A solemn yet inspiring program to mark the 75th anniversary of one of the saddest chapters in the history of mankind will take place Saturday, Nov. 9, at Beth Hillel Congregation Bnai Emunah in Wilmette. The free event is open to the public.
Kristallnacht 75 will commemorate and reflect on the first organized act of Nazi violence against the Jewish people of Germany and Austria that culminated in the murder of six million Jews. Called Kristallnacht and translated from the German as the “night of broken glass,” that fateful night of Nov. 9, 1938, marked the beginning of Nazi Germany’s policy of physical violence against the Jewish people and helped establish the country’s policies for the persecution and death of thousands of others of various nationalities, ethnicities and faiths.
Presented under the auspices of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in cooperation with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, the Kristallnacht 75 ecumenical program will feature remarks from area dignitaries and religious, academic and community leaders on the implications of Kristallnacht. The list of participants will be announced later in October.
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Two world-renowned Cantors – Albert Mizrahi, one of the world’s leading interpreters of Jewish music, and Benjamin Warschawski, recognized worldwide for his exceptional talents in both operatic and cantorial realms – will perform with a choir to add beautiful, moving harmonies to the program.
“Reflecting on the experiences of Kristallnacht and the Holocaust as a whole, it is important to make connections to today’s political and social environments,” said Al Gruen, Kristallnacht 75 program chair. “While the Holocaust was a result of a certain time and place, the human behavior that fueled such atrocities can still be seen today.
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“Hopefully, by presenting this history and reminding the world of what can happen when such ideologies take control, the phrase ‘Never Again’ will be heard around the world,” Gruen said. “Those attending Kristallnacht 75 will experience an extraordinary evening.”
Information and updates about the program are available by visiting the Kristallnacht 75 website at www.kristallnacht75.org.
The event will be broadcast live via Internet and is expected to be shown on television city-wide at a later date.
Beth Hillel Congregation Bnai Emunah is located at 3220 Big Tree Lane in Wilmette.
Doors to the event will open at 5:30 p.m. and will close promptly at 6:30 p.m.; late arrivals may not be seated. The formal program and live webcast begin at 7 p.m.
