New England Friends of March of the Living is proud to present Aaron L. Kischel, New England Director of March of the Living, with the Stephan Ross Excellence in Holocaust Education Award. A dedicated leader and educator, Aaron has spent his life strengthening Jewish identity and Holocaust awareness.

“In my five decades in Jewish education, I have not seen a program better designed to solidify teen attachment to their history and heritage than March of the Living. Through MOTL, participants gain a deeper understanding of the need to ensure a strong Israel, to see what the young State of Israel has created from the desert, out of the ashes of the Holocaust. With so much misinformation and anti-Israel propaganda on college campuses today, this firsthand experience has an emotional effect that lasts a lifetime and builds leaders for the next generation.” -Aaron Kischel

Aaron’s impact is profound—serving over 45 years with the New England Region of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, leading youth and adult trips to Poland, Israel, and Cuba. His leadership extends to numerous organizations, including the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, the Jewish Youth Directors Association (which he founded), and the Boston-Haifa Connection. Honored for his lifetime achievements, he continues to inspire future generations.

Those who have traveled with Aaron on March of the Living best capture the impact of his leadership.

"Aaron Kischel is the reason I went on March of the Living. Literally from the time I was 8 years old he would tell me that when I’m older, I’m going on the March of the Living. He made the trip what it is. When I think March of the Living, I think Aaron Kischel. Because of him and March of the Living, I now have the life changing knowledge and experience to pass on all that I have learned to others." – Ari Kwitkin-Close, March of the Living Participant, 2018

Aaron’s lifelong dedication has left an indelible mark—his leadership, passion, and unwavering commitment to Jewish education continue to shape the next generation and are the reason Aaron is the recipient of the 2025 Stephan Ross Excellence in Holocaust Education Award. 

About the Stephan Ross Excellence
in Holocaust Education Award


The Stephan Ross Excellence in Holocaust Education Award honors the legacy and lifetime achievements of Holocaust Survivor, Stephan Ross, and founder of the New England Holocaust Memorial.
 
Stephan survived 10 different concentration camps and was liberated from Dachau by American troops at age 14. He had one dream, one vision and one mission. He wanted to remember, with a memorial, his lost family members and all other innocent people who lost their lives in the Holocaust, those soldiers who liberated the concentration camps; and all the soldiers who helped end the war. He wanted this memorial to serve as a lesson to future generations. 
 
The New England Holocaust Memorial was dedicated on October 22, 1995 in a public ceremony on the steps of Boston City Hall Plaza.