Kristallnacht – far longer than a night

This was shared at the 85th Commemoration of Kristallnacht at Queens University of Charlotte.

Kristallnacht – some call it the night of broken glass but it wasn’t just a night.  It was experienced as an eternal night — on which systematic-state sponsored unrelenting hate and violence were unleashed for six and half years.

Kristallnacht opened the dark door to the Holocaust which in the words of Elie Wiesel turned his life into one long night that was “seven times cursed and seven times sealed,” which he said, “murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams into dust.”

Kristallnacht – a night of broken glass that exponentially increased the number of broken hearts, broken lives, broken families, reflecting our broken world – evil incarnate murdering six million Jews and five million others.

“Zachor – remember!” Judaism commands us. Remember evil and eradicate it. Teach your children. Tell the stories of your past. Celebrate your liberation and celebrate your survival. 

Kristallnacht – 85 years ago this past Thursday. And yet again, we stand shattered and broken as a Jewish people and as humanity by another night of violence, another day of violence – the October 7th massacre turning into days and weeks of violence that leave us sleepless and bereft over the countless innocent lives lost on both sides of the border. And leave us tearful and fearful for the existential threat we feel Israel faces and for the dramatic rise in global antisemitism 

Kristallnacht recalls the descent into darkness. But today, your presence, your remembrance, your commitment to learning and teaching and transforming our world for the better bring light and healing.

Thank you for joining the Jewish Community and the Queens University Community for this 85th anniversary commemoration.

God above, God beyond, God within, and God between us help us to create peace by combating hate with education and actions that heal our world.

God above, God beyond, God within, and God between us help us to create peace, here, in Israel, in Gaza, in the West Bank, throughout the Middle East and throughout the world.