South Florida's Jewish community gathers to mark Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass
MIAMI BEACH - A solemn evening at the Holocaust Memorial, as dozens of people came together to observe a night that forever changed the world.
"Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass. Eighty-five years ago, as a precursor to the Holocaust, many, many Jewish buildings, synagogues were burned to the ground in what was one of the most difficult times in Jewish history," said Sidney Pertnoy, Immediate Past Chair of the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach.
Unfortunately, the Jewish community recently experienced another horrific event, following the Hamas attacks in Israel, making the Kristallnacht commemoration even more significant.
"The terror of 85 years ago could be easily confused with the terror of 29 days in so many ways in its brutality and its savagery and the elements of hate that defied it in every way," said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber.
Holocaust survivors, members of the Jewish community, their allies, and local leaders standing in solidarity against the rise of antisemitism, pledging their allegiance to Israel.
"85 years ago, the firefighters in Germany sat down and watched hundreds of synagogues and people burn. They watched it happen. Today we know better. Tomorrow morning, I will watch as 8 of our firefighters begin their journey to Israel to protect Israel," said Mayor Gelber.
While Kristallnacht happened decades ago, the current state in Israel reminds this South Florida community of the importance of standing up against hate.
"With God's help, and with our unity as a nation, we will rebuild the villages, we will release all the hostages and we will eradicate the terrorists of Hamas and anyone who will dare to threaten the future of our nation," said Mike Driquez, Deputy Consul General of Israel in Miami.
