As Holocaust distortion spreads and antisemitism grows louder and more visible, memory alone cannot meet the moment. This is a time that demands action. The Blatt family chose to step into that responsibility by participating in Ride for the Living, a 60-mile journey that transforms history from a set of facts into an urgent call to strengthen Jewish life.
Jon and Josh Blatt, joined by their father Bob Blatt, their sister, their children, and several extended family members, traveled to Krakow in June to take part in the program. What began as a suggestion from a friend became a family-wide commitment, even for those who were hesitant at first. Ride for the Living is an annual international event in which participants cycle from Auschwitz-Birkenau to JCC Krakow to honor Holocaust survivors and celebrate the renewal of Jewish life.
“We did not come to Poland to stand on the sidelines,” Josh Blatt said. “We came because taking part felt like the only meaningful response to the moment we are living in.”
In the days before the ride, the family immersed themselves in Krakow’s deep Jewish history. They walked through neighborhoods where Jewish life thrived for centuries, listened to lectures, and shared meals with a community actively rebuilding itself. Each experience added emotional weight to what they were preparing to do.
Their journey ultimately brought them to the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where the ride began. That starting point was intentional. It forced participants to confront the enormity of what was lost, standing in the very place where families were shattered and entire communities destroyed. From there, the route led them through quiet countryside and back toward Krakow, a city where Jewish life is once again visible and determined to grow. The physical movement from Auschwitz to the JCC became a powerful expression of traveling from trauma to resilience, from destruction to renewal.
The ride concluded at JCC Krakow during the city’s Jewish Culture Festival. The final gathering, a Shabbat dinner shared with Holocaust survivors and members of Krakow’s Jewish community, brought 700 people together in a space filled with song, blessing, and connection.
One moment in particular stayed with the family. During the Shabbat dinner, Jon and Bob Blatt sat beside an Auschwitz survivor who described the exact moment he learned the war had ended. More than eighty years later, he still remembered every detail. Hearing that memory firsthand made history feel immediate and personal for the entire group.
Throughout the trip, the Blatts met descendants of survivors and people riding in honor of loved ones. These conversations shaped the experience, especially for the younger members of the family.
“The kids were glad they went,” Josh Blatt said. “They felt the importance of what they saw and learned. I think it is something that will strengthen their individual Judaism.”
When they returned to Cincinnati, the Blatts carried more than memories. They carried a renewed sense of responsibility.
“It gives you an energy of wanting to make your own community better,” Josh Blatt said. The family left Poland feeling inspired by Krakow’s Jewish community and committed to strengthening Jewish life at home. They hope to return next year, with even more Cincinnatians alongside them.
Not everyone can travel to Poland, but everyone can choose to confront this history. Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away., now at historic Union Terminal, offers that opportunity. With more than 500 original artifacts, the exhibition reveals the mechanisms of genocide while honoring stories of courage, dignity, and survival.
“There have been many times when Jews have built thriving communities, only to be uprooted or oppressed again,” Bob Blatt reflected. “It is important to remember that it really was not that long ago.”
The Blatt family’s journey is a reminder that remembrance must be active. Ride for the Living shows how memory can move people toward strengthening Jewish life wherever they live. History is not only what happened. It is what we choose to do with it now.
