Kristallnacht – The Night of Broken Glass – marked the onset of the Holocaust. On November 9-10, 1938, Nazi forces set fire to or destroyed over two hundred synagogues, damaged 7,000 Jewish-owned businesses, arrested 30,000 Jews, and murdered 91 Jews in Germany, Austria and the Sudetenland.
We now find ourselves in a time when Israel is at war following the unprecedented terror attack on October 7, 2023 that saw more Jewish people killed in one day since the Holocaust. There has been a stark increase in antisemitism around the world – including here in Sydney, Australia.
It is important to come together for the annual communal event commemorating Kristallnacht, which will be held on
Sunday 10 November at 6.45pm for a 7.00pm start (in person only, eastern suburbs location).
Our keynote speaker for the evening is Michael Gawenda, an acclaimed journalist, former editor-in-chief of The Age, and author of the award-winning memoir My Life as a Jew. He will be in conversation with Australian Jewish News senior journalist Carly Adno on the topic: “Broken Glass, Shattered Communities: Reflections of a progressive Jewish journalist post-October 7”.
The event will include a tribute to Olga Horak OAM z”l for her decades of work keeping alive the memory and experiences of Holocaust Survivors in our community.
A memorial candle will be lit and memorial prayers recited in memory of the victims of Kristallnacht and the Holocaust.
To join us to commemorate this important occasion, please register your attendance.
