugees in Krakow that were being helped by the Krakow JCC. “I went into a room at the JCC filled with food, baby strollers and clothes. I saw the refugees being helped by the efforts of the JCC and the Krakow community. The fallout from the war was literally in front of us as we encountered the Ukrainian people who had arrived in Poland with almost nothing and yet were being aided by this community, regardless of their religion,” said Cherie Aviv.

The four-day event began with a trip to Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau, where the group had a private tour and said Kaddish. Prior to World War II, there were 70,000 Jewish people in Krakow. Today, the Jewish community numbers about 2,000.

People gather in front of “Free Store” at JCC Krakow. The sign reads “Welcome” in Ukrainian and has been up since Feb. 24, 2022. Food, baby equipment, clothing and other supplies are provided to Ukrainian refugees for free here // Photo Credit: JCC Krakow

“Jewish life in Poland did not end in Auschwitz. There are Jewish people who hid their identities during Communism and are now part of our vibrant community. There are many younger people, in fact, who have found out they are Jewish and now embrace their Jewishness wholeheartedly,” said Jonathan Ornstein, CEO of the JCC Krakow.

The Friday bike ride, with about 200 cyclists participating, was led by two Holocaust survivors, Marcel Zielinski, 88, and Bernard Offen, 94. The ride retraces the route taken by Zielinski, then 10 years old, when he was liberated from Auschwitz in 1945. Later that night, a festive and memorable Shabbat dinner was held in conjunction with the Jewish Culture Festival and attended by 700 people, including the cyclists, survivors, volunteers, and members of the Krakow community.

On Saturday, the group took part in educational experiences, lectures, and tours to learn about Jewish life in Krakow before and during the war. That evening, attendees participated in a Havdalah ceremony, and many attended an open-air concert featuring headlining acts from the Jewish Culture Festival, which was happening concurrently in Krakow. There was also a pre-screening of the feature documentary, “For the Living.”

Held in conjunction with the Jewish Culture Festival, Shabbat for 700 included cyclists, volunteers, and members of the Krakow community // Photo Credit: JCC Krakow

On Sunday, the official opening of the Senior Club Kitchen was held at the JCC Krakow. Funded by the Marcia and Mark Miller Family Foundation, Ornstein spoke about the ongoing involvement and generosity the Millers have shown for the Krakow survivor community. “The Senior Club is the heart of our community, and the kitchen is where it all happens. It’s the place people go to share meals and stories. The survivors bring their children and grandchildren. This gift is already transforming their lives,” emphasized Ornstein.

Robbins is especially interested in the work being done in Krakow and pointed out the long history of the Jews in Poland. He and his daughter, Sasha, were especially moved by the experience with RFTL.

Robbins would like to gather a group of Atlantans to head back to Krakow for a future ride. In late January 2024, Robbins will return to Poland and Israel with many of Atlanta’s senior rabbis and leaders of Jewish organizations under the auspices of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta and the Jewish Federation.

Following the trip’s conclusion, Cherie Aviv told the story of carefully unwrapping a cherished memento she had brought back to Atlanta from her trip. During her visit, she visited the Krakow Jewish Museum and purchased a necklace she will treasure forever. Though simple, the Jewish star will forever be a reminder of Krakow – its past, present, and future.