Marking the 84th anniversary of the infamous Kristallnacht (“Night of Broken Glass”) pogroms, the International March of the Living is launching the third annual “Let There Be Light” interfaith campaign of unity. The initiative aims to both commemorate the past and raise awareness of the contemporary global rise of intolerance, prejudice, and racism through a public education effort geared toward people of all religions, ethnicities, and nationalities.
As part of the “Let There Be Light” project, individuals, institutions, and houses of worship worldwide keep symbolic lights illuminated on the night of November 9th, in a public demonstration of mutual responsibility and solidarity in the collective effort against antisemitism and other forms of bigotry and hatred.
On November 9th-10th, 1938, hundreds of synagogues were burned across Germany and Austria and thousands of Jewish-owned businesses were damaged or destroyed by Nazi vandals during the Kristallnacht pogroms. Nearly 100 Jews were murdered and around 30,000 more were rounded up and sent to concentration camps, marking an ominous turning point in history and a key juncture in the evolution of the subsequent mass genocide of the Jews perpetrated by the Nazi regime during World War II.
This year, the International March of the Living -- together with its partners the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), Neishlos Foundation; Crossroads of Civilizations Museum; Meta; Austrian Jewish community, and Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience at Rutgers University - will commemorate the 84th anniversary of Kristallnacht with events in Jerusalem and Vienna, as well as Dubai, in a first-of-its-kind event in the Arab and Muslim world.
CAM is a global coalition engaging more than 600 partner organizations and nearly two million people from a diverse array of religious, political, and cultural backgrounds in the common mission of fighting the world's oldest hatred. CAM acts collaboratively to build a better future, free of bigotry, for the Jewish people and all humanity.
The International March of the Living is proud to be part of the CAM coalition. The two organizations previously collaborated on the "#CantBeCompared" campaign against Holocaust trivialization, coinciding with International Holocaust Remembrance Day earlier this year.
CEO of CAM Sacha Roytman Dratwa stated, “As a multi-faith movement, it is vital to bring a unifying message of remembrance and a warning for the present and the future that the forces of intolerance and bigotry are increasing around the world. Bringing light to push back against the darkness reminds us of the need to be constantly vigilant, educate, and combat those who seek to target Jews and deny the Holocaust.”
Dr. Shmuel Rosenman, Chairman of March of the Living, said, “The International March of the Living organization has devoted itself to Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism and all forms of hatred. We are grateful to have the Combat Antisemitism Movement joining us in our efforts to educate the world about what can happen when hate is left unchecked. We strongly believe that Holocaust education is the answer to antisemitism.”