On November 9, 2020, March of the Living will mark Kristallnacht with the “Let There Be Light" #LetThereBeLight campaign, designed to mark the anniversary of Kristallnacht at a time when physical activities are not possible.
On November 9, 1938 – Kristallnacht, The Night of Broken Glass – the destruction of over 1,400 synagogues began.
March of the Living invites individuals, institutions and Houses of Worship across the world to keep their lights on during the night of November 9th, as a symbol of solidarity and mutual commitment in the shared battle against anti-Semitism, racism, hatred and intolerance.
As part of this historic virtual initiative, people from all over the world will be able to add their voice to the campaign. Individuals of all religions and backgrounds are invited to write personal messages of hope in their own words. Messages will be projected onto the Old City Walls in Jerusalem, at the central synagogue in Frankfurt and other significant sites across the world.
“Kristallnacht was one of the critical moments in the chain of events which led to the Holocaust", Dr Shmuel Rosenman, World Chair of March of the Living explained, "and this year we decided to launch an international awareness campaign, with the Jewish community in Frankfurt and many partners around the world".
"By illuminating houses of prayer - synagogues, mosques and churches - we convey the message that burning and destroying synagogues and Jewish institutions is not just a Jewish issue", Rosenman added, "82 years have since passed and synagogues are still burning, windows are still being smashed and anti-Semitism is on the rise. Kristallnacht is not a chapter that is closed. Today we see acts not only of Jew-hatred, but hatred of ‘the other’ across the world.”