Community to Commemorate 73rd Anniversary of Kristallnacht
In the early hours of November 10, 1938 and continuing until nightfall, violence against the Jews of Germany was unleashed in a whirlwind of destruction. Nazis killed 91 Jews and rounded up 30,000 Jews men to be taken to concentration camps. They also plundered and destroyed thousands of synagogues, homes and Jewish-owned businesses. Kristallnacht, which literally means “Night of Broken Glass,” refers to the shards of shattered window glass littering the streets of Germany and Austria as a result of these brutal acts. This event signaled the intentions of Nazi Germany’s anti-Jewish policies, which ultimately led to the Holocaust.
Miami’s Jewish community will come together to remember that night and the chain of events that followed at the annual Kristallnacht Commemorative Ceremony. The event will take place on Thursday, November 10 at 6:00 p.m. at the Holocaust Memorial of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, 1933-45 Meridian Avenue, Miami Beach. In case of rain, the event will take place at Temple Emanu-El, 1701 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach.
To commemorate Kristallnacht’s 73rd anniversary, the program will include remarks from community leaders, an eyewitness to the Kristallnacht, musical performances, poetry reading, live tweeting and more. There is no cost to attend and the entire community is welcome.
“This annual ceremony is an opportunity for us to join in remembering all that was lost in advance of the Holocaust, and for all members of our community to come together to renew our commitment to never allowing something like this to happen again,” said Program Chair Wendy Rothfield. “We’re very lucky to have a number of Holocaust survivors who have settled in our community over the years, and they serve as our most crucial link to these events.”
For more information about this event, please contact the Holocaust Memorial at HolocaustMemorial@JewishMiami.org or 305.538.1663. Free parking is available south of the Memorial and buses for survivors are available from Sunny Isles and North Miami Beach.
