On November 9-10, 1938, the Nazi party and its supporters carried out a pogrom against Jews in Germany, destroying their homes, businesses, and synagogues. Now, 87 years later, Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Israel, is holding an event called, “Spread the Light: Commemorating Kristallnacht in a Shattered World” on November 9.
“We are gathering in New York City to unite the community in remembrance of Kristallnacht and to stand against the rising tide of antisemitism,” said Beth Katznelson, national deputy director of philanthropy for the Yad Vashem USA Foundation. “It is more crucial than ever that people attend—to honor survivors, learn, and demonstrate that ‘Never Again Is Now.’”
“It is more crucial than ever that people attend—to honor survivors, learn, and demonstrate that ‘Never Again Is Now.’” – Beth Katznelson
The speakers at “Spread the Light” include Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, Bret Stephens, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Bianna Golodryga, CNN’s senior global affairs analyst, and Ofir Akunis, Israeli consul general in New York. Los Angeles-based board members Yossie Hollander, an Israeli technology entrepreneur, and his wife Dana will be in attendance as well.
“[Yossie and Dana] have been among Yad Vashem’s most dedicated partners for over 25 years,” said Katznelson. “Their vision and generosity were instrumental in helping Yad Vashem reach the historic milestone of preserving the names of five million Holocaust victims and in advancing Echoes & Reflections, the leading Holocaust education program in the United States.”
Other board members that helped put the event together include Ariel Ackerman, Dalia Cohen, and Colin Halpern.
“Colin Halpern, a visionary businessman and longtime advocate for remembrance, transformed a personal encounter with Holocaust history into a lifelong mission to ensure that every victim’s story is remembered,” said Katznelson.
The event will highlight the museum’s Book of Names, which commemorates the memory of nearly five million men, women, and children who perished in the Holocaust. The pages, which are two meters high and one meter wide, include the names, birthplaces, and birthdates of the victims, and the places they were murdered. A gentle beam of light shines between each page.
“Each name, each person was an entire world, replete with memories, experiences and aspirations,” according to the museum. “Entire worlds take shape before our eyes, and the prewar lives of the victims and their fate during the Holocaust are revealed.”
At “Spread the Light,” Yad Vashem will offer an afternoon of reflection and hope, with a goal to honor history and strengthen the Jewish community’s commitment to combating antisemitism and hate. Thanks to the museum’s leaders and board members, its work and legacy are thriving at a crucial time.
Katznelson said, “Through their leadership, Yad Vashem continues to expand its global efforts in education, digital testimony, and remembrance initiatives to keep the legacy of the Holocaust relevant for generations to come.”
