The 2001 South African Holocaust Tour arrived in Israel on August 5th. The group comprises 26 pupils, three teachers and four adults. Mr Singer, (the SA IUA National P2K Chairman) his wife and daughter, and the husband of one of the teachers are joinging the tour at their expense. They are also contributing an additional amount as a donation to cover subsidies for pupils who cannot pay the full fare from SA to Israel and back.

The Israeli delegation numbers 37 pupils and three teachers, P2K staff, guides, a doctor,two security officers and a Witness.

The husband of one of the SA teachers, is donating a website for the duration of the tour so that parents can follow the events of the tour on a daily basis - http://www.swiftsms.co.za/p2k . Each pupil will have their own access address and so they can also receive messages.

Another touching story - the "Witness" who is accompanying the tour this year, David Efrati, was 12 years old when the war broke out. He was born in Warsaw and spent time in the Ghetto and witnessed the uprising there. He and other Ghetto survivors, were put on a train to Treblinka, but he jumped off and made his way back to Warsaw where he was taken in and saved by a non-Jewish family.

He has maintained contact with one of the sons of this family and yad V'Shem honoured the family by inviting the son here to participate in a tree planting ceremony in the avenue of the Righteous Gentiles.

The tour participants will meet with Shasek, the son and friend of David Efrati, on the first night of their stay in Warsaw. There is a saying "He who saves one life, saves the world" - today, Efrati lives in Jerusalem, established a family and has five grandchildren.

Av 5761 - August 2001