Dugo Operation: A Falafel Feast in Memory of Holocaust Survivor Dugo Leitner

Im Tirtzu recently commemorated the annual “Dugo Operation,” a falafel feast in memory of Holocaust survivor Dugo Leitner. The tradition, initiated by Dugo himself, symbolizes resilience and survival, celebrating the liberation from the Auschwitz Death March on January 18, 1945. Dugo Leitner, known as “Dugo,” was a 14-year-old marcher in the harrowing Death March, where over 60,000 prisoners faced death if they stopped. In moments of despair, Dugo found strength in his mother’s tales of “bilkalach”, round bread rolls growing on trees in Israel. This thought gave him the hope to continue. Years later, after arriving in Israel, Dugo encountered falafel balls in Jerusalem, reminiscent of the “bilkalach”. Inspired, he decided to celebrate his life annually on January 18 with a falafel feast. Despite Dugo’s recent passing, the Im Tirtzu movement continues the tradition, of treating and strengthening soldiers while honoring his heroic legacy.