70th Anniversary of Kristallnacht leads Jews to rally for Darfur

November 9, 6:33 AMDC Jewish Life ExaminerRachel Mauro

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A German synagogue burns on Nov. 9, 1938, during a Nazi-sponsored pogrom.  Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

 Jews are no strangers to the idea of persecution and for years, Jewish groups have been at the forefront of the movement to save Darfur, a region in western Sudan, which is awash in cultural genocide. Today, they join with Tents of Hope on the National Mall to show solidarity with the refugees of Janjaweed aggression. 

Sixth & I has planned a few ceremonies to commemorate this day, including an inter-religious prayer service from 10 to 11 a.m.  But November 9 isn't just important due to the rally, it is also the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass.) On this single night, German mobs spurred on by Nazi propoganda destroyed Jewish businesses homes, and synagogues, and killed 96 people.  Somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 synagogues were burned, and Nazis later rounded up 30,000 Jews to send to concentration camps.  Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation is also hosting an interfaith dialogue in order to talk about the travesty at Kristallnacht.

Let us hope that the actions of these groups today help to change the memory of November 9 from a time of hatred to  a time of peace.  In remembering the atrocities of the Holocaust and of Darfur, we can raise world consciousness and shout out with conviction, never again.