Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, is the name given to the wave of violent anti-Jewish pogroms that occurred on November 9 and 10, 1938, throughout Germany and annexed Austria and other areas occupied by German troops.
Its name refers to the fragments of broken glass that littered German streets after the pogrom, coming from the windows of synagogues, Jewish homes and businesses that had been looted and vandalized during the night.
As the 86th anniversary of that night approaches, Yad Vashem and the Kibbutz Religious Movement have launched the Spread the Light initiative, inviting Jewish communities around the world to illuminate their synagogues, cultural centers and schools during the night of November 10, in memory of the victims.
In addition, Spread the Light promotes educational activities to connect younger generations with their history, disseminate survivor testimonies, and also highlight the importance of Jewish culture and heritage.
Dani Dayan, President of Yad Vashem, said: “As we face a future in which the voices of Holocaust survivors will no longer be with us, it is our sacred duty to ensure that their stories, along with the legacy of victims and survivors, continue to resonate today and for future generations. The light that the Nazis sought to extinguish eighty years ago must be amplified. By spreading the light on this night, we send a clear message to the world that hatred and anti-Semitism have no place in our modern society.”