A Holocaust survivor who endured the Auschwitz death march, Dugo chose to celebrate the anniversary of liberation, not with speeches or ceremonies, but with falafel. For him, eating a simple Israeli meal was a declaration: I am alive. I am free. I am home.
The day opened with conversations about identity, resilience, and continuity. Teachers and students spoke about survival as a daily choice to live with meaning, joy, and responsibility for one another.
“I had heard about Operation Dugo before,” shared Lian, a ninth-grade student. “But this time, the learning helped me really understand why this day matters. It made me feel connected to our shared story.”
The moment everyone waited for came later. Twelfth-grade students gave out the traditional falafel – learning stopped and community took over.
No speeches. No grand gestures. Just young people, standing together, choosing to remember through life.
And that, Dugo taught us, is the greatest victory of all.
